Through the Fire in Bloomington, MN

Journey
axeman
Neal Schon
satisfies his yearning for a four-piece
Van Halen
/
Montrose
environment through meat-and-potatoes metalhead
Sammy Hagar
on this heavily doctored live document, the creatively titled
Through the Fire
. Journeyman
Aaronson
, who looks cool and played bass on tour with
Billy Idol
, gives some
new wave
credence to this quartet, in image only. Like
Schon
, drummer
Shrieve
also boasts
Santana
roots. Most importantly, each member held the same management. Of course,
is by-the-numbers, not in a league with
Hagar
's peak on the landmark
, but as enjoyable as his solo '80s work.
HSAS
approaches each cut as an epic, and some fat could be cut from each, but Bay-Area brothers
and
wisely use the opportunity to stretch their considerable AOR muscles.
's always dubious lyrics try the patience at times: Who or what is
"Giza"
? Is
"He Will Understand"
feminist? But radio song
"Missing You"
captures sizzling prime
, and hot-clockin' dinosaur juggernaut
"My Home Town"
lumbers like an extinct
GFR
BTO
/FM staple. ~ Doug Stone