SCARLET – Scarlet [1983-1987 recordings / FnA Records remaster]

As requested, here’s the remastered release of ’80s recordings from Florida based rockers SCARLET formed in 1983. The band’s first notice came with a Top 4 placing on MTV unsigned band competition “The Basement Tapes” for their 1984 track ‘Stop Runnin’.
With a career that spanned from 1983-1988 when they split, Scarlet recorded several tracks traded for years on cassette among fans & collectors. FnA Records came to the rescue and was able to acquire the band’s original hard to find tapes and compiled all Scarlet’s unpublished recordings creating a full-length collection album of the band’s work.
Scarlet’s music fused glammy melodic hard rock with US melodic metal, something not so many bands did at the time. While their looks included spandex and big hair, Scarlet songs were heavier and punchier than tha raising / upcoming glam pop metal style.
They never got singed but not for lacking quality, mainly because some members refused to move to L.A., resulting in a broke up in 1988 with half of the line up finally going to California to pursue other avenues.

Scarlet, not to be confused with the glam outfit ‘Scarlet Red’ from the same era, got its start as a studio project and spent the better part of the decade (1983-87) recording demos of new material. The group’s efforts paid off in that one of its tracks, “Stop Runnin’”, was a top four finalist on MTV’s Basement Tapes while another, “We’re Gonna Rock”, was picked up for heavy airplay on local radio.
In between, Scarlet found time to be an active live act in performing at theaters, clubs and venues throughout the East Coast.

Scarlet delivers the riffs, hooks and chops to create a work characterized by a maturity in songwriting well beyond their years and experience. So rest assured if you were afraid this was one of those “3-chords and a cloud of dust” garage bands that cannot help but make you cringe.
High energy pieces “Right Reason” (radio friendly hook), “I Declare War” (classic US melodic metal) and “We’re Gonna Rock” (an anthem) do a good job capturing the passion of this young band.

Scarlet can also slow things down, such as on the midpaced melodic hard rocker “Lisa”, or even flex its muscles as it does on the metallic “Armor”, a highlight, one of these mid-80s songs with atmosphere and mystery.
But what we truly appreciate about the group – and this is where that “maturity beyond their years” comes into play – is how it refuses to be “pigeonholed”. Our point being that Scarlet is not just about melodic metal but also bluesy-based melodic hard rock (“Treasure”), and even classic rock (“Friends”).

Of course, it is all for naught if the group cannot pull it off performance wise. It all starts with front man Jeff McDonald, who sings in a lower register in comparison to many vocalists of the genre. If anything, his warm and mid-ranged flavorings belonged to melodic rock.
All other Scarlet members are solid performers. It must be pointed out guitarist Michael E Flake, a more than above average player who bestows the project with his tight harmonies and melodies (check out “Lisa”) but can also nail some aggressive lead guitar work (see “We’re Gonna Rock”). He has some White Lion’s Vito Bratta in his playing, and kills.

Fans of American glam hard rock / melodic metal should find a lot to like in ”Scarlet”. Once more, the songwriting is very good and the production, while featuring some elements of thinness, not bad for early to mid-Eighties demos. This is not a bunch of poorly recorded garage demos but professional studio takes.
Highly Recommended

01 – Right Reason
02 – Lisa
03 – Stop Runnin’
04 – We’re Gonna Rock
05 – Armor
06 – I Declare War
07 – Treasure
08 – Beginning
09 – Friends

Jeff McDonald – Vocals, Guitars
Ronnie Lewis – Bass, Vocals
Mark Busto – Drums
​Kip Thompson – Drums
Michael E Flake – Guitars
Darla Bernath – Vocals, Piano
Jimmy Moore – Drums

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fnarecords.net/scarlet.html