After a fifteen absence from making music and a disappointing return album, “Wicked Wonderland” in 2009, it’s good to hear Lita has been able recapture aspects/moments of her songwriting/guitar playing qualities heard on great albums like ‘Dancin’ on the Edge”, “Lita”, and “Dangerous Curves”. Now while this album does have several solid songs, a couple ready for radio like ‘Love 2 Hate U’, and a lot of deep personal lyrics, I’m missing the killer arena rock/metal riffs. ‘Devil In My Head’ is the best one and the most metal most akin to those earlier albums, ‘Branded’ and ‘Hate’ are rockin too but more closely related to her more street/Ramonesish debut album “Out For Blood”, which is cool too. Aside from the spirited melodic title track (nice twin guitar leads), and ballad ‘Mother’ (to her sons), which bring back the familiar 80s sounds from “Lita” and “Stiletto” (but do lack the feminine sexy/LA rock edge), the rest of the songs have a stripped down raw rock guitar sound (see ‘Relentless’). At first ‘The Mask’ may seem its in an industrial direction (‘A Song To Slit Your Wrists By’ is tho, written by Nikki Sixx/Motley Crue) with opening drum beat with the subtle guitar lead and vocal effect but it quickly switches to a slow grinding rocker about a Jekyll and hyde personality.

Not a bad return.

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Reviewed By: Mark Gromen
Rating: 6/ 10

Despite being a member of the bubble-gum hard rock, all teenage girls outfit The Runaways (this title’s a nice tie-in to the past, as well as the recent big budget Hollywood movie about the band), for many, Lita Ford is remembered for her 80s ballad with Ozzy Osbourne (‘Close My Eyes Forever’) and writhing around on the floor in the video for her party anthem ‘Kiss Me Deadly’.

This disc kicks off with a gritty hard rocker, ‘Branded’ which seems to be motivated by the recent dissolution of her marriage to former Nitro vocalist Jim Gillette (who was more renown for selling vocal tapes/techniques in 80s mags). Unfortunately, there’s not another number of this caliber amongst the nine others. The autobiographical ‘Relentless’ rides a mid-tempo sleaze groove. Could use a little more wah wah pedal! The acoustic begun power ballad ‘Mother’ is directed at her two boys from the marriage with Gillette. Acoustic also starts the male-female interchange on ‘Love 2 Hate U’. There’s definitely a (unwanted to these ears) modern Americanized, tech/industrial undercurrent running through several numbers, none morseo than the closing, Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue) penned ‘A Song To Slit Your Wrist By’. Previously he co-wrote ‘Falling In And Out Of Love’ on her platinum selling ’88 “Lita” album. Synthesized, orchestral intro greets ‘Asylum’.

If she weren’t a blond female, this would never have been issued by SPV. Lita might get a little nostalgia bump in timing, from the Rick Of Ages movie, old-timers trying to relive the era and buying new music from past favorites, but generally this is too safe and pedestrian for 2012. Outside North America, two interesting bonus cuts are available, including ‘Bad Neighborhood’, with a guest appearance by Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich and a cover of the Elton John classic ‘The Bitch Is Back’, brass provided by The Uptown Horns.