Battle Beast's 'No More Hollywood Endings' - Album Review

Losing their driving force and main songwriter would be the death of many bands, but Finland's Battle Beast have proved over the past four years that they are more than one man. With former guitarist Anton Kabanen credited for single-handedly writing every song on the band's first three albums, I think it was only fair that fans waited in trepidation for 2017's Bringer of Pain (which I reviewed here). Bringer of Pain could have been a disaster but, just as Uriah Heep proved that they could survive and thrive without Ken Hensley, instead it was another strong release from the band that fitted well into the their existing canon while also introducing some new elements. I listened to that album a lot throughout 2017 and I seriously considered including it in my Albums of the Year list. In the end it did not quite make the cut due to the sheer amount of excellent albums that I enjoyed throughout 2017, but I still consider it a triumph. The band's Painkiller-era Judas Priest meets 1980s melodic rock sound that had been forged through Kabanen's songwriting - something he has carried on with this current band Beast in Black - remained intact, and was the result of a songwriting team effort with five of the six members of the band contributing. On the whole it was a well-received album by the fanbase too, and many were already looking forward to see what Battle Beast would come up with next. It is now two years down the line, and the band have unleashed their fifth album No More Hollywood Endings. I always remain open-minded when it comes to new albums, but I have to say the lead single, which is also the album's title track, did not really excite me. It is a mid-tempo rocker, which is something common in the Battle Beast canon, but it seemed to lack the big hooks that a lead single needs. The song has grown on me somewhat over time, but I think it turned a few people off. The reception to No More Hollywood Endings has certainly been fairly muted in comparison to Bringer of Pain. Much has been made of the lack of overall heaviness, which in my opinion is a bit of a generalisation but there certainly seems to have been a shift towards the more melodic 1980s rock end of the Battle Beast sound. There is much less of the driving, fast-paced power metal to be found here than on the band's previous albums - but it is not absent altogether. There is a noticeable focus on retro 1980s hard rock however, which is certain to drive those fans away who prefer their music heavier. As a big AOR and hair metal fan however, the 1980s hard rock focus does not bother me, and No More Hollywood Endings, despite feeling a bit tepid at first, is an album that continues to grow on me despite some issues that will be explored throughout this review. This also the band's first album to see the Björkroth brothers - guitarist Joona and keyboardist Janne - really dominate the songwriting with ten of the eleven songs here written by one of them.

The album opens with Unbroken, one of the somewhat heavier songs here. It is a solid, mid-paced rocker with a crunching guitar chug throughout, and a halo of melody courtesy of the keyboards. While it is somewhat heavier when compared to many of the songs here, it lacks the bombast needed to be a truly successful album opener. Power metal albums usually start off with a flurry of energy and an explosion of notes, but Unbroken just plods along a little. It is not a bad song, and like many here it has grown on me quite a bit, but it does not feel like an effective statement piece. That being said, it has a killer chorus which sees frontwoman Noora Louhimo getting her teeth around some soaring melodies, while the keyboards add the necessary pomp with blasts of 1980s-style synths. The album's title track is next, which opens with some gentle piano and violin melodies, before it explodes into another mid-paced rocker with twin-guitar lead riffs and a dancy drum beat from Pyry Vikki. Despite a strong groove throughout, the verses again fall a little flat. The band seems to take a bit of a backseat to the groove, leaving Louhimo to croon atop a very simple musical backing. As one of the most exciting vocalists in modern melodic metal, it is a shame that Louhimo never really gets to let rip that often throughout the album. She mostly sings in a style reminiscent of mid-1980s Ann Wilson which, while enjoyable, is less impactful than her full-on metal wails of the past. That being said, there chorus here is another strong one that has grown on me quite a bit. It seems the band have not lost their knack for catchy choruses, despite the overall mellowing of their sound. Eden has a bit more of a ballsy sound, with a strong driving riff opening the song up and a bass-heavy verse which allows Louhimo to shine. There is a little more metal bombast throughout here, with plenty of dramatic keyboards to back the muscular riffing. Battle Beast have never been a symphonic band, but the use of strings during the chorus sees the band's sound move towards that direction. This song reminds me a little of some of Nightwish's singles (think Amaranth) with its mix of driving metal instrumentation and catchy, poppy vocals. As a result the song is an early highlight, and feels a little more like classic Battle Beast than the proceedings two numbers. Unfairy Tales has a strange, synth-driven sound but this actually creates quite a heavy feel. The guitars mostly provide the crunch here, while the bassy keyboards create a groove-filled base for everything. The 1980s feel is really strong here, with a flashy shredded guitar leads and piano fills adding additional melody when required, and  another strong chorus. As with many of the songs here I feel that it would have sounded better if the overall sound was tougher, but there is still plenty to enjoy in Unfairy Tales.

Endless Summer sees the band really going for broke with their 1980s obsession, and penning a full-on AOR/soft rock anthem. Fans of the band's gradual shift towards a more 1980s hard rock sound should not be surprised that Battle Beast have written this song, as I had always expected them to eventually tackle this kind of material. It really works well for the band however, and the melodies throughout are excellent. The chorus is one of the album's best, and it would have been a real hit if it was released 35 years ago! I would not be surprised to see more songs like this from Battle Beast in future, and I feel that this is the direction that they want to take. Many of the preceding songs on this album feel a bit caught between this sound and the band's heavier, earlier sound - and in the end never truly satisfy on either front. The Hero is heavier, and sounds more like the band's earlier work. Written by bassist Eero Sipilä, the song moves along at a fast pace and possesses one of the most epic choruses on the album. The guitar riffing here is much stronger than on many of the album's other songs, and the strong keyboard presence adds some real melody. The best part of the song however is Louhimo's vocal display, which sounds more akin to her older delivery. The heavier song allows her to shine a little more, and it is her attitude that really pushes the song (especially the soaring chorus) forward. It is a very different song to Endless Summer, but it is just as good. Battle Beast are great when they either write an AOR song or a power metal song. As I mentioned earlier, some of the songs here feel caught in between the two sounds, rather than fitting nicely into either camp. Piece of Me is a tougher song, and once again sees Louhimo unleashing her heavier vocal delivery. It is one of the heaviest tracks here, but it still moves along at mostly a mid-pace - albeit with some strong guitar riffing. There is a slight punky twist here though I feel, with much more of a focus on the guitars than the keyboards, which culminates in a more in-your-face feeling. This is a song that would have fitted nicely on Bringer of Pain, as it has the heavier tones and attitude that that album was packed with. It does seem a little out of place here among the more glossy songs, but it provides the middle of the album a kick when required! I Wish opens with dramatic strings the tolling of a bell, before a soaring guitar lead kicks in which is packed full of 1980s power ballad goodness. This song is the album's ballad, and it works well to slow things down a little. Piano dominates many parts of the song, with the verses almost-entirely being built around a simple piano melody, while Louhimo croons atop it with her beautiful voice. She really is one of the most versatile singers in modern metal, with her more delicate delivery here sounding vastly different from her rasping vocals in the previous number. All great AOR albums need an aching ballad, and this is Battle Beast's strong attempt at one.

Raise Your Fists has a bit of a symphonic intro, before the guitars and folky instrumentation come in to add some simple, folky melodies. While not exactly a folk metal song, there seems to be an influence of that here which is something a little different for the band. Despite these melodies, the song also sees the band upping the heaviness. Vikki suddenely remembers that he owns a double bass pedal which speeds things up a little, and the guitars have more of a crunch here than on many of the album's other songs. It is not as furious as the Battle Beast of old, but the heaviness here is welcome. Subtle uses of gang vocals help to make the song more of an anthem in places, while Louhimo's stunning voice just drives everything forward with her rasping power. The Golden Horde sees the band doubling down on the heaviness, as the song is a furious speed metal anthem that sounds a lot like the band's earlier albums and contains much less of the 1980s AOR influence that permeates elsewhere. While the band seem to be moving away from this sound to an extent, it is still great to see them let rip like this. The pace never lets up throughout the song, and sees everyone in the band really giving it their all. This song contains the fastest drumming on the album, and the band's two guitarists really let their hair down with lots of little intricate guitar leads. The chorus is probably the most anthemic on the album, and I have no doubt that this song will become a live staple if the band choose to play it live. The dual guitar solo is also excellent, and is the icing on the cake. The album comes to a close with World on Fire, the only song here co-written by Louhimo, pairs things back somewhat and re-introduces the keyboard-heavy mid-paced hard rock sound that dominates much of the album. It is one of the best representations of that sound however, with some of the biggest melodies to be found on the disc and some of the best-sounding synths. I am a big lover of 1980s synths and keyboards, so to hear so many great examples throughout this song is very pleasing to me. It is a little heavier too which certainly helps to keep the energy levels up after two faster songs. Albums need to end on a high, and this is certainly a strong song to come a close on. The fast-paced guitar solo here is another good moment, and the final reprise of the chorus that brings the album to a close ups the synth and guitar quota to end things with a bang. Overall, No More Hollywood Endings is an enjoyable album with some strong songs throughout - but is an album that feels a bit disjointed. Some of the songs are not sure whether they want to be heavy metal or AOR tracks, and end up falling a bit flat on either count. The best songs here are either fast and heavy or full of AOR goodness. Battle Beast are great at both sounds, but either need to choose a path and stick to it, or ensure that each song is a great representation of one sound.

The album was released on 22nd March 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for No More Hollywood Endings.

