### Tim Ripper Owens: Play my game

#### 16/05/09 || Euthanatos

No, Ripper, god damn it, what are you doing? I’m so disappointed in you. First, you land the gig of a lifetime in Priest. Fine, the albums sucked, it wasn’t your fault, KK and Glenn were senile, it happens. Then, you started selling yourself out like a goddamn whore, going from singing in Iced Earth and Malmsteen’s band to performing covers for pocked money. Somewhere in between all that, though, you released a fine album, the best in your career, with Beyond Fear (which, by the way, I could swear I had reviewed here for GD. I must be going senile as well). You couldn’t just stick with that, could you? No, you have to prove to everyone you can do just fine on your own. Well, you fucking can’t. So you shouldn’t do it. Ever again.

True, this album is a lot like Beyond Fear’s debut. It’s the same kind of Priest-like metal, very traditional, although not dated, very modern actually. Ripper screams shamelessly as usual, but while in Beyond Fear he showed an immense amount of restraint, here he tends to go off like a goddamn banshee on the rag again.

Also true is that, at least in theory, Ripper is accompanied here by a much more interesting line-up than the one in Beyond Fear, who had a bunch of nobodies. Bob Kulick, Rudy Sarzo, Simon Wright, James Lomenzo, Billy Sheehan, Bruce Kulick, Dave Ellefson, Doug Aldrich, Bobby Jarzombek, Chris Caffery, I mean, fuck, that’s like the cast of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. But wait! Not satisfied, Ripper even brought in the guys from fucking Beyond Fear!

So, tell me, for all that is sacred and holy; how in the fuck did this album manage to be as boring as this? I did not feel the urge to bang my head once. Not-fucking-once. And that’s unforgivable. To be completely fair, I did like the riff on “Death Race”. But that’s about it. Seriously, how does this happens? If this is not undeniable, irrefutable proof that Owens sucks balls as a songwriter, I don’t know what is. Maybe all Ripper is is a glorified tribute singer. Fuck me, is that so bad? I don’t think so, at least he has talent doing something. But, please, stick to that. Singing. No more.

I desperately wanted to enjoy this album, but alas, it is as lame as it could get. It reminds me of Annihilator’s piece of shit “M.E.T.A.L.”. Sure, you can get an all-star cast for your album, but that’s just not enough to make it good.

The cover: Yes, I like the cover. Love the cartoony feel.

3 strikes and you’re out, Tim, seriously out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2009
- Label: Steamhammer
- Website: www.timripperowens.com
- Band
- Tim Owens: vocals
- Chris Caffery: guitars
- John Comprix: guitars
- Michael Wilton: guitars
- Mike Callahan: guitars
- Craig Goldy: guitars
- Bob Kulick: guitars
- Bruce Kulick: guitars
- Carlos Cavazo: guitars
- Steve Stevens: guitars
- Jeff Loomis: guitars
- Neil Zaza: guitars
- Simon Wright: drums
- Bobby Jarzombek: drums
- Brett Chassen: drums
- Marco Mendoza: bass
- James Lomenzo: bass
- Tony Franklin: bass
- Dave Ellefson: bass
- Billy Sheehan: bass
- Dennis Hayes: bass
- Rudy Sarzo: bass
- Ray Luzier: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Starting Over
- 02. Believe
- 03. The Cover Up
- 04. Pick Yourself Up
- 05. It is Me
- 06. No Good Goodbyes
- 07. To Live Again
- 08. The World is Blind
- 09. The Light
- 10. Play My Game
- 11. Death Race
- 12. The Shadows Are Alive