Quiet Riot - Condition Critical

Released in 1984

After the smashing success of Quiet Riot's third album, Metal Health, fans around the world anxiously awaited the next offering from the overnight sensation. Perhaps fans' expectations became too high when they recalled the highlights of the previous album, or perhaps Condition Critical just wasn't daring enough… but whatever the reason, the album gained a smaller degree of commercial success and also signaled the quick downfall of this metal band.

Condition Critical is not a bad album, exactly; it adopts the same pop-metal formula of its predecessor and features solid vocals and proficient musicianship, but despite all that it fails to excel. In a word, this album is average.

Some of the album highlights are:

• Mama Weer All Crazee Now – Quiet Riot surely liked the band Slade, for here is another cover song. Just as with Cum on Feel the Noize, Quiet Riot succeeds in doing justice to the original.
• Winners Take All – The band slows things down for a bit on this beautiful ballad.
• Sign of the Times – This opening track is not nearly as powerful as Metal Health's opener was, but it's a pretty good rocker nonetheless.

Quiet Riot fans will probably enjoy this album since it doesn't really deviate from the former album's formula. Unfortunately it's the lack of deviation and the failure to strike lightning twice that hurt this album the most. Whereas Metal Health had a couple standout tracks that could carry some of the average ones, Condition Critical had none of these standouts to lean on. The lack of experimentation or progression just makes the album feel a bit stagnant, even if some of the offerings are pleasing to the ear.

In the end, hair metal fans will enjoy some of the better tracks on the album, but unless you're a Quiet Riot fan then chances aren't too high that this will become one of your favorite CDs.

Rating: 5 stars

Track List Sign of the Times Mama Weer All Crazee Now Party All Night Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet Winners Take All Condition Critical Scream and Shout Red Alert Bad Boy We Were (Born to Rock)

Additional Resources:

• Metal Health Review
• QR III Review
• Quiet Riot Review

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