Facemelter (Bonus Track Version)

That's one serious title Y&T have come up with for their 12th studio album overall, eh? It's hard to believe it's been 13 years since this California-based melodic metal outfit last issued an all-new studio recording, but longtime fans will agree it's better late then never — especially after hearing 2010's Facemelter. There may be only two members still on board from the group's early- to mid-‘80s peak (that would be original members singer/guitarist Dave Meniketti and bassist Phil Kennemore), but with hair metal bands from the aforementioned era experiencing a serious resurgence in the early 21st century, the Y&T chaps couldn't have picked a better time to enter a recording studio once more. And instead of tinkering with their sound, Y&T have created an album that is an exact replica sonically of such popular releases as 1983's Mean Streak and 1984's In Rock We Trust (which just happen to be the group's best-selling albums). Yearning for the tough yet melodic sound that Y&T helped popularize way back when? You're in luck throughout Facemelter — especially on such standouts as "On with the Show," "Shine On," and "Wild Child," all of which would have fit perfectly on the two aforementioned albums, and gloriously feature Meniketti's Sammy Hagar-esque vocals. And like all mainstream metal acts from the ‘80s, there's the obligatory sappy power ballad included as well — "If You Want Me." It sounds like absolutely no time has passed from Y&T's mid-‘80s peak to Facemelter, which leads you to wonder...have Y&T discovered a heavy metal time machine?