No one can deny that there is a lot of turmoil happening in the world, with the USA being no exception. So, for musicians, the best way to cope with all that is just writing new songs. And D’ERCOLE deliver 11 crunching tracks on their new album ”Reactance Theory”, the number 11 LP from the band formed by bros. Damian & B.F. D’Ercole alongside multi-faceted Phil Vincent.
According to the band, for this new CD the have taken inspiration from the greats, including BTO, Judas Priest, Angel, Beatles, Uriah Heep, U.K., Charlie, Black Sabbath, and Night Ranger. And you can hear all that in “Reactance Theory”, the most varied D’ERCOLE, some kind of an homage to the late ’70s and ’80s.
From opener The Best Of Me to the closer Spirit Infinite (with extended soloing from their record label boss Peter Cox), the band is on fire, always sticking to hard driving riffs, shredding from long-time collaborator Englishman Vince O’Regan and of course Phil Vincent’s knack for delivering vocal melodies and harmonies that grab your attention.
Mastered by expert Jacob Hansen, D’ERCOLE ”Reactance Theory” offers fifty minutes of rock n’ roll to escape the world’s craziness and finding foot stomping and fist shaking freedom…
”Round And Round” begins with mega-classic keyboards, a lead vocal reminiscent of Prophet’s Russell Arcara, and a clear influence of Van Halen, Triumph, and Night Ranger. Next they deliver bilateral trans-oceanic hard rock with the vigor of UFO and the melody of Dokken on ”Shadow Rider” (composed by Fireworks magazine editor Bruce Mee and Phil Vincent). It’s the kind of hard rock that hooks on you at first listen; the lead guitars unfold like Schenker and Lynch in tandem.
“Just Like You” has a Winger feeling, with a tight rhythm section, a catchy chorus and with a guitar solo that pays tribute to the great Reb Beach. Next the band shift to the golden era of Pomp Rock with the very good, progressive musicality of “Dark Waters”, which resonates like Angel, Kansas, the theatrical side of Styx.
If Boston, Survivor, Fandango, Blackjack, or Reo Speedwagon hadn’t existed, songs as exciting as “Comin’ Home” would have remained unmade… love this one.
They take you back to the songs and voices of Kane Roberts or Paul Sabu with another strong, rockin’ melodic song called ”Let Me Down”. Then ‘Standing on the Edge of Time’ is pure classic rock, melodic midtempo with a classic riff and nice vocal arrangements.
For the end, they deliver more diversity. ”Spirit Infinite” combines Queen’s musicality with a Beatlesque atmosphere, including many layers of acoustic and electric guitars, Phil alternating his register for good effect, and there’s a very good solo by Cox.
D’ERCOLE is perhaps the best band Phil Vincent is involved, exploring diverse styles but always based on melody and the familiar sound from the Seventies and Eighties.
And ”Reactance Theory” is easily the best album they have created.
Highly Recommended
01 – The Best of Me
02 – Round and Round
03 – Shadow Rider
04 – Just Like You
05 – Dark Waters
06 – Comin’ Home
07 – There Comes a Time
08 – Moving Target
09 – Let Me Down
10 – Standing on the Edge of Time
11 – Spirit Infinite
Phil Vincent – Vocals, Keyboards, Guitars
Damian D’Ercole – Bass
B.F. D’Ercole – Drums, Percussion
with:
Vince O’Regan – Lead Guitars
Peter Cox – Lead Guitars on ‘Spirit Infinite’
D’Ercole – Reactance Theory (2025) , MP3+FLAC
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