Review Summary: Balance, aka the unfinished journey.
Some studies say that when you are 14 you start to shape your definitive musical taste.
This review is more like a personal view and experience about this record (and the band). It was 1996, i was 14 years old and watching this movie called Twister (i was 14, don´t judge me). There was this scene where the Tornado hunters´s team spotted one tornado and ran to catch it. A piano riff gets my attention. Just three notes and i´m shaked by it. The team gets out of the road and hit the dirt, while the three piano notes turns into a full band playing a great rocking number. I´m fascinated by its power, the cymbals and riff. I had to find out who they were. It turns out they were Van Halen.
In my pursue for that song i got Van Halen´s Best Of Volume 1 and found Humans Being, the Twister´s track. I also got thrilled by previous Roth era songs. Of course, i heard many of those songs before, but finally i knew the band behind those songs. I also found out they just released a new record and went for it. It was Balance.
18 years after, i have two views about Balance. one as a teenager shaping my taste, and the other is my nowadays view of Van Hagar´s last full studio record.
One of the strongest common points are what is for me the standout track: the often overlooked Aftershock. The intro notes reminds me of Enter Sandman´s intro a little bit. I was fascinated about Alex´s drumming back in 1996 and today, i still am. So precise. Hagar does also an amazing job. The guitar licks shows Eddie´s perfect timing and musical sense. I regard Aftershock as one the best Van Hagar and Van Halen´s tracks.
There are two radio friendly songs: The catchy Ray Charles tribute Can´t Stop Loving You and the mellow but finely crafted Not Enough, both with interesting themes and lyrics.
The Seventh Seal is a perfect record opener, setting the mood on darker mode, while Feelin´ is a perfect fit for closing number. I really like this song. It´s angst "feeling" and the middle and faster section always got my attention. I also find Hagar´s screamings impressive and something i related to sometimes.
Another standout is the heavier riff driven track Don´t Tell Me. It´s continuous and steady rhythm section pays the bill form me, while Eddie keeps it simple in a wonderful an powerful fashion.
Alex had his moment on this record, while he was just doing time, and the instrumental section baluchiterium is worth the listen.
Sadly, there are many fillers. Amsterdam is just boring, and it´s lyrics, plain stupid. Big Fat Money tries to be the "Get Up" song for Balance, failing. And don´t forget the worst instrumental track ever recorded, included in the album just because it was expensive.
Listening to this record, i can´t help but think sadly about one fact: Balance was the unfinished turning point between the party animals they once were and the serious rock band they were heading to. Listen to Humans Being also, they were evolving greatly. But they had to fight, kick Sammy out, hire this Gary guy and release their worst album of Van Halen´s catalogue. Imagine Year to the Day with the red rocker. We´ll never know.
But seriously, give Aftershock a real chance.
