Mastedon - Lofcaudio

Monday 1st April 1991
Mastedon - Lofcaudio
Mastedon - Lofcaudio

STYLE: Hard Music
RATING 6 6 6 6 6 6
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 8798-8533
LABEL: Pakaderm PKDD2503
FORMAT: CD Album

Reviewed by Dave Caughey

"It's A Jungle Out There", Mastedon's debut was one of 1989's biggest highlights, with a winning formula of gritty hard rock, musical imagination, and most of all variety. Unfortunately between then and the recording of "Lofcaudio" the Elefante brothers appear to have lost the blueprint of that formula. Once again John and Dino have enlisted the talents of a number of guest musicians and vocalists, including Guardians's guitarist extraordinaire Tony Palacios, and the marvellously gifted vocalist Dave Amato. So where have Mastedon gone wrong? Firstly and most importantly the variety has gone. Whereas "It's A Jungle Out There" had the Cinderella, AC/DC raspings of X-Sinner's David Robbins, and the David Lee Roth-style Perry Lee, "Lofcaudio" has four vocalists namely John Elefante, Dave Amato, Tom Bowes, and James Dean Longacre who are all undoubtedly very talented but they all have very similar vocal styles. Secondly the music is mid-tempo, "safe" AOR instead of the decidedly more experimental jazz-influenced style John Elefante showed in his time with Kansas, or the storming hard rock of Mastedon's debut. Really it is too much of the same thing, which makes this album drop in my estimation. There are still some good quality tracks on this album namely the opener "Holiest One", 'Life On The Line", "when It All Comes Down" and the Kansas style "Thief In The Night". However it must be said that Mastedon set a standard with their debut that "Lofcaudio" could not follow up. However yet again as I gripped with the Halo album, the biggest tragedy is that Tony Palacios still doesn't get a chance to melt the fretboard!!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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Reader Comments

Posted by Ricky Villanueva in Torreon México @ 20:17 on Aug 2 2018

I think this is a unique album, for myself I can listen it over and over again, and definitely it's not bored
The style will be fresh all the time



Posted by Mike in Boca Raton, FL @ 02:39 on Aug 5 2013

I agree with Brent, Steve, Ulrich. The quality of the songs, of course the production, and the musical performances reach a high bar. I know music is a subjective experience, but I find it hard to understand where Dave Caughey says there is "no variety" When he says it's all mid-tempo, did he not contrast 'Holiest One' with 'It Is Done'? I'll admit that 'Jungle' generally rocked harder. But to say all the songs on 'Lofcaudio' are the same...I just don't see it. Kudos for your opinion, but I completely disagree.

I also would put it in my top 5 Christian albums ever. Maybe top 3.



Posted by Ulrich in Germany @ 21:10 on Jul 21 2009

I agree with Brent and Steve! The review seems to be a joke...



Posted by Brent in Canada @ 03:15 on Jun 3 2009

Lofcaudio is one of the BEST EVER Christian albums. Top 5 in my books beside WhiteHeart Freedom, Petra Wake Up Call...


Reply by steve in USA @ 04:52 on Jul 21 2009

I totally agree with Brent.

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