You know it didn't hit me at first.not until I opened the lyric booklet and saw Germany written in as their place of production and management contact and then I'm like, "oh, this is Pink Cream 69!" Yes, it takes me a while but I end up getting it eventually. This is the first I've ever heard of this band. Granted it's their first U.S. release, finally, and even though they've had an extensive collection of hit albums since they began over ten years ago, I never picked up on them. But you can bet I certainly will now, especially since the melodic brand of hard rock they play is the kind of music I always leaned towards, growing up in the heavy music environment of the eighties.

"Electrified" undoubtedly further maintains the expectant sound that the band's always been known for-catchy lyrics and pop hooks overlaying a strong rhythmic background and common arrangements. A virtual United Nations spread between four musicians, the band probably first gained recognition by American audiences not so much for their music, which until now was virtually unknown, but the fact that former lead vocalist Andi Deris left them to take over vocals in Helloween. Newest singer, Englishman David Readman really sounds barely like Deris, but probably enough like him to garner a favorable response to Deris' past following. He's got a strong voice, Readman does, and actually shares the spotlight on one of "Electrified's" heavier moments, the double-based, speed-pattern of "Over the Fire" where well-respected vocalist Ralf Scheepers and D.C. Cooper loan their own front-line talents.

The time's perhaps never been better for this style of melodically driven hard-rock to step back into action here in America. We're beginning to see material released from bands that just five years earlier wouldn't have dreamed of doing anything here. Surprising when you consider how well other like-minded artists like maybe a Journey or Foreigner in the later years once did. Make no mistake though, PC 69 doesn't sound much like either of those two as this band places much more emphasis on the heavier aspect of the music and late eighties/early nineties pop-metal enthusiasts will quickly draw comparisons to similar acts as Baton Rouge or Hurricane, particularly where singing is concerned.

So are they now going by just "PC" 69, as something of a new twist or do we still go by "Pink Cream?" I like spelling out the two words myself, but.they also bring to mind another German pop-metal band that's also a relative unknown in these parts unless maybe you go back ten years, Bonfire. Simple melodies without overwhelmingly difficult song structures commonly associated with "progressive" or seriously intent subject matter, commonly associated with everything picked up on rock radio, that all but replaced the good time feel this stuff was originally intended as. We're talkin' just basic guitar-based material with a lot of open-ended minor chords to stand in for what others integrate with sappy keyboards, catchy harmonies and strong backup to an upbeat and polished style that's gone MIA for too long here. And the majority of their makeup's European so you know they can play! So whether you view them as a new band, which many will do, or know of 'em and are hearing them for the first time anyway, don't hesitate to pop in the disc, pull out the cord, and prepare to be "ELECTRIFIED."