Whitesnake's 'Flesh & Blood' - Album Review

Whitesnake truly are one of my very favourite bands. I like such a huge range of music, so it is hard to narrow things like 'favourite bands' down in any kind of meaningful way - as enjoyment of a lot of music is very mood-dependant. There are some bands that I can only listen to under certain circumstances, but there are a strong contingent of 'go-to' bands whom I can listen at any time of day and under any circumstances. The British hard rock act Whitesnake is one such band, and I feel that if I was to do some kind of list of my favourite bands - Whitesnake could comfortably find themselves in the top 5. They are my third most-scrobbled act on Last.fm which, although certainly not an exact science, is a good indicator of where the band fall in my overall musical landscape. They were not one of the very first got into, but I remember really heavily falling for the band when I was around 16. I remember listening to their classic 1987 album and a greatest hits set that I had extremely often around that time, and over the years I have amassed the band's entire back catalogue, as well as good portion of their live albums - covering multiple eras and line-ups of the band. Unlike many bands who remain a relatively consistent line-up throughout their career, Whitesnake is a band that has had a number of distinct eras, all held together by the charismatic frontman and songwriter David Coverdale, who formed the band in 1978 following a short solo career after leaving Deep Purple two years earlier. Whitesnake's early years, which features a relatively stable line-up, saw the band plough a bluesy hard rock furrow. Quintessentially British, the band's up-tempo, boogie-style hard rock really caught on here in the UK; and the band had a number of top-selling albums and singles as a result. A big shift came in 1984 however with the US-reissue of the band's sixth album Slide It In seeing the band starting to make waves in America. The multi-platinum selling 1987 followed three years later and made the band global stars. By this point only Coverdale was left from the band's early line-ups and, in many ways, this has remained the way since - with lots of different versions of the band being put together over the years. The current incarnation of Whitesnake has been together for around four years, although some of the individual musicians have been around much longer than that. They are also the six behind the band's new, thirteenth album Flesh & Blood - the band's first album of original material since 2011's excellent Forevermore. Guitarists Reb Beach and Joel Hoekstra, bassist Michael Devin, and drummer Tommy Aldridge all return after turning in strong performances on 2015's The Purple Album, an album that saw Whitesnake re-record and re-arrange some of the classic songs that Coverdale wrote during his time with Deep Purple, and are joined here by keyboardist Michele Luppi (Vision Divine; Secret Sphere). Luppi is more well-known in the power metal world as a great singer, but his addition to Whitesnake has seen him expand his horizons. He is a great fit for the modern Whitesnake line-up, and has made his mark on the band's new album, along with the others who have been around a bit longer.

The album gets underway with the weighty Good to See You Again, a tough bluesy stomp that at times recalls the early days of the band. Beach's slide guitar melodies sit perfectly atop Hoekstra's riff - and the song really oozes power and class from the off. While Coverdale's voice certainly is not what it used to be, he turns in a strong performance throughout this album. His voice is gruffer these days, but it suits the heavier sound that modern Whitesnake have adopted. The verses here are a perfect showcase for his current style, with jaunty percussion thrown into the mix to compliment Aldridge's drum groove, and the anthemic chorus is the first of many earworm moments to be found throughout the album. This also is also notable in the fact that it is the first time Coverdale has co-written songs with both Beach and Hoekstra. All three contributed to this song, and the latter in particularly shines with a stunning solo part way through. This new songwriting triumvirate has produced some cracking material throughout this album, and Coverdale seems to have relished working with both of his guitarists here. Gonna Be Alright is a little darker in tone, with prominent acoustic guitars mixed into the background to create a real depth, and slower, moody guitar leads forming the basis of the verses. The song does not come with a true chorus, so lacks the stadium feel of the previous number, but is packed full of atmosphere which helps to keep the song interesting. Luppi's keyboards add to the overall feel of the piece, but never dominate. As with the rest of the album, this is a song for both guitarists and Coverdale to play with. Beach and Hoekstra team up for a lengthy, multi-part guitar solo towards the end, and the slower groove of the piece allows to Coverdale to really ooze his smokey charm. The acoustic prominence and the darker tone harks back to his 1993 collaboration with Jimmy Page, so fans of that underrated album are sure to find plenty to enjoy in this song. Shut Up & Kiss Me is different again, and was released as the first single from the album. I can see why, as the simple song is extremely catchy, and it stylistically similar to the big tunes that characterised the multi-platinum selling 1987 album. Slide melodies add some blues to the piece here and there, but mostly this is a piece that screams 80s! The big gang vocal chorus is sure to go down well live, and smooth bridge section before Beach's shredded solo is something that only Coverdale could write - despite recycling some lyrics from other Whitesnake songs (something he has done quite a lot over his career). There are better songs to be found here, but as a three-minute long slab of fun, there are few better offerings to be released this year! Hey You (You Make Me Rock), another single, is a heavy, bluesy tune that really characterises the modern Whitesnake sound. The strident opening riff grabs hold from the off, and the song never lets up throughout - despite the verses taking a more groove-based approach, with the song really exploding into the stadium-filling chorus. Luppi pays tribute to the early days of the band with a strong Hammond organ presence throughout, and some of the dramatic stabs and riffs recall the might of Still of the Night. It is a song that continues to grow on me, and I feel that it is a piece that could really end up defining this era of the band - as Fool For Your Loving did for the original line-ups.

