GEORGE LYNCH & JEFF PILSON – Wicked Underground [2020 reissue +1]

Deadline / Cleopatra Records has just made available a special reissue of the 2003 album from former Dokken bandmates, George Lynch & Jeff Pilson, titled “Wicked Underground“. Originally appeared as ‘Lynch / Pilson’, now it’s re-released under the GEORGE LYNCH & JEFF PILSON moniker, features a completely new artwork and includes a special bonus track – “Top Of The World” – an all-new Lynch & Pilson composition / recording exclusive to this reissue.
Available on both CD in a digipak and for the first time ever in a killer 2-LP clear vinyl in a gatefold jacket.

The “Wicked Underground” project was a long time coming. George Lynch and Jeff Pilson have always been a strong songwriting team, and without Don Dokken being part of the mix it has taken on a whole new depth on this album / songs.
Pilson handles all the vocal duties, sounding like Don Dokken’s stunt double in many cases – albeit with a harder edge to his voice – and Lynch punches out groove after massive groove getting back to being a metal guitarist par excellence.
Having said all that, this is still not a Dokken album with altered packaging. In many ways, “Wicked Underground” is an adventurous record. It pushes the boundaries more than your average hard rock flair, or any previous Dokken album.

Songs like ‘Ever Higher’ and ‘Inner View’ possess a welcome dark and brooding atmosphere that goes hand in hand with the heavier tracks. Lynch goes for broke, smoking some potent stuff on ‘Breath & A Scream’, ‘Zero The End’, ‘Vaccine’ and ‘Cromanic’, but he also sounds restrained, as things rarely get above a steady boil and are based on melody.
With the exception of ‘Vaccine’, there are no over-the-top fret-burners, everything staying at the service of the songs in a mid-heavy ‘sacred groove’ (pun intended).

The extra track “Top Of The World” is a great addition, perhaps the most melodic hard oriented song on the album, with a petty anthemic chorus at the core.

“Wicked Underground” is heady listening experience rather than something to tear the roof off, intense, sometimes dark, and always groovy and melodious.
The catchiness of the songs here comes from both the great melodic vocals of Jeff Pilson and the instantly appealing choruses to the songs. All this mixed in with a wicked and heavy guitar sound with an awesome groove makes for one damn fine album.
Highly Recommended

01 – Breath & a Scream
02 – Beast in the Box
03 – When You Bleed
04 – Vaccine
05 – Ever Higher
06 – Zero the End
07 – The Evil That You Are
08 – Awaken
09 – Cromanic
10 – Goodbye Utopia
11 – Inner View
12 – Closer to None
REISSUE BONUS TRACK:
13 – Top Of The World

Guitar, Backing Vocals – George Lynch
Vocals, Bass, Keyboards – Jeff Pilson
Drums – Michael Frowein

BUY IT
cleorecs.com/store/shop/george-lynch-leff-pilson-wicked-underground-cd/