Children of Bodom's 'Hexed' - Album Review

Finland's Children of Bodom have had a bit of an up and down career. From their 1993 genesis to around the mid-2000s, the five-piece melodic death metal act could do no wrong. From their razor-sharp guitar riffs, neo-classical keyboards, and rasping harsh vocals - Children of Bodom forged a sound which was both brutally heavy yet melodically accessible. The band's first five albums, in my opinion, are all extremely enjoyable modern metal releases. From the raw, black metal-influenced beginnings of 1997's Something Wild to 2005's leaner, more anthemic Are You Dead Yet? Children of Bodom released a run of albums that has stood the test of time and has cemented the band's reputation as a modern metal heavyweight. Sadly, after Are You Dead Yet? the band slipped into a creative decline. The four albums that followed, with the exception of 2013's Halo of Blood (which I reviewed here) which was something of a return to form, lacked the passion and fire of the band's early works. It did not help that bandleader and songwriter Alexi Laiho seemed to push the band away from the their core sound. Recent Children of Bodom albums have lacked the depth and musical diversity of their early albums, with Janne Wirman's keyboards in particular often suffering the brunt of this move towards a tougher, more alternative metal sound. 2011's Relentless Reckless Forever is arguably the nadir of the band's catalogue. It lacks any real memorable songs, and showcased Laiho's songwriting at its blandest. With Halo of Blood however, the band took a step in the right direction. That is still a memorable and enjoyable album, and 2015's follow-up I Worship Chaos (which I reviewed here) was also an enjoyable listen - but lacked the strength and staying power of the 2013 release. Four years on from I Worship Chaos, the longest gap between albums in the band's career, Children of Bodom are back with their tenth album Hexed. I think many people were expecting another mediocre effort, but the lead single Under Grass and Clover seemed to pique interest. The song was instantly-memorable, with plenty of excellent guitar riffs from Laiho and new second guitarist Daniel Freyberg (Naildown; Norther); and, importantly, a prominent role again for Wirman. The melodic keyboard flourishes and counter-melodies were back in a big way, and the other pre-release tracks only raised expectations further. Hexed was released earlier this month, and from the off it is clear the this is the band's best effort for quite some time. The band's older sound has, largely, been restored - but with some of the anthemic, stripped-back sound of Are You Dead Yet? retained when the song requires it. The songs here are the most memorable Laiho has written for some time, with a clear production courtesy of Mikko Karmila that really helps them to shine through.

The album kicks off with the thrashy, no-nonsense This Road, a track packed with the attitude of mid-period Children of Bodom. The riffing here from Laiho and Freyberg is as tight as anything, and a simple drum pattern from Jaska Raatikainen keeps everything moving with a fast-paced metronomic beat. The band will delve deeper into their history later on in the album, but this song is a perfect opener. There is nothing overly-complicated here, despite a few tricky little guitar leads, but an in-your-face anthem to rival albums like 2003's Hate Crew Deathroll and Are You Dead Yet?. It may be telling however that the first solo on the album comes from Wirman's keyboards. This song might not be the most keyboard-heavy on the album, but his fluid solo shows the fans that he is once again a big part of the band's sound after largely being relegated to a more supporting role in recent years. Lead single Under Grass and Clover is the song that initially drew me into the album, and it remains one of the stand-out cuts here. The main riff is filled with neo-classical flashes from both Laiho and Wirman, who play off each other perfectly as they used to, before a simple verse takes over that is largely driven by a pulsing bassline from Henri Seppälä. This is the perfect vehicle for Laiho's raspy harsh vocals, which sound as fierce as ever, but he really comes into his own vocally during the more melodic chorus. Children of Bodom are one of the few bands who exclusively use harsh vocals to write truly memorable choruses, and this song has a strong one that is filled with guitar leads and a punky vocal display. A lengthy instrumental section sees the band showing off a little too, something which is always great to see. Glass Houses opens with another fast-paced catchy riff that immediately gets the blood pumping and forms the basis of the song's verses. The keyboards provide a more atmospheric backing here, but they really help to flesh the piece out, with Seppälä's bass also adding depth as the two guitars lock in for the main riff. This is not as melodic as the opening two tracks, but it is packed full of attitude and technical ability. Laiho's lengthy guitar solo is a fluid flurry of notes, and the drumming display from Raatikainen is one of extreme metal perfection. Hecate's Nightmare is a slower track, and opens with a tinkling keyboard melody from Wirman that sounds like something from an old horror film soundtrack. Children of Bodom do not do ballads, so their slower songs are often some of their heaviest, with the bass providing a depth and Laiho using the inevitable space to unleash some truly guttural shrieks. Despite the heavier guitars taking over the keyboards early on, the keyboards help to bulk out the song and provide an atmospheric backing that really adds to the song's creepy feeling. I tend to prefer the band's pacier tunes, but this is a strong addition to the album and provides a change of pace early on to help keep things interesting.

Kick in a Spleen is faster, and opens with a powerful main riff and some of the fastest drumming on the album. Laiho, who has sometimes been criticised for his vocals in recent years, sounds as good as he ever has here, and delivers the venomous lyrics with real passion. You can real feel the anger in his delivery, and the fast-paced metal assault that backs his words only helps to amplify things further. As with many of the band's songs, gang vocals are used here to occasionally add some extra power - something which is surely going to make this song a winner if the band decide to play it live. My favourite part of the song however is the instrumental section, which features a Laiho guitar solo bookended by two Wirman keyboard solos. So much of what makes the band's early work great is the interplay between these two musicians, and this song is a perfectly example of both of their talents. Platitudes and Barren Words is another more overtly-melodic track, with a soaring guitar/keyboard riff in the song's intro and a jaunty (by the band's standards) verse that has a bit of a punky feel while still carrying a strong melody. The chorus here is catchy also, with Laiho singing in a slightly less-harsh vocal style which works well. He is not singing clean, but it is certainly not his usual throat-ripping style. This helps the song to stand out a little, and makes the chorus one of the most memorable on the album. The little guitar flourishes between the vocal lines really help too, and only add to the overall melodic feel of the piece. The album's title track is up next and this is a song that feels like real mesh of the band's styles. The riffing here feels more stripped-back and in-your-face, but some excellent neo-classical guitar/keyboard duels help to recall the band's classic sound. It probably features the simplest chorus in the band's catalogue too, with the band gang shouting the song's title in between a couple of short vocal lines from Laiho, all while Wirman's keyboards add those gothic, dramatic stabs of melody that has become such a big part of the band's sound over the years. There are a lot of strong songs throughout this album, but this is probably one of the overall highlights for me because of how simple the song feels despite all that is going on within it. Relapse (The Nature of My Crime) is driven by an-almost NWOBHM-esque riff, which sounds a little strange but it does work. The song does not sound like Saxon or Tygers of Pan Tang, but the riff has that somewhat retro feel, which has been woven into the band's core sound nicely. Wirman is also a big presence throughout large portions of the song, with atmospheric keyboard leads backing certain parts of the piece as the riffing takes a back seat. This is especially true during the song's chorus, which features some excellent keyboard work which helps it to sound a little creepy as well as heavy.

Say Never Look Back is probably one of the album's weaker moments for me, but it is still an enjoyable enough piece with some strong keyboards and a relentless pace. Wirman's keyboards are constantly high in the mix here, and provide a melodic shadow to the main guitar riffs. My main issue with the piece is that I just do not find it as memorable as many of the other songs here. None of the riffs really stick in my head, and there is not really a chorus to speak of. As always there are a few flashes of instrumental brilliance, including an excellent breakdown section that includes some almost-jazzy free-form drumming from Raatikainen. The drumming on Children of Bodom albums is usually fairly clinical so it is fun to see him cutting loose a little here. It is the best part of the song, and makes it worth a listen despite it being on the weaker side. Soon Departed is more of a mid-paced piece (think Angels Don't Kill) but what it lacks in raw power it makes up for by having a strong groove throughout. The riffing here is quite simple, but the two guitars and the bass lock in so perfectly throughout to create a heavy bed, while Wirman's keyboards circle around them with leads and atmospherics. There are a few little dual-guitar riffs and leads throughout too which helps to give the piece a little bit of an Iron Maiden flavour at times. Laiho and Freyberg have clearly formed a strong guitar partnership on the road over the past couple of years, and that tightness really shows throughout this album. The second guitar position is the only position in the band to have changed hands throughout their career, with Freyberg the latest of a few faces to fill it. He seems to have fitted into the band very well, and I hope he has a great future with Children of Bodom. The album comes to a close with Knuckleduster, a new version of a song that was originally buried on the Trashed, Lost & Strungout single back in 2004. It is too good a song to languish in b-side obscurity, and this new recording of the piece sounds great. I am glad the song has finally found a proper home on Hexed, and from the opening mid-paced riff (with a fantastic keyboard counter-melody) it just oozes power. It is not the fastest song here, but is one of the most powerful. It also contains one of the album's best guitar solos too, with Laiho really letting rip. It starts off fast, with some crazily shredded licks, before moving into a more melodic, controlled territory. Laiho is, in my opinion, a vastly-underrated guitar player in modern metal, and this song should really change that. It seems strange to end the album with re-recorded song, but it works well in my opinion as the song is such a strong one. Overall, Hexed is easily the band's best work for quite some time. It straddles the line between heaviness and melody perfectly, and showcases the band's classic sound once again. After a few years in the creative wilderness, it is great to see Laiho and co. back with a bang.

The album was released on 8th March 2018 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Under Grass and Clover.

