All That Remains Reloaded

Album Review

Now that wrestler Chris Jericho's metal band, Fozzy, has issued its third release in five years, All That Remains, the detractors who initially viewed the group as merely a "bit of fun" will be silenced. There's no denying that the group has grown into a powerful metal band in the style of Black Label Society, with extra added elements of '80s-era heavy metal. Once more, in addition to all the brawn, Jericho proves to be a very capable (and powerful) metal singer, as evidenced by the Pantera-esque album opener, "Nameless Faceless." But probably most impressive of all is the guitar work. For the most part, unashamedly shredding guitar solos fell by the wayside for many metal bands in the early '90s, but Fozzy guitarist Rich Ward proves to be an exception throughout All That Remains, as he lets his fingers fly like it was 1989. And while Ward has no problem supplying guitar pyrotechnics himself, Fozzy call on two of metal's most respected guitarists to lend a hand — Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society's Zakk Wylde on "Wanderlust" and ex-Megadeth/Cacophony's Marty Friedman on "Born of Anger." With All That Remains, Fozzy should now finally be taken seriously by headbangers worldwide. [Ash's 2008 edition included a bonus DVD.]