An electrifying stew of
hard rock, biker
rock,
Southern rock, and keyboard
rock (we're talking 1983 after all),
Nemesis may easily be
Axe's defining statement: The band wants nothing more than airwave domination and to come into your town to help you party down. Ripped opener
"Heat in the Street" bears a similar title to
"Rock 'N' Roll Party in the Streets," Axe's biggest-ever hit from their previous offering,
Offering (the CD reissue erroneously christens the song
"Heat in the Night" but all that matters is
Nemesis made it to disc), yet despite the obvious leitmotif, nothing can touch this red-hot, hard luck, fugitive tale which takes every right turn while crashing and burning in a league with the immortal
Motoerhead;
Axe is always geared for the radio, though, throwing in keys and vocoder for a walloping slab of two-ton American
rock.
"Eagle Flies Alone" soars skyward as endearingly as fellow knuckle-head
Sammy Hagar's
"Eagles Fly," only
Axe kicks it out four years earlier.
Axe also beats the
Cruee to bat with the lascivious
"Girls Girls Girls" (backing vocals by the
Mountain Jack Sluggettes).
"Foolin' Your Mama Again" sneaks around a melodic outlaw chorus, and the hard-working
Edgar Winter boogie,
"Keep Playing That Rock 'n' Roll" is still another great, innocuous burner. The boys prove to be utterly fearless and amiable, forcing keys on guitars while swerving through a blissful riot of cliched lyrics.
"Masquerade" almost ends the LP on a slow ride (replete with a cell-phone ring?) before the drop-dead pounder
"Midnight" fires things up again. Contrary to the intimidating cover art,
Nemesis remains naughty but slick, heavy but friendly; nothing more than well-done, blue collar fun. ~ Whitney Z. Gomes