Tesla's 'Shock' - Album Review

Despite being one of the big names in the 'second division' of 1980s hard rock acts, California's Tesla are a band that I have only ever been a casual fan of. Calling them a second division band might be somewhat controversial, considering the band's fanbase and the love held by many for their classic early albums, the truth is Tesla never reached the heights of many of their peers. They never quite broke through, but nevertheless are an important name in the late 1980s hard rock scene. While many bands at the time were embracing the hair metal and AOR trends, Tesla stayed true to their bluesy hard rock roots. The band's sound was tough, riff-based, and focused around the gritty vocal style of frontman Jeff Keith - a far cry from the keyboard-drenched sound that often dominated rock radio at the time. The band's early albums were all fairly successful - with 1986's Mechanical Resonance and 1989's The Great Radio Controversy in particular often hailed as classics of the era. My knowledge of Tesla does not really extend beyond these two albums and, despite meaning to many times, I have not really ever found the time to explore their other works. Despite a few years in the late 1990s, Tesla have been a pretty active band. While they do not release albums with the regularity of some of their peers, they have still amassed a catalogue of eight studio albums - the eighth of which, Shock, is the subject of this review. Shock is the band's first album for five years, and follows on from the well-received Simplicity of 2014. Simplicity received good reviews all round, and I meant to investigate it but never did. This is why, when I saw that Tesla were preparing to release Shock, I immediately pre-ordered the album as I felt that this was the time I was going to properly immerse myself in the latest Tesla opus. On hearing a couple of the pre-release tracks however, it was clear that Shock was going to showcase a different Tesla. To say that this album has been divisive among the fanbase would be an understatement - as Shock sees the band taking a much poppier and polished path than they ever have before. Produced by Phil Collen (Girl; Def Leppard; Manraze), Shock sounds nothing like the Tesla classics of the past. The gritty, bluesy sound has largely gone and instead is replaced by something that would not have sounded out of place in the late 1980s. Many bands who sounded polished and poppy in the 1980s have moved towards a bluesier hard rock sound as they have gotten older, but it seem like Tesla are attempting to do the reverse! From the opening songs, it is clear that Collen has had a huge influence over the material and sound here. He is credited with co-writing every song on the album, and the production is certainly more akin to that cinematic Def Leppard harmony-drenched sound than Tesla's usual raw, in-your-face bluesy screech.

The album opens with You Won't Take Me Alive, a modern-sounding rocker with a simple guitar lead to drive everything forward and a solid groove that dominates. Keith, who sounds quite different to his usual self on many of the album's songs, has some of his trademark rasp here - and dominates the simple chorus which see the band's two guitarists locking into help propel that tight groove. There is certainly more of the band's typical sound here than on many of the album's other track, but the chorus has plenty of poppy overtones which makes it stand out. Def Leppard-esque vocal harmonies give it a big sound, but as a result it looses the grit that makes Tesla who they are. The guitar solo lacks the bluesy feel of their usual sound too, so this is a track that introduces the overall feel of Shock while retaining some of their core sound. Taste Like moves further towards a more polished territory, with Keith's vocals sounding less gruff than usual, while the guitars lay down a simple stuttering riff. There is a certain hypnotic quality to the song, but musically nothing really jumps out. There are no big guitar hooks to latch onto, but the chorus is quite a catchy one with more of the big vocal harmonies. The song's guitar solo is more like it though, with some dirty slide guitar thrown in to hark back to their earlier albums somewhat. It is only short however, so never dominates the song, but adds some power to the proceedings. We Can Save the World is a ballad, and opens with a simple piano melody - courtesy of bassist Brian Wheat - that forms the basis of the music. The verses are built around it, with the piano and string backing creating a fairly grand tapestry. Anyone who did not think Collen would have a big influence on the band's sound needs to listen to the chorus however, as it is easily the most Def Leppard-esque moment here. The vocals are pure Leppard, with the simple musical backing allowing the big vocal arrangements to shine. This is far removed from Tesla's classic sound as it is possible to get within a rock context really, but in my opinion it still works well. I imagine a lot of the band's fans will struggle with this sugary ballad however. The album's title track is next and this rocks things up a little more again. The opening drum machine beat sounds pretty tacky however, meaning that the song's intro loses it's power, but as the song builds up it starts to improve. The drum machine still remains for the verses however, which seems a strange decision, but when the band hits the chorus the song really opens out. The guitars are much rawer here, and Keith's vocals have some more of this throaty delivery. It is a simple chorus, but it feels more like classic Tesla which is reassuring. It does end up making the verses, with that awful drum machine, sound pretty weak however - ensuring that the title track is a pretty hit-and-miss affair.

Love is a Fire is a bit slower again, with a tight guitar lead making up the song's intro before a piano-dominated verse takes over. Despite the gentler overall sound of the song, this is one that actually sounds a little more like classic Tesla. The band have always written ballads, and this one feels like one that could have fitted on one of their earlier albums. Keith even sounds a bit more like his usual self throughout, with the choruses in particular seeing some of his rich, gravelly vocals adding some emotional weight. I particularly like the little acoustic guitar solo towards the end of the piece. The song does miss a true guitar solo in my opinion, but this acoustic section works well. This is one of the album's strongest songs in my opinion, and captures, for me at least, a bit more of the band's true spirit. California Summer Song is probably the opposite of the band's true sound, and ends up sounds extremely cheesy as a result. The Def Leppard feel is back here, but with none of the big hooks and melodies that make Def Leppard such a great band. The verses are a bland, acoustic drone; and the choruses never really the desired impact. There is not a melody in this song that ever reaches out and grabs me, and in fact the only strong point is the guitar solo - which is far to short to ever really get going. This is definitely one of the weakest offerings here, and shows why band's should not always look to change their sound! Forever Loving You is similar, but is a much more enjoyable song on account of the strong chorus. It is another ballad, but there is enough emotion injected into the piece to make it enjoyable. I also like the prominent use of strings here, which help to add depth and weight to the song. It does not sound anything like Tesla however, and sounds like a strange modern rock band that is trying to recapture some of that 1980s sound. There is nothing wrong with that for a modern band, but it ends up just sound strange from Tesla! By the time The Mission rolls around the album is really needing to rock again, and the song delivers somewhat. It has a slow build up, but the chorus is quite explosive with some rawer-sounding guitar riffs and a strong vocal performance from Keith. It lacks the punch of the band's classic tracks, but after a run of slower, more acoustic-based songs it certainly feels more powerful. There are some strong hooks here, and one of the album's better guitar solos. There is a lengthy acoustic-based section, which then bursts into a bluesy, dirty guitar solo that certainly sounds much rawer than much of the album. Many of the solos here are quite short too, so it is good to hear one that is quite long, and more akin to what we would expect from Tesla.

Tied to the Tracks is much more like it, and is based around a hollow drum beat from Troy Luccketta, and some bluesy guitar work from Frank Hannon and Dave Rude. With nearly every song on the album up to this point sounding pretty polished, it is refreshing to hear something heavier and rawer. There is plenty of slide guitar thrown in throughout for added bluesy attitude, and this is certainly a song that could have fitted on one of the band's earlier albums. Keith is full of raw power vocally, and the whole band have that loose, blues feel that has been sorely lacking elsewhere. As a result though, the song does really stand out here. It sounds like nothing else on the album, and showcases a mood that is absent elsewhere! Afterlife is more acoustic-based again, and features a fairly sparse verse with some percussive drumming from Luccketta and some vocal harmonies that sound more akin to country than hard rock. It does work quite well however, and the song is a strong one. The use of occasional mandolin throughout the verses helps to emphasise that country sound, and the chiming chorus is one that extremely easy on the ear. While the hooks here are not huge, this is a song that has grown on me over multiple listens to the album. It does not showcase the band's classic sound, but it is a very enjoyable song showing that the new Tesla sound has its benefits as well as its drawbacks. I Want Everything is a bit rockier, but has that more modern Def Leppard-esque sound rather than the heavy blues of the band's classic era. The verses are based around a simple guitar chug, and the choruses make use of a strong vocal hook. The vocals have those Def Leppard-esque harmonies again to create a big sound, and the guitar solo is another strong one. Both Hannon and Rude team up for it, making for a strong dual-guitar moment on an album that never really seems to celebrate the guitar as it probably should! Comfort Zone is the album's closing number, and it opens with a fuzzy Wheat bassline, which soon gives way to a very simple verse which is - initially - just a drum beat before Wheat once again joins in with his bass. Despite the strange, sparser sound I think this is actually quite a strong song. The choruses are pretty catchy, and the song has a punchy, anthemic feel that is missing throughout the album. While not exactly like their earlier work, it feels more akin to it simply because of how memorable it is. There are some excellent melodies here, and it ensures that the album ends on high note. Overall, Shock is a bit of a curate's egg of an album. There are a few really strong songs here, and a few that are downright bad. The rest feel hamstrung by the strong production and sound the band pursued with Collen throughout the album, and it would be great to hear them played in the band's more typical style. It is good for bands to experiment, but on the whole I feel this is an experiment that has not really worked for Tesla and I will be interested to see the direction they decide to take going forward.

The album was released on 8th March 2019 via Universal Music Enterprises. Below is the band's promotional video for Shock.

