Renowned bassist/vocalist Marco Mendoza has an extremely impressive resume that includes stints with Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Ted Nugent, and currently The Dead Daisies, which is pretty mindblowing in and of itself, but as this brand new solo offering of his proves, the man is more than capable of writing catchy tunes with wicked hooks and bombastic choruses to them on his own.

Muscular compositions such as "Rocket Man" and the title track pack a punch while the slightly groovier pieces such "Sweetest Emotions" and the infectious "Let It Flow" are simply irresistable. The rendition of the immortal Thin Lizzy classic "Chinatown" featuring Guns ‘N’ Roses guitar slinger Richard Fortus  is a heartfelt and charming tribute to Mendoza’s former band while the Nugent cover "Hey Baby" is a raw and punchy affair, just as it ought to be. The somewhat melancholy "Sue is on the Run" is another highlight of the disc.

Boasting great production values and strong performances from everyone involved, you can tell that this is a labor of love and not merely some half-assed collection of directionless tracks. "Viva La Rock" is a loud and passionate effort that covers a lot of interesting musical ground. Weaving different elements and traits from classic rock, blues, soul, and even a bit of funk together simply works like a charm here. This is well-crafted and memorable (hard) rock inspired by the giants of old (i.e. the ones that made the 70s and 80s awesome) but with a slightly modern edge to it as well. In that sense, there is nothing old about "Viva La Rock"; we are talking wonderfully vibrant and timeless music that rocks like a motherfucker! This is some life-affirming and invigorating stuff, folks. Check it out!

 

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