Van Halen

Balance

Hey, Ray... what you said is true!

Review Score:

(10/10)
Much like the band's earlier album, "Fair Warning", "Balance" was recorded during a tumultuous time for the band. In many ways, this album is similar to "Fair Warning" in the sense that both albums have a dark cloud hovering over most of the songs.

Aggression and ill feelings aside, the band was able to create an album full of powerful music. While "The Seventh Seal" bares too much resemblance to "Poundcake" (from "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge"), the rest of the album shows what this band is capable of.

After listening to "Can't Stop Lovin' You", just try to resist tapping your toe to the catchy beat. The chunky guitar intro to "Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)" has a menacing feel to it. "Strung Out" is a bizarre inclusion to the album, but I suppose Eddie Van Halen has his reasons for using it as the intro to the mandatory ballad, "Not Enough".

"Amsterdam" could have been a great song, but Sammy's lyrics about marijuana seem horribly out of place for a band in their 40's. If Snoop Dogg wants to sing about pot, go right ahead, but when Sammy Hagar does it, he falls flat on his face - an issue that Eddie Van Halen would reiterate in interviews while promoting the album.

It's a shame that this ended up being the last (?) Van Halen album with Sammy Hagar, because it contains some of the band's best work. "Balance" turns out to be an appropriate ending for a band arguably at its creative peak.

Come back soon, Sammy.

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