Queensrÿche's 'The Verdict' - Album Review

It is always an event when one of your favourite bands releases a new album. Queensrÿche have been a real favourite band of mine for around the last ten years or so, and I have been enjoying their second wind since the band's current line-up got together in 2012. After years of creative obscurity and pushed down musical paths that they did not care to tread, the band's core has been revitalised of late and their recent releases show this. Despite this, it has been four years since the last Queensrÿche album. 2015 saw the release of the excellent Condition Hüman (which I reviewed here), an album which built on the strong foundations laid by 2013's self-titled album (which I also reviewed here) and saw the band releasing their best album for around twenty years at least. It was my Album of the Year that year too, and it is an album that I continue to listen to regularly. I am surprised that it has taken the band as long as it has done to record a follow-up, but then again it is clear that things have not been great in the Queensrÿche camp of late. The band started to talk about their next album towards the end of 2017, so I looked forward to it's release throughout 2018 - but it never came. Behind this wait for a new album however was the on-going absence of founding drummer Scott Rockenfield - arguably the band's spokesman and public face during the messy split with former frontman Geoff Tate. Rockenfield took some time off from the band in 2017 to help take care of his new born baby, but has never returned. He has been absent from the band for nearly two years now, and neither side seem to want to categorically state what will happen with the Queensrÿche drum stool going forward. Former Kamelot drummer Casey Grillo has been playing live with the band since Rockenfield's departure, but the radio silence from all concerned is strange. My gut feeling is that Rockenfield has left the band, but Queensrÿche are trying to save face after the Tate fiasco and not draw attention to another split - especially after working so hard to regain their position in the metal world. For me, this unnecessary dragging out of the situation actually began to fog my excitement for the fabled new sixteenth Queensrÿche album - which was finally released last month and is titled The Verdict. The band finally broke their silence over the album's drums a few months before its release, and stated that The Verdict was recorded as a four-piece with frontman Todd La Torre also playing the drums. La Torre has always spoken about his love for the drums, and this album showcases he is a more-than-capable player. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is not at all obvious that Rockenfield is missing - such is job that La Torre has done here. Sound wise, The Verdict picks up from where Condition Hüman left off, but adds a certain murkiness to the overall feel. There are certainly parts borrowed from the band's mid-1990s releases such as 1994's Promised Land and 1997's Hear in the Now Frontier here, but mixed into the melodic progressive metal that forms Queensrÿche's core sound. The album sounds great too, with the production (as well as, this time, Rockenfield's keyboards and soundscapes) once again courtesy of Chris 'Zeuss' Harris, with a heavy sound that has just the right amount of synths to create a dense feeling.

The album opens with one of the lead singles, Blood of the Levant, which is an in-your-face piece of technical, melodic metal that has as similar vibe to Guardian from the band's last album. A dark, melodic riff and La Torre's double bass drumming form the basis of the intro, before a simpler verse - complete with La Torre's barked vocals - takes over. There is no atmospheric or symphonic intro to be found here, with the album kicking off in a heavy fashion. This works well, as it allows the band's core sound to be upfront from the off, with the duelling guitars of Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren bringing the noise. The song is packed full of melody throughout, and by the time the chorus rolls around the song has already taken hold. La Torre shows his vocal prowess during the choruses, with some harsh vocals mixed into the background for added power and a lengthy high-pitched scream at its conclusion which recalls the band's early work. There are little progressive touches here and there, but mostly this is a straight ahead track packed full of melody and attitude. Speaking of attitude, the following number Man the Machine has it in spades. This is another heavy track, and it steams along at a fast pace with lots of tight, interlocking guitar rhythms and a booming drum performance. Queensrÿche have always been a metal band, but this current line-up of the band really seems to want to emphasise that part of their sound. Some of the band's heaviest moments in the band's history can be found on this album and the last one - and Man the Machine might contain the heaviest, most urgent riffing in the band's extensive catalogue. It is is still packed full of melody however, with La Torre again proving his ability to craft a strong vocal hook. The slower choruses have more of an epic feeling, where as fast-paced middle-eight section sees the frontman snarling with real venom. These first two songs are a perfect one-two punch to open the album with, before things start to move into more progressive waters. Written by bassist Eddie Jackson, Light-Years feels denser; with a rolling riff, effects-heavy guitar leads, and a bass-heavy sound. Jackson has always been the band's secret weapon from a songwriting perspective in my opinion, and this is the first of two solo compositions of his on the album. The verses here are quite dark, with an off-kilter rhythm that encourages La Torre to sing in his lower register and in patterns that he might not often consider. This adds to the overall progressive nature of the piece, but the explosive chorus moves things back into the light with some of the biggest and catchiest melodies on the album. The song feels a bit like the cousin of Eye9 from the previous album, and is just as good. The icing on the cake is a dual-guitar solo in the middle of the piece, with Wilton and Lundgren teaming up for a mournful run of notes that perfectly compliments the song's dark overtones.

Inside Out opens with a murky, chiming guitar line which is soon joined by a strange percussion loop and dense synths. The influence of the band's mid-1990s sound can definitely be seen here, with the alternative rock of Promised Land certainly informing parts of the song. The chorus borrows more from the band's classic sound, so stands out somewhat with it's more in-your-face melodies and faster pace, but the rest of the song grinds along in a way that could only have been written by a band from Seattle. I really like the clash of styles here, and when the light of the chorus explodes from the grungy murk the song really moves up to the next level. It helps to make the rest of the song feel darker too, meaning that each mood is done justice by the other. I feel that the band tried so hard to move away from this sound, which had become entrenched and watered down throughout the 2000s, so I am glad they have built up the confidence again to include something somewhat grungy-sounding in their modern metal version of the band. Propaganda Fashion is another heavier piece, and the second Jackson solo effort. The murkiness of his previous song is gone here, instead to be replaced by a driving, heavy riff and a guitar-focused sound that includes some twin-guitar leads which again harks back to the band's early days. I have not spoken too much about La Torre's drumming yet, but this song seems like the perfect song to highlight it. If he continues to perform the drums in the studio for Queensrÿche, I very much doubt there will be many that will be disappointed. In this piece he moves effortlessly from almost-thrashy beats during the heavy verses, to laying down tight grooves during the more mid-paced sections. This is a song with a lot of moving parts, and La Torre has the perfect beat for each one. Dark Reverie is something of a ballad, and it is the first solo effort from Lundgren. The verses are built around a melancholic clean guitar pattern, although Jackson adds plenty of counter-melodies with a busy bassline. This is the perfect backing for La Torre's more restrained croon, although he cranks it up a few notches when the song explodes into the cinematic chorus. The use of keyboards to bulk out the chorus gives it some real power, and in fact there are synths employed throughout the song to help create that classic Queensrÿche sound. Wilton handles the vast majority of the band's guitar solos these days, but being Lundgren's song he gets a chance to shine here with a lengthy solo that includes an excellent shredded section towards the end as the song moves into a final reprise of the chorus. Bent is a strong mid-paced piece that is built around a screeching dual-guitar lead and rhythms that are not typical. The verses have a very strange sound here, with some sparse drumming and a dynamic vocal performance. There are a few harsh vocals thrown in here too, but they are kept to a minimum, but the fit in well with the unsettling sounds created by the synth backdrop and the murky guitars. This is a song that has grown on me over repeated listens, and it is another great example of Queensrÿche's mid-1990s sound being fused with their new metal-focused mindset. There is also a great harmony guitar solo too, with Wilton and Lundgren sharing the spotlight for a moment.

Inner Unrest is another murky mid-paced piece, and is probably the song here that is closest in spirit to the Promised Land album. Other songs have fused that sound with the band's modern sound, but this one feels pure mid-1990s. It works well however, with the choruses feeling a bit more organic than anything else here with a simple keyboard backing and driving drum beat. Promised Land is a bit of a 'downer' of an album, and this song fits into that mould. The riffs here feel a bit more laid back and slower, with La Torre's voice often standing alone without the big harmonies that boost choruses throughout the album. It is a successful re-tread of the band's mid-1990s sound, and it fits well on the album despite not feeling as 'metal' as pretty much every other song. Launder the Conscience has an almost Iron Maiden-esque main riff, from their late-1980s sound, which has a slightly progressive feel to it, before the song moves into a pacier, heavier verses with some of La Torre's best vocals on the album. He drags out a lot of notes which allows him to display his control over his voice, and there are a couple of high-pitched, piercing screams that he unleashes to great effect when an extra edge is needed. This is one of the more overtly-progressive pieces on the album, as the song moves through lots of different moods. The choruses slows things down somewhat for a more groove-based approach, while other sections of the song see the instruments drop out almost entirely to allow cold-sounding synths and muffled spoken word sections to add a haunting feel. The final portion of the song kicks off with a tinkling piano melody, before a couple of chunky guitar riffs help bring the song to an end. It is an interesting coda to an already-diverse song, and I like how the band have played with the song's structure here to add to the overall progressive nature of the album. The album's final track, Portrait, is a slower piece that is based around a big bassline from Jackson. La Torre and Jackson put the song together, so it unsurprising that they are the main focuses here. The guitars mostly add colour, allowing the bassline to drive things melodically and this also gives La Torre's voice plenty of room to breathe. There are moments here that echo the title track to Promised Land, but on the whole this song feels unlike anything the band have really done before. It is one of the sparsest songs the band have written, but it packs an emotion punch thanks to La Torre's excellent vocal performance and the barren feeling the soundscape provides. There is a real haunting quality to the song, which is only helped later on with a mournful guitar solo that lifts melodies from the lyrics and builds on La Torre's good work. Most metal albums end with a bang, but this soon allows the album to drift to a gentle, but thought-provoking close - which is certainly not what I was expecting the first time I listened to it! Overall, The Verdict is another really strong album from Queensrÿche. It is the third excellent album the band have put out in a row, and this one contains some of their most progressive songwriting for years. It has been a joy to hear the new Queensrÿche over recent years, and The Verdict is an album I will playing a lot over the next few months.

The album was released on 1st March 2019 via Century Media Records. Below is the band's official video for Blood of the Levant.