Always & Forever is less heavy, but still maintains a strong classic rock vibe with some excellent Thin Lizzy-esque lead guitar harmonies that also recall the band's 1983 single Guilty of Love. Luppi again makes his presence felt with some retro-sounding keyboards, but it is the guitars that really steal the show here. Twin guitar leads are not something commonly heard in Whitesnake's sound, but it works really well and helps to enhance the laid back rock feel of the piece, with Devin's bass laying down a strong groove. This laid back feel also allows for Coverdale's vocals to really shine, and his bluesy croon is on full display here. He sounds great, and the song perfectly suits his trademark romantic lyrics. When I Think of You (Color Me Blue) is the first of the true slower songs on the album, but it still has a strong enough rock feel to stop it from being a true ballad. Both of the band's recent original studio albums were packed full of ballads, but that is not something that is the case here. This song taps into that vein somewhat though, with lots of emotional guitar playing from Hoekstra - who takes all the leads and solos here - and more of Coverdate's lovey-dovey patter. His lyrics may be getting a little samey at this point, but these aching love songs are what he has built his career on and I cannot see him changing his style any time soon! In fairness his songs are made for that type of lyric, and this song proves to be a strong mid-album change of pace. The heaviness is back for Trouble is Your Middle Name - a weighty bluesy hard rocker with a shout-along chorus, some dirty guitar playing, and Aldridge's punchy drums. While perhaps not as vital as Hey You (You Make Me Rock), this is certainly a song cut from the same cloth and one that is made to be heard live. I can just imagine a crowd getting behind it - replacing the gang vocals from the recorded version. I am glad that Whitesnake have really focused on creating strong rock songs on this album, and have largely left the ballads at the door. 2008's Good to be Bad and Forevermore are great albums that I still listen to regularly, but there are definitely a few too many ballads between the two releases. Hearing Coverdale belt out the chorus to Trouble is Your Middle Name is somewhat life-affirming, and it is great to hear the band sounding this powerful in 2019. The album's title track is next and it is a strong mid-paced rock track with a powerful Hammond presence and a groovy chorus with some sultry, low vocals from Coverdale. To me, the song recalls the title tracks of 1978's Trouble and 1979's Lovehunter - with a little bit of the modern version of the band's heaviness. Old school Whitesnake fans should love this song, and the excellent slide guitar playing from both Beach and Hoekstra throughout should help to reinforce that sound. There is a lot of slide guitar throughout this album, and, for me, it is a big part of what makes it such a joy to listen to. Well I Never is more of a groove-based piece that has a real earworm of a chorus and an excellent opening riff. Those who are familiar with anything the band has put over the last decade or so will immediately recognise the style, and if the song was not openly credited to Coverdale/Hoekstra in the CD's booklet, I would have assumed that the song was one left over from a previous writing session with Doug Aldrich. It has a bit of his style here, but still fits perfectly on this album with Luppi's Hammond once again giving everything a strong bluesy halo.

While many modern albums start to run out of steam as the final third approaches, Flesh & Blood keeps going strong with the epic Heart of Stone. A solo Coverdale composition, the song mixes heavy, riff-based sections with a melancholy, atmospheric acoustic sections that again recall that Coverdale/Page album from the early 1990s. The verses are mostly atmospheric, with the keyboards and acoustic guitars forming a dense backing - while Aldridge's drums keep the beat with a punchy rhythm - before the song explodes into a heavier chorus which features some downer guitar leads and Coverdale's manly wails. Hoekstra takes the main guitar solo here, and the slow effort really fits into the mood of the song. Many of the guitar solos throughout the album are fast, shredded affairs - but this is one that really focuses on strong bluesy melodies before speeding up somewhat at the end as Aldridge speeds up and works his way around the kit. Get Up ups the pace again, and sees Aldridge introducing a bit of a shuffle-feel with his drumming that helps to create a certain kinetic energy throughout the song. This is follows on from a fairly sombre intro that lulls the listener into a false sense of security, which only makes the groove of the song all that more effective. It is a song that sounds unlike anything else on the album - and seems like a real showcase for Aldridge and his drumming. That said, this is still a catchy piece. The choruses are extremely simple, with the whole band holding onto drawn out vocal lines while the music really crashes around them. Given the pace of the song it is unsurprising that there are lots of lead guitar moments also to be found - with both Beach and Hoekstra taking a turn to shred throughout the song, including a killer outro trade of licks. After All is the album's only true ballad. When I Think Of You (Color Me Blue) has plenty of hallmarks of one, but After All is really the only song that drops the rock element of the band's sound entirely and focuses on delicate acoustic guitar melodies from Hoekstra and some gorgeous bluesy vocals from Coverdale. While I prefer Coverdale as a proper rock singer, he has always written strong acoustic songs. There have been lots of good examples throughout the years, and this is another example of his softer side. Luppi's keyboards help to flesh the sound out too, and is really the only other dominant instrument to be found here. It is a lovely moment of simplicity on what really is a weighty album, and it acts as the calm before the storm of the album's closing piece. Sands of Time is that storm, and the lengthy song throws everything at the listener. The Eastern-tinged melodies recall Led Zeppelin's Kashmir a little, but the song is 100% Coverdale, and is his latest epic composition. Luppi's dramatic keyboards help to add to the overall feel of the piece, but in truth this is Coverdale's piece! His vocals dominate throughout, and his current lower register really helps to bring the heavier piece to life. Both Beach and Hoekstra solo throughout, but for me Coverdale steals the show. Despite what many like to claim, he is still a great singer and that is clear from this tune. It ends the album on a real high, and showcases everyone at their best. Overall, Flesh & Blood is another excellent album from Whitesnake and will be a strong contender for my Album of the Year come December. There are not really any weak songs here, and the hour while the album is playing simply flies by!

The album was released on 10th May 2019 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Shut Up & Kiss Me.