This is the second album by American Classic hard rock guitarist and composer IAIN ASHLEY HERSEY. He has called in the help of no less than four vocalists, one of them none other than Graham Bonnett (RAINBOW/ALCATRAZZ/MSG). The press info goes out of its way to emphasize the ‘classic' and ‘vintage' characteristics of this record. He himself calls it "kind of a heavy Bluesy Classic Rock with a hint of fusion overtones". Musically and production-wise the album is spotless, IAIN ASHLEY HERSEY himself is capable of playing some groovy licks without resorting to egotripping and he has hired himself some rock-solid vocalists.

So what's wrong? Well, one of the reasons I started listening to hard rock music in the first place because I liked the energy, something which is sorely lacking on "The Holy Grail". I can't say it's a bad album because it isn't but goddammit, Hard Rock should at least be….well, Hard!! About halfway through the album I find myself really wishing for the tempo to go up even a tiny bit but alas, "The Holy Grail" just keeps dragging on like a geriatric WHITESNAKE or BAD COMPANY on an off-day. The fact that the average song length is 5 minutes or more (and the album as a whole clocks in at nearly 70 minutes) doesn't help either. Holy shit, compared to these guys GOV'T MULE are a virtual grindcore band!!

I'm sorry, I really appreciate the musical craftmanship on this record but jeez, I'm not that old!! Having said that I rather like the album's closing track ("Auf Wiedersehen", an instrumental that brings to mind some of GARY MOORE's finer moments) but overall this music really could use a proverbial kick in the pants. So please get off your bedpans and start rockin', guys!! After all, this is still supposed to be rock you're playing, right? Right?

- Van Hoften

OFFICIAL SITE: www.iainashleyhersey.com

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