Metal Underground.com

It's hard not to like a band that combines the sheer shredding ability of Trivium, a love of Guns 'N Roses and other '80s glam, and the ability to blend all that together in a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain." So, yeah, I liked Taking Dawn's "Time To Burn," despite the sometimes overblown vocals that, at times, threaten to overwhelm everything else.

Instrumentally, this Las Vegas band tears it up expertly. Vocalist Chris Babbitt and Mikey Cross tear it up on guitar, with solos that blend seamlessly with the melody lines — and each other — on tracks like "Take Me Away" and "Like A Revolution."

It isn't all shredding here. These guys know how to lay down a solid groove, with "So Loud" and the slightly silly "Fight 'Em With Your Rock" standing out in that regard. Drummer Alan Doucette and bassist Andrew Cushing provide a solid foundation for the proceedings.

Babbitt is a more-than-decent singer, and on tracks like the opener, "Time To Burn" and the ballad, "Close Your Eyes," he's particularly excellent. My biggest quibble, frankly, is that his vocals are so often covered up by the army of backing vocalists (Cross, Cushing and Doucette all sing backing vocals, and there's an army of what the band calls "gang-bang" vocalists backing them up).

The band definitely saves the best for last, with a cover of "The Chain" that does Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham proud, maintaining the structure of the original while adding thoroughly metallic features. I had a huge smile on my face when I recognized Lindsey Buckingham's lead guitar line as it transitioned into the solos.

Sure, the vocals can be a bit much, but overall, Taking Dawn has come up with 40 excellent minutes of "Time To Burn."