Eden's Curse - London Review

April has already been quite a busy month for gigs. The weekend prior to the one that has just passed I undertook a three-gig weekend - taking in three gigs from three different bands in three different cities. I really enjoy those trips, as tiring as they are, but April had one more treat to offer me before I take a few weeks off to work on, and finish, the final 'regular' assignment of my Masters course. The treat in question was Eden's Curse, a Scottish-based - but truly multi-cultural - melodic metal band who I have been following for a few years now. Regular readers of this blog will have realised by now that I am not content to simply consume the discographies of the 'main' bands of any particular genre. I am a big fan of seeking out the underrated and smaller acts out there, as there are often many gems to be found. Eden's Curse are one such gem, and I believe I began listening to them in either 2013 or 2014. I definitely saw the band on their 2014 tour supporting the Symphony of Sin album, but at the point I was not fully versed in the band's catalogue. I saw the band again a couple of years later, this time supporting Cardinal. Both of the shows were at The Underworld in London, and both were excellent. Some bands I am content to just see the once, but there are many who I will always try and see when they come around. Eden's Curse are now one such band, but sadly I missed out on their tour last year when they supported Michael Schenker. I would had loved to have gone, but the tickets were really too expensive to justify another trip away - especially I had seen Schenker in 2017 for about half the price! This meant missing an Eden's Curse tour, which I was disappointed in, but I knew that I would have to make the effort next time. This meant that when the band's current Testament tour was announced towards the end of last year I immediately purchased a ticket. Testament is the name of a 'best of' album that was released last year, meaning the setlist for this tour was to include songs from the band's entire catalogue, rather than leaning heavily on one particular album. I was looking forward to this more 'general' setlist, and hoped that the band would throw in a few deep cuts along with the usual fan-favourite tracks. I opted again for London, once again at The Underworld, as it made the most logistical sense. The Underworld has grown on me over the years, and now I quite enjoy going there. It is always a good place to take in concerts, which is why I was quite disappointed with the low turnout. There cannot have been many more than a hundred people in attendance, which for a weekend in London is quite poor. I seem to remember the band's 2016 show being a bit sparse too, and it is a shame to see great bands like Eden's Curse struggling to pull healthy crowds in such a big city.

That aside, the evening was great. There were two support acts before Eden's Curse took to the stage, and Degreed from Sweden were up first. Like the rest of the bill, Degreed are a melodic metal act. They seemed to place a lot more emphasis on the keyboards than they do on the guitar, and I do not think that a guitar solo was heard before about the third or fourth song of a half an hour set. Most of the songs featured furious keyboard solos from Micke Jansson (keyboards/vocals) however, which was great to see. Keyboard solos seem to be dying out a little bit in melodic metal, even in bands that have prominent keyboard parts generally, so it was good to see that Degreed are keeping this somewhat rarer art form alive. I liked the band's sound, which was built around tight guitar riffs and excellent keyboard counter-melodies, but I did not really think that the vocal melodies really took hold. Robin Ericsson (vocals/bass guitar) certainly has a great voice, but I felt that the choruses were not anthemic enough. I think Degreed could be a really great band if they focused on really tightening things up from a melodic perspective, as they are all clearly great musicians. They are certainly a band I will keep an eye on however, as I am interested to see how they will develop.

The main support act was Germany's Mob Rules who, despite having been around since the mid-1990s, had never toured the UK before this current outing. While this was Eden's Curse's tour, many of the crowd were clearly Mob Rules fans as well, as the German band received a good reception throughout their 50 minutes on stage and there were quite a few down at the front singing along. I was not really familiar with the band, but enjoyed what I heard. Sadly however, the sound was a bit off throughout Mob Rules' set, with frontman Klaus Dirks' vocals really low in the mix which did hinder their power somewhat. The band soldiered through however, and gave the crowd a nine-song set packed with the band's dense, heavy power metal sound. The two-guitar attack gave the band some real weight, with the keyboards here adding mostly atmosphere rather than any leads. The opening number Ghost of a Chance was a catchy, memorable piece; and an older track called My Kingdom Come also impressed. By this point the small crowd was really into what Mob Rules were doing. Besides the die-hards, the first couple of numbers were greeted with more muted applause, but this soon changed as the band laid out their stall. By the time the closing number, Hollowed be thy Name, came around the whole venue was enjoying the Mob Rules experience. Dirks even managed to whip up a bit of a sing-a-long during this last number, and the band took their bows to loud cheers from those who had showed up. They are certainly a band I will need to make an effort to check out going forward.

When Eden's Curse took to the stage just before 8:30pm, a few more fans suddenly materialised (maybe they had been hiding in the bar?) which bolstered the numbers somewhat, and the atmosphere changed from one of appreciation of the music to one altogether more energetic. Despite their somewhat technical/progressive side, Eden's Curse are much more accessible than many bands of their ilk, with big choruses adorning each song and a very likeable frontman in Nikola Mijić who worked tirelessly throughout their 90 minute set to get the crowd going. Being the Testament tour, the band played the entire main disc of their best of, meaning that songs from all five of their studio albums were played and the crowd got a chance to hear a good representation of their sound. This brings my only quibble I had with the evening as, being a 'best of', Testament is mostly filled with the songs the band would probably play live anyway. As this was a set representing their whole career, it would have been nice to see them pull a couple of deeper cuts out the vaults! Many of the songs played were fan-favourites however, and each went down as well as the last. The longer, somewhat progressive Symphony of Sin got things started, before the heavier Masquerade Ball really hit the spot. It is one of my favourite Eden's Curse songs, so it was good to hear it live again. Mijić sung each song perfectly, including those which were written before he joined the band, and he was ably assisted by bandleader Paul Logue (bass guitar/vocals) and Christian 'Chrism' Pulkkinen (keyboards/vocals) who sung their hearts out throughout to nail those soaring harmonies. Black Widow is always a fun live number, although it is strange to hear the disembodied voice of Helloween's Andi Deris floating out of the speakers, and older numbers like Fly Away and Judgement Day showed that the band have been putting out great tracks since their very first album. A highlight for me was a stunning rendition of No Holy Man, which has a really strong chorus, that came about half way through the set. By this point the band had really hit their stride, and the crowd were lapping up everything that they had to offer. When Thorsten Koehne (guitar) launched into the catchy riff of the poppy single Sell Your Soul the place erupted and, despite the fairly poor turnout, it was clear that the band were having fun. The last portion of the set also brought some highlights, with the newer track Jericho displaying the band's power metal credentials, and Unbreakable showcasing a quirky, Queensrÿche-esque guitar pattern before exploding into an AOR feast with a rousing chorus. Songs like this showcase the band's effortless blend of the technical and the accessible - which is why I am surprised the band has not yet amassed a larger fanbase. Another single in Evil & Divine closed out the main set, but the band was only off the stage for around a minute before the cheers called the back for a couple more. There was a surprise in the encore the form of Forever, the only new track on the Testament compilation, which is a future Eden's Curse classic; before the band were joined on stage by Helen Hurd (who had also taken to the stage earlier for a rendition of Unconditional) for the band's anthem Angels & Demons. This was the song that closed out the night, and the band took their bows to large cheers. The setlist was:

Symphony of Sin

Masquerade Ball

Black Widow

The Great Pretender

Fly Away

No Holy Man

Sell Your Soul

Jerusalem Sleeps

Unconditional [w/ Helen Hurd]

Judgement Day

Jericho

Unbreakable

Evil & Divine

-

Forever

Angels & Demons [w/ Helen Hurd]

Despite a poor turnout, and my quibbles about the setlist aside, this was a great night of melodic metal in London. Eden's Curse are a band that really deserve to be reaching a larger audience by now, but they are a band that I will continue to support as long as they are still touring and releasing new music. I hope the rest of the tour is a success for them, and other cities are kinder with the support than London was!

Mostly Autumn's 'White Rainbow' - Album Review

It will surprise very few, and particularly regular readers of this blog, that the release of a new Mostly Autumn is something that I look forward to gleefully. I have been following them since 2006, and during that time they have become one of my very favourite bands. In fact the last Mostly Autumn show that I attended, which was at Bilston's Robin 2 back in December of last year, was my fortieth concert of theirs! I know that that figure pales in comparison to some of the band's other fans, but I am never-the-less pleased with the amount of their gigs that I have managed to rack up. I will be seeing the band at least twice more this year also, and they are events that I am already looking forward to. One of the reasons that I continue to see Mostly Autumn so regularly is their decision to usually play long shows, which often focus on whatever album is their latest at the time. This, coupled with their regular album release schedule, means that the band's shows year on year can be very different. Recent shows have featured lots of material from 2017's excellent Sight of Day (which I reviewed here), and I fully expect their shows throughout 2019 to showcase material from their new opus White Rainbow. White Rainbow, the band's thirteenth studio album, was released last month - but I have had my copy since December of 2018. As usual, the band opted to fund the recording of the album by taking pre-orders through their website. Those of us who pre-ordered received the album a long way ahead of the general release, as well as a bonus disc containing extra songs recorded during the album's sessions. I always find these special editions of Mostly Autumn's albums to be excellent value for money, and purchasing them allows the band to keep control of the recording process. This business model has served the band well over the past decade or so, and I expect they will continue to use it for future albums. When listening to a band's new album, it is always hard to picture it in the context of their wider discography. That being said, I feel that White Rainbow will be seen as a very important album for the band in future years. The driving force behind much of the album's material was the tragic passing of the band's former guitarist Liam Davison in 2017. Although Davison had not been a part of the band since early 2014, he was a big part of their history. He was one of the founding members back in 1995, and his rhythm, acoustic, and slide guitar formed a big part of the band's early sound. His passing was a big shock to the fanbase, and he is missed by many people across the world. It is perhaps unsurprising then that White Rainbow is the band's tribute to Davison. While I do not believe that every song is about him, there are certainly lots of references to him throughout the album. It is a quite a dark album, but there are also moments of light. This is typical of the band's sound, but things certainly seem more poignant than usual in a number of places. The album stays true to the classic Mostly Autumn sound however, although it does feel a lot more progressive than usual with a few surprises to be found throughout. Six of the seven who performed on Sight of Day return for White Rainbow, with the only change being drummer Henry Rogers (DeeExpus; Touchstone) replacing Alex Cromarty.

