ACTION – Action [2016 reissue +1]

As part of Frontiers Music reissue series of some of their early releases now deleted, we have here the stupendous ACTION self-titled debut re-released 2016 including the original Japanese bonus track. Unfortunately, the album went out of print again.

If you think you have entered a time machine and transported back to the mid-Eighties when listening to Action’s self-titled debut, you are more right than you know.
Action was conceived in that time by songwriter and guitarist David ‘Chip’ Ramos. Though he shared the stage with notable bands of the time (Slaughter, Firehouse, Quiet Riot), his band never saw any ‘label action’.
Fast forward to 2000, when Ramos and vocalist Jack Marques begin renewing the Action vision by writing together.

Demos were recorded and a label deal waited in the wings. But Action was again put on hold as Ramos & Marques pursued Mars Hill, a modern rock band.
Finally, Ramos, believing Action still needed to see the light of day, had the earlier material pitched to Frontiers Records. The album was scooped up, new songs were written, and Action was ready to deliver. And so we’ve come full circle.

Action has the big sound of ’80s Melodic Hard Rock and punchy AOR nailed with anthemic melodies, big vocals, catchy choruses and soaring guitar work. Honestly, this is a thoroughly consistent work with not a single bad song on it.
“Action” is an album book ended by two classy melodic rock songs in ‘Without Your Love’ and ‘Is It Love,’ the former features some very smooth vocal harmonies, and the later, simply rocks.

In between, there are some great tracks and it’s hard to pick a favorite. I would include ‘Here In My Heart,’ the power ballad ‘Forever,’ ‘Heaven Tonight’, ‘Feel The Fire’ (a blast), ‘Cinderella’ and the striking, yet all too brief, ‘Loveless’ as some of my favorites.
As plus, we have the excellent “Forever Piano Version’, really different from the main electric version, originally the Japanese bonus track.

Without a single doubt, Ramos & Marques know how to compose some stylish Melodic Rock songs and Action should have graced our ears long before.
Killer songs with all the ’80s magic on an album that largely deserved this 2016 reissue.
“Action” is classic Melodic Hard Rock that should be embraced eagerly by all fans of the genre.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

01 – Without Your Love
02 – Someday
03 – Here In My Heart
04 – Destiny
05 – Forever
06 – Loveless
07 – Don’t Leave Me Lonely
08 – Heaven Tonight
09 – Cinderella
10 – Feel The Fire
11 – Is It Love
12 – Forever [Piano Version] (original Japan bonus track)

David Chip Ramos – Guitars
Jack Marques – Vocals
Ruben Demello – Keyboards
Chris Sutherland – Bass
Chris Longo, Mark Duane – Drums
David Choquette, Dave Wilding – Backing Vocals

Out Of Print
www.amazon.com/Action/dp/B01GFYA0T0
.