Rock City

Rock City is a vivid debut on which Riot pushes sharp twin guitars, a strong driving rhythm and Guy Speranza’s high, soaring voice to the fore. The guitars of Mark Reale and Lou A. Kouvaris, while keeping a roughness particular to the early days, firmly give the songs clear, memorable hooks. A record emerging from late-1970s New York, where the heat of punk and hard rock swirled. The energy of the dashing “Warrior,” the openness of the title track “Rock City” and the momentum of “Overdrive” well convey the straight, powerful appeal leading to later American heavy metal. Though still rough in many places, a sure orientation toward melody and aggressive playing already coexist at a high level. Its importance lies in how, though a modest starting point from a small label, the core Riot would consistently pursue afterward — melody and aggression — is clearly established at this point. Influenced by British rock yet with America’s own dry texture, it is a radiant origin for a band that would produce many masterpieces.