Rocktober Album #11: Man Raze – Surreal (2008)

What do you get when you combine Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen, Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook, and Girl bassist Simon Laffy? The answer, my friends, is Man Raze.

Surreal is the band's debut (I'm not sure if this is a one-and-done type of thing for these guys), and it combines elements of punk, glam, hair metal, and even some reggae, with very good results.

Collen has a great rock voice, which didn't come as too much of a surprise to me, since he did a formidable Rod Stewart while singing lead on Def Leppard's over of Faces' "Stay With Me" on their 2006 cover album Yeah!. His guitar work is predictably good as well. Cook brings a punk drumming energy. Laffy adds a worthy bottom. (For those who don't know, Girl was a British glam band in the late '70s and early '80s that Collen was in before he joined Def Leppard.)

The band is currently doing a North American tour. I would imagine that they would be pretty good live.

1. This Is
This is a great fucking song, that's what "This Is" is. Off the bat, Man Raze blows the doors off with this punkish, fast-paced rocker with strong chords and great vocals by Collen. This song seriously rocks
2. Turn It Up
As evidenced by "Turn It Up," the group didn't blow their load on "This Is." "Turn It Up" is another great rocker that sounds like a punkier Def Leppard song. That is, it has the pop sensibilities of Def Leppard and the energy and attitude of a punk song. The result is a well-meshed
3. Runnin' Me Up
Taking a break from the straight-forward rock, this song has a Police feel to it, with a reggae beat, although the short guitar solo is more rock and roll.
4. Every Second of Every Day
This is a slower song with more of a Def Leppard ballad feel than anything else.
5. Spinning Out
Another slower song, this has a pretty heavy riff. Collen's vocals during the verses sound eerily like Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.
6. Can't Find My Own Way
This is another one that has kind of a Police feel to it, at least in the verses. The chorus is a little more upbeat.
7. Skin Crawl
"Skin Crawl" is a droning rocker that, in certain parts, sounds like it could be a Nine Inch Nails song, but in other parts not so much.
8. Low
This song is less rocking than others, in my opinion, but it's still pretty good.
9. Connected to You
This song is fast-paced with a bit of a Clash-meets-Aerosmith feel to it.
10. Halo
This song kicks off with a raunchy, fuzzy bass, which sets the tone for a nice dirty feel to the verses.
11. It's Entertainment
Another straight-forward rocker.
12. Shadow Man
This is a slower, grunge-y song.

Unfortunately, Playlist.com only has three Man Raze songs. Luckily, "Turn It Up" is one of them.