Cell Mates – Between Two Fires (1992)

Cell Mates were perfect examples of one-album wonders — the little-known hard rock/pop-metal combo recorded only one album (Between Two Fires) and were never heard from again. Between Two Fires was not only a victim of inadequate promotion; it was also a victim of bad timing.

This CD came out in 1992, a year that found Nirvana and Pearl Jam exploding commercially. With the right marketing and promotion, Between Two Fires might have been a hit in the 1980s, but 1992 was no time to break a new pop-metal band — when grunge and alternative rock became huge, corporate pop-metal quickly went out of fashion. Instead of looking for the next Poison or the next Guns N’ Roses, A&R people were hoping to sign the next Nirvana or the next Pearl Jam. Nonetheless, this isn’t a bad album. Like Heart, Cell Mates was fronted by two female lead vocalists who were sisters: Pamela and Paula Mattioli — Heart, in fact, is a valid comparison, as are Vixen, Precious Metal and Lita Ford. Tunes like “A Sisters Love” and “Bottle of Sin” aren’t very original, but they’re catchy enough. Although not remarkable, Between Two Fires is a decent, if derivative, album that might have done better if it had come out a few years earlier.

1. Bottle of Sin
2. Glass Mountain
3. Bird in a Gilded Cage
4. Between Two Fires
5. Spirit Is Willing
6. You’re My Obsession
7. A Sister’s Love
8. (It’s Close) But It Ain’t Love
9. Time Marches On
10. All Funked Up
11. Take Care of Yourself

Pamela Mattioli vocals
Paula Mattioli vocals
Galen Walker guitars, backing vocals
Mike Stone guitars, backing vocals
Gary Montemer bass, backing vocals
Jussi Tegelman drums, percussion

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