Riot bandleader/guitarist
Mark Reale's frequent lineup shifts finally caught up with him on 1982's
Restless Breed. Longtime vocalist Guy Speranza's exit after the group's seminal release, Fire Down Under, wasn't just another member change. Replacement
Rhett Forrester demonstrates nice range and intensity on
Restless Breed, but Speranza's performances and writing abilities are sorely missed. While
Riot always suffered from a faceless quality, with Speranza, they managed to somehow stay ahead of their time. The New York outfit was one of the first American metal acts to adopt a melodic, speedy approach that approximated thrash and the about-to-crest New Wave of British Heavy Metal many years before each would emerge from the underground. Times finally caught up with
Reale and company on
Restless Breed.
Forrester isn't exactly mimicking
David Coverdale on "When We Were Young," and the rest of the guys never exactly rip off
Thin Lizzy,
Bad Company,
Whitesnake, or a list of younger melodic metal bands throughout
Restless Breed, but without Speranza,
Riot miss their edge and their individuality. ~ Vincent Jeffries