Kick Axe's debut album
Vices was a milestone in the history of Canadian heavy metal, capturing a more contemporary feel than their peers Helix while offering a batch of solidly written and exuberantly performed songs. True to its title,
Vices is straight-up party metal, full of big choruses, overdubbed harmonies, and down-and-dirty guitar riffs. There's nothing revolutionary about
Kick Axe's style, which is equal parts
Aerosmith,
Kiss, and
Van Halen. They simply do what they do very well, which makes
Vices an overlooked album of high-quality mainstream metal. ~ Steve Huey