If it's possible to get an all-star line-up out of mid-level metal bands with their roots in the '80s, "Westworld" might as well be it. The band began as a collaboration between "Riot" mainstay Mark Reale and "TNT" vocalist Tony Harnell, tossing around ideas that didn't quite fit in with their main bands. "Westworld" grew to "real band" status with the addition of Danger Danger bassist Bruno Ravel and former Rainbow (and current "Blackmore's Night") drummer John O'Reilly. The combination works out as a mixed blessing, if their self-titled debut is any indication.

The biggest problem with the album is that it rarely takes any chances. A number of songs start out with an urgent, even dangerous edge, but soon fall back into safe, balladsy hard rock territory. Other tracks never leave that area, as is the case with the song "Suicide," a "More Than Words" rip-off, that closes the album. The worst offender is "Love You Insane," which opens with Reale laying down a smoking guitar groove. Unfortunately, it just doesn't last, and before you know it, Harnell is singing sappy lyrics like "Tell me I'm not the one when you're heart is alone."

"Ivory Towers" suffers from the same musical pattern, but it is saved by the best lyrics "Westworld" has to offer. Hopefully, Harnell is satirizing shallow Hollywood/music biz culture when he sings, "Everything real is underground/and I'm a surface junkie," and "Everyone is superficial here/just the way I like it." Regardless, it's a pretty powerful indictment of celebrity culture and the party circuit.

This band is at its best when it allows those edgy sentiments to dominate entire songs. Unlike the songs mentioned above, "I Belong" starts fast and tense, and stays that way throughout, with Harnell defiantly challenging the antagonist, "I belong/I belong with you/Prove me wrong (c'mon!)/Like you always try to do."

"Westworld" isn't ground-breaking or daring by any means, but despite the occasional misstep, it does stand up as a decently-crafted hard rock album. Given their work with their main bands, the musicians are capable of putting out some hard-rocking music - it just didn't show up on this album. In spite of that, the overall reaction to the project was good enough for Reale and company to keep "Westworld" going as a real band, rather than merely a one-time side project. Hopefully, they inject their next album with a little more urgency.