Carmine and Vinny Appice – Drum Wars Live!
Deadline Records
http://cleorecs.com/store/shop/carmine-vinny-appice-drum-wars-live-cd/

Rating: B

One family, two rock and roll icons, two different pronunciations of the last name and one amazing mustach: Carmine Appice (pronounced Uh-Piece) and his little brother Vinny Appice (pronounced App-ah-see) have played with damn near everyone at some point over the last four decades.  For this release, they take the stage, set up their drum kits and call out for an all-out war!  

Carmine is best known for damn near inventing the drum solo, as he laid down the grooves for everyone from Vanilla Fudge to Cactus to Ted Nugent to Rod Stewart to Ozzy Osbourne, among others, while his little bro Vinny played on a much smaller kit but made louder music with the likes of DIO, Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell.  Now, they battle it out on stage playing classic tunes from their past, as well as bringing back live drum battles not seen since the glory days of jazz with drummers like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich.  This is a true battle to the death, blasted out at deafening volumes. 

The band features Jim Crean, Ethan Brosh and James Cuputo.  Ethan Brosh is most impressive, threatening to steal the show from the two dueling drummers!  His playing is spot-on and aggressive.  This guy is playing solos from guys named Viv Campbell, Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee and Tony Iommi.  This kid is not just good... he’s great! There is also a bit of show biz slickness here, making the event not so much a heavy metal vomit fest but more of a novelty live performance.  It’s a fun time and it’s done pretty darn well. 

Will you actually listen to these songs here instead of the originals?  Probably not... but if you’re a drummer, and if this one is on your radar, then you probably are going to give this a try... and you’re in for a fun ride. 

The brothers admit when outside of the battle they had a great time during their drum wars.

Carmine: "When me and Vinny play together, we push each other to our limits. Either while drum battling or playing great songs from our history on this CD, while backed up with a great band behind us."

Vinny: : "[This] is a CD of great music and drums that punch with power and energy."

Get your sticks out and start twirling! 

"Drum Wars Live!" track listing:
01. Intro
02. The Mob Rules
03. Drum Wars
04. Holy Diver
05. We Rock
06. The Flintstones
07. Carmine Solo
08. Bark At The Moon
09. Do Ya Think I'm Sexy
10. Drum Wars Part 2
11. Vinny Solo
12. Stand Up And Shout / Heaven And Hell
13. Crazy Train

By Jeb Wright