HEAVEN + EARTH / DIG (2013)

Stuart Smith is a very talented and charismatic guitarist and Heaven & Earth is his band that started as a project back in 1998 and after three solid releases Stuart Smith and Heaven & Earth are back with another great sample of pure hard rock stuff! For all of three releases, Smith collaborated with many great artists such as Richie Sambora, Pat Regan, Joe Lynn Turner and Glenn Hughes among others.



Personally, I love the band's debut album! The next two efforts were good too but they didn't reach the debut standards. The band consists of Joe Retta on lead vocals, Chuck Wright from House Of Lords on bass, Richie Onori on drums, Arlan Schierbaum on keyboards and, of course, Stuart Smith on guitars!! Stuart Smith is a guitarist that is heavenly influenced by the great Richie Blackmore  and that's a thing that reflects to his playing and generally to Heaven & Earth's sound.

The album starts with the fantastic tune of "Victorious". The track features some mid-east elements in it, for the extra flavor, great arrangements and a huge guitar work.  "I Don't Know What Love Is" is a melodic perfection!!! Retta delivers some amazing and emotional performances and Smith's guitar solo line seems like that it's coming straight from paradise!! Brilliant stuff!!! "Man & Machine", "Back In Anger", "Rock 'n' Roll Does" are all three excellent old-fashioned hard rock cuts full of attitude, ass kickin' rhythm and , of course, great guitar work!!! After only a couple spins of "Dig" I caught myself diggin' it a lot!! This is simply good, old-fashioned and well- crafted hard rock stuff mixed with a 'fresher' air and the result will please every single fan of this gerne!!! Well done!!!
Heavy Paradise's Rating : 8/10

Track List :
 01 - Victorious
02 - No Money, No Love
03 - I Don't Know What Love Is
04 - Man & Machine
05 - House Of Blues
06 - Back In Anger
07 - Waiting For The End Of The World
08 - Sexual Insanity
09 - Rock & Roll Does
10 - A Day Like Today
11 - Good Times12 - Live As One