The album opens slowly with the running water and atmospheric guitar of the instrumental Procession. It is a piece that gradually builds up over a couple of minutes, with bandleader Bryan Josh's guitar, Iain Jennings' keyboards, and regular guest Troy Donockley's (Iona; Nightwish; Auri) uilleann pipes coming together to create a folky, yet haunting piece which acts as an extended intro to the ten minute-plus epic Viking Funeral which gets the album underway proper. The slow build up continues here, with a pulsing beat, Jennings' synths, and a simple drum pattern from Rogers. The first half of so of the song is also instrumental and, as the band have done in the past, references some of their older songs. There is a keyboard melody reminiscent of the intro to The Night Sky, and there is a vocal refrain taken from Tennyson Mansion. Being that this is one of the band's main tributes to Davison - who apparently fancied the idea of a Viking-style funeral - this musical reflection is fitting. It eases the listener in gently before the lyrical portion of the song starts, but this is not before a fantastic Josh/Donockley duel, which mixes soaring rock guitar and uilleann pipe melodies in a way that sounds uniquely Mostly Autumn. A big acoustic guitar melody heralds the first 'proper' vocal of the album, sung by Josh, who pays tribute to his fallen friend perfectly. Olivia Sparnenn-Josh mostly provides ethereal backing vocals and harmonies here, but her voice mixes well with Josh's - especially during the darker chorus which features some prominent bass playing from Andy Smith and walls of dense keyboards. Donockley is all over the album's first two songs, with his pipe and whistle work often resurfacing here to add that folky touch. He weaves his magic along with Josh throughout Viking Funeral, and the latter impresses with a lengthy heartfelt solo that closes out the piece - with an almost-choral backing that adds to the overall mood. After this bombastic two-part opening, Sparnenn-Josh's composition Burn feels like a breather. It is her first time in the spotlight on this album, and the gentle ballad is the perfect vehicle for her voice. Atmospheric keyboards and some subtle guitar leads form the bulk of the song's music, but this is a song all about the vocals. Sparnenn-Josh has a very versatile voice and the verses here showcase a slight 'smokey' side to her delivery, before she pushes herself a little more in the choruses to effortlessly hit some higher notes. It has been great to hear a couple of solo Sparnenn-Josh compositions on the last couple of Mostly Autumn albums, and this is another great track from her that really sees her coming into her own as a songwriter. Run for the Sun is a slow-burner, and one that has grown on me a lot over repeated listens. Sparnenn-Josh takes the lead vocal here, and the early portion of the song sees Josh and Chris Johnson joining forces to combine atmospheric electric and acoustic guitar melodies, while the keyboards add a floaty, whimsical feel. This is a song that builds up slowly, with Rogers eventually joining in with some percussive drumming, and Angela Gordon adding her harmony vocals as the sound expands. I love how the song builds up, and when Rogers launches into the first true drum beat of the track around four minutes in Josh lays down one of his trademark, emotional guitar solos. This solo ends up dominating the second half of the song, with Sparnenn-Josh coming in again at the end with a vocal reprise to wrap everything up.

Western Skies is a collaboration between Sparnenn-Josh and Jennings, so is unsurprisingly very keyboard-heavy. The intro is slow, with some gorgeous flute work from Gordon to bring it to life, but the main verses are a little more upbeat with prominent acoustic guitar chords and Sparnenn-Josh's powerful vocals. This truly is a song of two halves however with this acoustic-dominated first section replaced later on by something altogether more heavy. Before this however, there is a chance for Josh to take a solo and there is an extended final chorus section which features some of Sparnenn-Josh's best vocals on the album. The song seems to be fading out, but Rogers starts a simple bass drum rhythm which is Jennings' cue to start a symphonic keyboard melody that forms the basis of the rest of the song. Mostly Autumn are not a heavy band, but this second portion of Western Skies really sees them rocking out. Josh's guitar lays down a heavy rhythm, but it is Jennings' that shines here with lots of layers of melodic keyboards. The riffs are extremely catchy too, and recall the folky instrumentals on the band's early albums - only much heavier! Into the Stars is a much simpler song, and is actually quite poppy by the band's standards. Sparnenn-Josh once takes the lead vocally, and sings the memorable melodies with ease. The song has an earworm of a chorus, that has an almost AOR-esque feel to it, but it still has quite a deep sound with plenty of dense organ sounds and layers of acoustic guitar. Mostly Autumn have not really done a simple pop rock song for quite a while, so Into the Stars' inclusion here is a welcome one. It still stays true to the band's core sound however, with a tasteful guitar solo from Josh adding a little prog goodness in amongst the pop! Up sees Josh singing lead again, and it is quite a dark song that recalls 2007's Heart Full of Sky album somewhat. The song is another slow-burner, with a sombre electric/acoustic guitar combination forming the basis of the verses - that also see Josh singing in a way that is quite different from his usual delivery. It is one of the darkest-sounding Mostly Autumn passages in my opinion, and when the booming drums come in things become even more unsettling. It works wonderfully however, and the contrast when the song moves into the chorus is a stark one. The chorus is more typical of the band's sound, with Sparnenn-Josh adding vocal harmonies and Jennings adding washings of Hammond organ. It is here that the main melodies really shine, and it almost feels like an antidote to the downer verses and pre-chorus! Even the chorus lyrics seem to reflect this, and it is this mix of styles that makes this song one of the album's highlights. The Undertow, written and sung by Johnson, is a quirky piece that adds to his small - but significant - contribution of the band's overall catalogue. Not as atmospheric and soaring as his other pieces, The Undertow is nevertheless full of his songwriting traits. His fragile voice suits the song perfectly, and the chiming guitar melodies create that alternative tapestry of sounds that is part of everything that he does. From the gentle opening, the song progressively gets more aggressive as it moves along, with portions that actually sound quite angry before calmness once again ensues with the song's smooth chorus. This is probably the least Mostly Autumn-esque song that Johnson has written for the band so far, which shows the band's overall willingness to try new things - which I think is great.

Gone is a short, acoustic-based piece (although an extended version of the song is available on the bonus disc) that features Sparnenn-Josh's gentle vocals and a simple musical backing that feels like a bit of a breather after the spiky previous tune. Gordon's flute once again adds some magic here and there however, which adds to the overall relaxing feel, but it is not long before the album moves into the gargantuan title track. At over nineteen minutes in length, White Rainbow is the longest song the band have ever written and - as expected - it moves through lots of different movements and moods throughout it's duration. It starts of slowly with some dense and haunting keyboards, before an acoustic guitar takes over and Josh starts singing. Parts of this song remind of the title track of 2008's Glass Shadows, and these early moments really recall the vibe that song conjured up over a decade ago. Josh has not taken as many lead vocal spots on this album as he usually seems to, but here he is full of passion as the acoustic guitars and keyboards form a textured backing and Rogers keeps time with a slow drum beat. Sparnenn-Josh also sings throughout, sometimes on her own and sometimes harmonising with Josh - which really helps the song to feel dynamic and interesting despite its length. This is a song that took quite a while to grow on me but, while I still feel there is much for me to discover here, now I really appreciate what Josh was trying to achieve with the piece. The first major change sees everything drop out to be replaces with a solitary piano melody, but then the rain effects are added in and the song takes a darker turn with a booming drum beat and some Deep Purple-esque stabs of Hammond organ. This portion of the song is heavier, with Josh singing atop some meaty power chords and doomy piano notes - but is perhaps the song's pseudo-chorus that is the highlight. Sparnenn-Josh takes the lead for this section, and her voice unleashes siren-like and full of smouldering power. The bombast and heaviness of this part of the song rivals that of Western Skies earlier in the album, but the contrast here is starker given how the song starts off. Sparnenn-Josh gets more time in the spotlight here, with a lengthy vocal section, before the song moves into an instrumental section that keeps up the heaviness. There is some great drumming from Rogers here, including some double bass pedal drumming (not something you often hear on a Mostly Autumn album), and some excellent keyboard melodies that chime in above the meatier guitars. The pseudo-chorus of earlier is then reprised, with more fantastic Sparnenn-Josh vocals, before the song takes one last turn. The folky, acoustic guitar-based final couple of minutes is very different to the rest of the song but it forms the perfect coda to probably the band's most complex song to date. White Rainbow is a stunning track, and I am certain that over time it will become a firm favourite of mine. There is still room for one more song however, and Young brings the album to a close. Another direct tribute to Davison, Josh sings about his fallen friend with passion and pride - something which only eclipsed by his guitar solo. The song is quite subtle, with keyboards mostly forming the backing for the vocals, but towards the end - and perfectly introduced by the lyrics - there is one of the best guitar solos on the album. It drips with pure emotion, and you can almost feel Josh's sorrow for Davison pouring from the speakers! It is the perfect way to close the album, and is another reminder why Josh is one of the best guitarists in modern progressive rock. Overall, White Rainbow is another stunning album from Mostly Autumn. It was a bit more of a slow-burner for me than many of their other recent works, but it is well worth the time investment. This is a band that never fails to disappoint, and I am sure this will end up in my Albums of the Year list come December.

