Mournful Cries was Saint Vitus' second album with singer Scott 'Wino' Weinrich, and like Born Too Late it confirmed he was the ideal vocalist for the band. The gritty resignation and throaty, fevered force of his voice meshes perfectly with Dave Chandler's howl-in-a-void guitar work, and his lyrics lend the songs an unblinking street-level attitude that gives the tunes a wildly potent force, even on the token fantasy piece 'Dragon Time.' Weinrich's second guitar also gives Chandler more space to stretch out with his thick, buzzing chords, as Armando Acosta's carefully punctuated drumming hits like a fist in the gut and Mark Adams' bass gives the songs a simple but rock-solid foundation. This material is stronger ensemble work than anything Saint Vitus had accomplished to date, and when they rise up in full strength on 'The Creeps' and 'Shooting Gallery, ' they're a mighty and malevolent force to be reckoned with. (The production also gives the material a more resonant and natural sound than they achieved on Born Too Late.) Mournful Cries ranks high in this band's mighty pantheon.

Released:1988

Genre: Rock

Style: Doom Metal

Recorded at 'Music Grinder Studio', Hollywood, March 24-27, 1988.

Tracklist

A1 Intro / The Creeps 2:47

A2 Dragon Time 7:24

A3 Shooting Gallery 6:44

B1 Bitter Truth 4:12

B2 The Troll 6:54

B3 Looking Glass 4:49