There's an old saying: "The more things change, the more they stay the same." No band exemplifies that more than the Front, a Kansas City-based quintet who have joined the growing legion of hard rock bands caught in a sort of time warp, presenting a retro-rock sound that pays homage to rock's hallowed past even as it pioneers its future. If you were to take a healthy dose of classic Doors, sprinkle in a bit of flower power imagery and add a touch of vintage metal power, you'd have a close approximation of the sound produced by vocalist Michael Anthony Franano, keyboardist Bobby Franano (yup, they're bothers), guitarist Mike Greene, bassist Randy Jordan and drummer Shane Miller. Like the Cult and the countless Zeppelin clones out there, the Front aren't ashamed to show their love of roots rock. But as their self-titled debut LP proves, they approach that love with a respect and originality that marks them as can't-miss prospects in the rock and roll sweepstakes.

"I'm not going to deny that I've been influenced by people like Jim Morrison, Robert Plant, and Ian Astbury," Michael said. "The fact is that any honest musician I've seen or heard has had an impact on me. They don't have to be big stars , either. There are guys I've seen in clubs who made a move onstage that I liked. All that has gone into this band -- and a whole lot more."

The Front have been honing their unique approach towards rock and roll for the past two years, though Michael has had various musicians working under that name since 1984. But it wasn't until the band's present lineup came together in 1988 that "the magic" began. The Front soon found themselves on the doorstep of McGhee Entertainment (the company that handles career decisions for Bon Jovi and Skid Row.) Not long ago after, they landed a big-buck recording deal and headed off to the studio with noted producer Andy Wallace (whose previous credits include the aforementioned Cult.)

"I was hopping around jazz clubs in Kansas City since I was a kid," Michael said. "In the early 80's I formed a group called Fallen Angel, which really didn't do much except introduce me to Shane, who worked our lights at one show. After that, I got the first version of the Front together, but things just didn't happen for us back then. We went through a ton of musicians before we got the right combination together. When we finally did, it was just one of those magical moments -- you know something special is happening right then and there. We knew we had something going for us that was bigger than just five guys playing music, and we knew we had to keep it together."

Soon after, the Franano brothers headed to New York to try and hustle a record deal. Michael frequently sat in record company waiting rooms all day, hoping to meet someone of importance, even if only by chance. When things didn't work out that way, the band returned to Kansas City, worked on new material and waited for something to break. It soon did, when the folks from McGhee stepped forward and began giving the Front the career direction they craved. But that meant an almost complete overhaul of the band's lifestyle.

"We took six months to get our material together before we started to record," Michael said. "There were no more live gigs at all. We just stayed in our loft, working on our set and writing new material. That was when I wrote nine of the ten songs which eventually made it onto the album. Only the album's opener, "Fire" survived from our earlier days."

From opening note to last, The Front is a sparking collection of tunes which capture the purest essence of rock and roll. From the brooding Sweet Addiction to the social relevance of Violent World, the album is a celebration of rock's power -- past, present and future. And though the harsh reality of songs like Sin and Ritual has made some squeamish fans cringe, it has opened the eyes of many others -- especially those who've grown tired of the predictable pop albums dished out by most so-called hard rock bands these days.

"I realize some people may consider my songs 'dark,' Michael said. "But I'm just observing what's going on in the world. The lyrics don't reflect anything personal, except my beliefs. They don't mean I have a bad attitude or that I had a horrible childhood. It's just that I'm a realist, and in the music world, that does make you a little different."