The album was released on 1st March 2019 via Mostly Autumn Records.

In Flames - Bristol Review

Three-gig weekends are long and tiring, but when travel in and out of the South West can be expensive it often makes financial sense to do them! After excellent shows in London (UFO) and Sheffield (The Quireboys and FM), the final stop of the weekend was Bristol. Coming from Plymouth, Bristol is the closest city that gets decent bands playing there with any sort of regularity so I often find myself there for a night out. I like the city a lot, and there are a good mix of venues of all sizes dotted around that can cater for just about every type of band. The only thing it is really missing is an arena-sized venue - but with a couple of good mid-sized halls and a few choice smaller rooms around there is often somewhere for most bands to play. It was also the perfect stop-over on my way home from Sheffield the night before, and the third gig of the weekend helped to break up what would have otherwise been a rather long journey! The reason for the stop-over was the Swedish metal five-piece In Flames, a band who I have been a casual fan of for some time but not a band I have ever truly loved. I am not sure I would have made the effort to travel up to Bristol purely to see them, but it made sense to tie the gig into the already-planned weekend of gigs. Some extremely cheap accommodation helped to sweeten the deal, so I purchased a ticket for the show. I had seen In Flames once previously supporting Avenged Sevenfold back in 2017, and I have to say that I was not impressed with the band on that night. The live sound mix was awful, and the band seemed to be going through the motions a bit. It seems that In Flames are a bit of a hit and miss live band judging by some of the reviews I have read over the years, but I was prepared to give them a go at one of their own shows - where I assumed they would have their own gear and sound crew making them sound as good as possible. The venue for the show was a new one for me, the SWX in the centre of town. It was a good-sized place, with a big stage, and the sound throughout the evening was pretty good - not something guaranteed at a metal show! There was a great turnout for a Sunday evening too, and the place was packed! In all honestly, I felt that the place was a bit too packed. I expect things to get a bit 'close' down at the front, but I was stood back by the sound desk and even there it was hard to move - and behind me towards the exit it did not look much better! This made for a bit of an uncomfortable experience at times, and it made the venue's strange decision to not use the two side balconies for the public more noticeable! I have a couple more shows booked at the SWX over the coming months, but thankfully I do not think that either set of bands will attract quite the crowd that In Flames mustered up!

Before In Flames took to the stage, there were two support acts to warm the crowd up. The first was Light the Torch, fronted by ex-Killswitch Engage frontman Howard Jones, who impressed the growing crowd. I am somewhat familiar with the band's debut album, which was released under the name Devil You Know, but beyond that I had little idea what to expect. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Light the Torch's sound was mostly taken from the 2000s metalcore songbook, but elevated with Jones' powerful vocals to drive everything forward. Known for his harsh as well as his clean vocals, most of Light the Torch's material was sung clean - although he still let out a few ferocious roars here and there when the material needed a bit more of a kick. Having such a well-known frontman, it was easy for Light the Torch to win the crowd over. I did not think the songs were as catchy as they could be, but the riffs from guitarist Francesco Artusato were pretty groove-infused and Jones did his best to really get everyone going. The best part of the set however was getting to hear Jones sing live. I used to listen to Killswitch Engage a lot back in the day, so it was fun to finally get to see him perform. His voice is still as good as it ever was, although sometimes he had some strange effects on his voice that made him sound like he was singing from another room! By the end of their set I think it is fair to say that most in attendance had enjoyed Light the Torch, and I would not have minded if they had decided to play a couple more tunes.

The same could not be said for the American five-piece Norma Jean who were up next. I remember hearing about this band in the past when the only metal that seemed to be talked about was the breakdown-infused death/metalcore of the late 2000s, but before this show I had never heard any of their songs. From the moment they started their set, I knew I was going to hate every minute of it and that sentiment is not far off what actually happened! Every riff was that downtuned staccato drone that the deathcore scene was built on, and the vocals from frontman Cory Brandan were just endless, monotonous screams. I am big fan of good harsh vocals, but vocalists like Brandan - in my opinion - are the reason why a lot of people cannot get into heavier music. The whole set was a tuneless endeavour, with each song sounding exactly the same as the next with no dynamics, obvious melodies, or any kind of interesting riffs to latch on to. This is the sort of music that vest-wearing men with neck tattoos like to punch each other in moshpits to, and it really serves little purpose beyond being the backdrop to a beating! This might seem like an uncharacteristically harsh review for me to write, but I simply detest this type of music and it is - I believe - partly the reason that modern metal has such a bad name in various quarters. I had hoped that this kind of music had not made it past about 2013, but clearly I was wrong - and a relatively muted crowd reaction compared to that that Light the Torch enjoyed showed that - at least - I was not the only one thinking this.

After the Norma Jean horror show, I was really hoping In Flames would pick things up make the evening something to remember. While this show was not as good as the two that immediately preceded it during my weekend away, it was still strong and In Flames put on a powerful 90 minutes of music that included songs from all throughout their career. The band took to the stage behind plenty of smoke, and launched into Voices from their newly-released album I, The Mask which immediately went down well with the crowd. The new album seems to be somewhat of a return to form for the band, and they acknowledged this by playing five of the new tracks throughout the evening. Frontman Anders Fridén did not sound great at the 2017 show that I saw, but in Bristol he sounded strong. His harsh vocals in particular really filled the hall, which helped the heavier songs to really stand out. As with the Soilwork show back in February however, there was a lot of vocal 'help' going on in the form of backing tracks. There were a lot of times when he was singing along to a harsh vocal backing, or screaming along to a clean singing backing, which did look and sound strange. Bassist Bryce Paul did help him out occasionally with some backing vocals, but lots of the backing vocals - as well as all the synths and keyboards - were on a track. This was a bit of shame, but lots of bands use them - it was just really obvious here! That being said, the band still put on a great show. The early anthem Pinball Map went down a storm, and guitarists Björn Gelotte and former Megadeth man Chris Broderick (who is currently filling in for Niclas Engelin) teamed up perfectly for the classic melodeath riff. Where the Dead Ships Dwell was another early highlight, with the crowd really helping Fridén out with the vocals. The crowd were loud and involved throughout the night, with Fridén often engaging in entertaining banter with them between songs, and encouraging them to sing during the more anthemic pieces such as (This Is Our) House. The only song that I did not really enjoying hearing live was The Chosen Pessimist, which in my opinion is an overlong dirge that crawls along with few redeeming qualities. It was the low point of the set, but the band exploded back with two faster, heavier numbers in Leeches and Colony - the latter getting a big cheer as it is 20 years old this year! The last portion of the set was mostly filled with the band's better known songs, although the new I Am Above also went down really well. It is one of the heavier songs from the new album, so unsurprisingly it got everyone moving - as well as singing during the anthemic chorus. Cloud Connected and The Mirror's Truth have become fan favourites over the last decade or so, so also saw plenty of movement, but it was left to the more mournful The End to close out the set. There was no encore, and after a nineteen song set I doubt anyone seriously expected one. The band took their bows to big cheers from the crowd, who had clearly enjoyed their time with the Swedish metal legends! The setlist was:

Voices
Everything's Gone
Pinball Map
Where the Dead Ships Dwell
Call My Name
Monsters in the Ballroom
All for Me
(This Is Our) House
Deep Inside
Here Until Forever
The Chosen Pessimist
Leeches
Colony
My Sweet Shadow
The Truth
I Am Above
Cloud Connected
The Mirror's Truth
The End

I may not be the biggest In Flames fan, but enjoyed their show in Bristol. The sound was clear, and the band were really tight - especially the two guitarists. It would have been nice to hear a few more songs from earlier in the band's catalogue, but they seem to have largely moved on from that sound now which is fair enough!

The Quireboys/FM - Sheffield Review

I do not usually venture up as far north as Sheffield, but sometimes - in the service of live music - needs must! Being based in Devon, most of my trips are usually to places to Bristol, London, or Birmingham - but occasionally one must make a bit more effort and travel further afield. Both The Quireboys and FM are celebrating their 35th anniversaries this year, and decided to team up for a run of UK co-headline shows to celebrate this feat. It was a fairly northern-centric tour, with the only real 'southern' show taking place in Cardiff - midweek - meaning that making it was not easy for me. If I was to make this tour, which was an opportunity I was not going to pass up lightly, then I had to think somewhat more creatively. Regular readers of this blog will know how much I love both The Quireboys and FM. The former are my second most-seen band of all time, and FM are not too far behind! I had seen both recently - especially FM who I saw in Reading last month - but that did not deter me at all. The Quireboys and FM are bands that I will always make the effort to go and see because they always put on great shows. In the end, I opted for the Sheffield show and managed to tie it into a long weekend of concerts - something which always makes the travelling worth while. I had been in London to see UFO the night before, so caught a train from King's Cross and arrived in Sheffield just before 2pm. As I already said, Sheffield is not a regular haunt of mine. I enjoyed having a wander around the town, as it was November 2017 that I was last there, and turned up to the Corporation not too long before the early 6pm doors. Joining The Quireboys and FM for this tour were the Norfolk-based hard rockers Bad Touch and the AOR act Vega - both of which I was already fans of. I had seen both of these bands recently too as I caught Bad Touch headlining in Saltash's Livewire Youth Music last November, and Vega were part of an epic bill under Skid Row in London back in January. It might seem strange to some that I would see all four of these bands again so quickly after seeing them all playing at other various shows, but I was more than up to see all four again on the same bill. Bills like this are becoming more common, and I am all for these kind of tours as they really give the punters value for money. It seemed that I was not the only one to think so as, despite the early door time, there were quite a few who turned up early to catch the first band - and overall the turnout was strong.

The first band on was Vega, who had around half an hour to play with and set about impressing the gathering crowd with their brand of AOR. 'Impressing' is probably not the right word, as it seemed that many in attendance were already fans of the band and - despite the short - Vega treated the show as if it was their own. The set was a condensed version of what was played in London in January, with Let's Have Fun Tonight opening the show once again. Frontman Nick Workman was clearly up for the show from the off, and fed off the energy from those of us down at the front who were singing along to every song. The sound mix was much better than it was in London too, with James Martin's keyboards very present in the mix, and the backing vocals from the whole band really boosting the choruses. An early highlight for me was the excellent Kiss of Life, which has one of the best Vega choruses in my opinion, before the more modern-sounding Every Little Monster packed a little more a punch - and allowed Marcus Thurston (guitar/vocals) a chance to light up his fretboard with a shredding solo. I enjoyed every minute of the band's set, but it did make me wonder why the band are still so low down the bill on tours such as this. The band are now five albums in to their career, and never seem to pick up any upward momentum despite having a decent fanbase. I have only ever seen the band as a support act, as I have sadly never been able to make any of their seemingly-rare headline shows. I hope his changes soon, and the band feel more able to commit to their own tours. I will certainly make more effort to go next time! The way the crowd joined in with the closing number Savin' Grace makes me think a Vega headline show would be something special, and I hope I can make one soon! The setlist was:

Let's Have Fun Tonight
Explode
Kiss of Life
Every Little Monster
Worth Dying For
White Flag
Savin' Grace

After a fairly quick changeover, Bad Touch took to the stage and delivered a strong half an hour set packed full of their trademark brand of bluesy hard rock. I have been aware of Bad Touch since 2013, but have only really started listening to them properly in recent months. As mentioned earlier I went to the band's headline show in Saltash last November, but this was primarily to see Aaron Buchanan and the Cult Classics who I am a big fan of. I left the evening a Bad Touch fan too however, and have since purchased their three studio albums - all of which are strong. Bad Touch also played seven songs, and much of their set was culled from last year's excellent Shake a Leg. Lift Your Head Up and Movin' On Up got the show off to a groovy, strutting start; while faster tracks like Too Many Times added some energy later on. The thing that stands out for me the most about Bad Touch's music is the amount of groove packed into every song. Daniel Seekings (guitar/vocals) is a real riff master, constantly churning out bluesy power, while fellow guitarist Rob Glendinning uses this base for his soulful solos. The pair are a classic rock guitar duo for the modern day, and are the basis of what makes the band so enjoyable. Frontman Stevie Westwood is an electric presence too. He may not be the most active and 'out there' of frontmen, but he oozes cool and has the perfect character and voice to croon atop the bluesy struts. This was actually my fifth time seeing the band, but the first time where I actually knew the songs that were being played. While I am not sure that Bad Touch received as strong a reception from the large crowd as Vega had done, there were still plenty of us really enjoying what the band were doing - and it was great to have sometime with some real soul after the full-on fun of Vega's AOR. The set came to a close with the powerful duo of Dressesd to Kill and the catchy older single 99%, the latter of which certainly saw some singing from the crowd. I am glad that I have finally got on the Bad Touch train properly, and I am already looking forward to their next tour. The setlist was:

Lift Your Head Up
Movin' On Up
Show Me What it Means
Too Many Times
Hammer Falls
Dressed to Kill
99%

After two excellent support acts who really complimented the two headline acts perfectly, the first of the co-headlining duo - FM - took to the stage to their usual intro. I was fully expecting the band to open the set with a new song, as they have been doing so recently, but surprised me by launching into Breathe Fire, from 1992's Aphrodisiac, a song I had never seen them play live before. It was a great intro piece however, with Jim Kirkpatrick (guitar/vocals) nailing the heavy, driving riff and the whole band rallying around Steve Overland (vocals/guitar) for the melodic chorus. The song is somewhat weightier than much of the band's classic material, and is in fact more akin to their newer sound, so it started the show off nicely - before the band moved through both Bad Luck and That Girl, bringing the show back to more familiar territory. From here the set was very similar to the one that was played in Reading a month or so ago, but slightly condensed to fit into the true co-headlining arrangement. As a result there were numerous highlights, with the keyboard-heavy early single Let Love be the Leader being an early one. Jem Davis (keyboards/vocals) always uses the song to break out one of his old synthesisers for the intro, and the song continues in this vein throughout. He also broke out the keytar for Other Side of Midnight - usually the band's set-closer - and prowled the stage with the guitarists which the crowd seemed to enjoy. Another highlight was the b-side Dangerous which has been brought back into the set this year. I actually feel that the song is stronger than a couple of tracks that ended up on the band's debut album, so I am glad that the band have been showcasing it live again this year. It has a great chorus, which those of us in the know sung along to. The rest of the set was mostly made up of regulars, although Face to Face got a somewhat rare outing which certainly also pleased the die-hard fans. It is hard to judge who out of The Quireboys and FM had the biggest following in Sheffield, as the crowd reaction to both was much the same, which was great to see. The two bands are quite different sound wise, so it was good to see that the pairing worked well. Another song that has found itself a home in the band's setlist again over the past couple of years is the slightly funky Over You - with Kirkpatrick's guitar instrumental Metropolis as an intro - which always seems to get the crowd going. It has never been a favourite of mine, but it has grown on me over the years. It has a very singable chorus however, and the Sheffield faithful certainly helped Overland and the band out with it. Two classics and a newer number rounded out the band's set, with Tough it Out in particularly getting a strong reaction. Again, the chorus got everyone going - but it was left to Killed by Love to round out the evening. The newer song has become a real FM classic now, and it ensured the show ended on a high. The band took their bows to huge cheers, and it was clear they had impressed everyone in attendance. The setlist was:

Breathe Fire
Bad Luck
That Girl
Life is a Highway
Let Love be the Leader
Other Side of Midnight
Dangerous
Someday
Face to Face
Story of My Life
Metropolis
Over You
I Belong to the Night
Tough it Out
Killed by Love

Closing out a fairly long, but excellent, evening of music was The Quireboys. I saw the band five times last year, but was already looking forward to seeing them again. Unsurprisingly the setlist chosen was very similar to that of last year's winter tour, but there were a couple of new numbers added from the band's newly-released album Amazing Disgrace - which I have not had the chance to hear yet as the physical copies will not be posted out until later in the month. Despite the sound being great for the whole night up until this point, The Quireboys seemed to really suffer with technical issues. There was a lot of feedback happening throughout, and Keith Weir's keyboards seemed to not be working properly despite being set up and sat there throughout the whole evening. He ended up moving to use Davis' keyboard set that was still set up on the other side of the stage, after a few choice words and looks directed at the sound man who could not seem to fix any of the issues. Frontman Spike's vocals were also very low in the mix for the first couple of numbers, but by the time they hit There She Goes Again things seemed to have levelled out. The crowd really helped Spike out with the vocals on this song anyway, and he broke into one of his big cheeky smiles as they did. It was great to hear a couple of the new songs too, with Seven Deadly Sins impressing early on with it's bluesy strut, before the Homewreckers & Heartbreakers album was plundered for a couple of numbers including the ever-present and excellent Mona Lisa Smiled. It has been great hearing so many of the Homewreckers & Heartbreakers songs played live over the past year, and I Love This Dirty Town seems to have re-established itself as the band's opening number again. One of the highlights of the set for me was a really barnstorming version of This is Rock 'n' Roll - dedicated to the late Bernie Tormé - which Spike owned vocally. It is also always great to see guitarists Guy Griffin and Paul Guerin teaming up to play the slide guitar-filled intro, and the song contains one of my favourite Guerin guitar solos that just explodes after a quieter moment. After their hit Hey You got the whole crowd going, the second new number Original Black Eyed Son was played. I had enjoyed Seven Deadly Sins, but this second new track was on the next level. It was filled with lots of excellent keyboard work from Weir, and the chorus was instantly memorable after only one listen - which is always the mark of a great song to me. I cannot wait to get hold of my copy of Amazing Disgrace and hear it again! Classics from the band's debut album followed from this point on until the end of the night, with the ballad I Don't Love You Anymore containing a snippet of The Rolling Stones' Fool to Cry which was dedicated to the ill Mick Jagger, and Griffin took the opportunity to take a lengthy solo as the song faded out. The crowd interaction numbers Sweet Mary Ann and 7 O'Clock brought the set to a powerful and energy-filled close, and I assumed that this would be the end as FM had not taken an encore. I was wrong however, and The Quireboys took to the stage following the cheers for one more quick number - Sex Party. This saw the whole crowd in party mode, and it brought what had been a peerless evening of British rock and AOR to a close with a bang. The setlist was:

I Love This Dirty Town
Misled
There She Goes Again
Seven Deadly Sins
Mona Lisa Smiled
Hello
Whippin' Boy
This is Rock 'n' Roll
Hey You
Original Black Eyed Son
I Don't Love You Anymore/Fool to Cry [The Rolling Stones cover]
Sweet Mary Ann
7 O'Clock
-
Sex Party

Big touring packages are becoming more popular, and when the quality is this good I will continue to support them. All four bands went down really well, and I would imagine that the smaller acts made some new fans as a result of their performances. I had taken my copies of Bad Touch's Shake a Leg and Vega's Only Human to hopefully get the signed, and both bands were hanging around near the merchandise after the show so I managed to get a full set of signatures on both which was a great added bonus. I will be seeing The Quireboys again in September, and I am already looking forward to it.