Inglorious' 'We Will Ride' - Album Review

As much I enjoyed the British hard rock band Inglorious' self-titled debut album from 2016 (which I reviewed here) and their 2017 follow-up Inglorious II (which I also reviewed here), both of my respective reviews at the time stated that I thought that the band were somewhat overrated. It is possible to enjoy a band's albums and still think that, and, on a wider yet related note, I have often had a problem with the bands that the 'mainstream' rock press (such as it is) choose to hype up - which often involves many of the genre's best bands, in my opinion, being somewhat left out in favour of a 'chosen few' being pushed constantly. Around the time of their first two albums, Inglorious really were the darlings of the modern rock press. They certainly deserved attention, as Inglorious and Inglorious II are both very solid albums, but it was a shame to see the band receive more than their share of the hype. By the time 2019 rolled around however, and the band's third album Ride to Nowhere (which I discussed briefly here) was released, Inglorious were starting to justify it. In my opinion at least, Ride to Nowhere was a much stronger album back-to-front than either Inglorious or Inglorious II - and, for me, it was the album that showed what the band could really do. It is such a shame, therefore, that the album's release was marred by a rather nasty break-up that lead to three members of the band leaving before it even dropped. It was also a shame that frontman Nathan James regularly took to social media around this time to post quite a few videos of himself making fairly immature rants - many of which were clearly directed at his ex-bandmates, and some of the fan reaction to the split. Band break-ups can certainly be nasty, but airing one's dirty laundry in public is never a good sight - and I have to say that it put me off the band for a while. I did not get Ride to Nowhere on release as a result (not that HMV's risked closure here in the UK at the start of 2019 helped as it really pushed CD prices up everywhere, even online, for a while), but I picked it up a few months later after the dust had somewhat settled and was really impressed with what I heard. Ride to Nowhere was not significantly different from the band's previous two albums, but it felt a little more mature and cohesive (which is ironic considering what followed). The following tour with the band's current line-up was a big success too and that maturity has carried forward into 2021, and the band's newly-released fourth album We Will Ride feels like a natural successor to Ride to Nowhere - despite the line-up changes. Joining founding members James and drummer Phil Beaver on We Will Ride are guitarists Danny Dela Cruz and Dan Stevens, along with bassist Vinnie Colla. This line-up, along with touring keyboardist Rob Lindop (who also appears here), gelled throughout 2019 on the Ride to Nowhere tour, and have brought that togetherness into We Will Ride - which make the album's 11 songs all very enjoyable and hard-hitting.

The album opens with its lead single She Won't Let You Go, a great modern hard rocker that evokes the band's previous singles while also introducing their current line-up on record. The current Inglorious line-up sounds very similar to the previous line-ups despite the large personnel shift, and it is clear that James and Beaver wanted to build on what came before to keep the band's sound intact. That's why the comparison to Ride to Nowhere is certainly an apt one here, and the big opening riff of She Won't Let You Go will certainly put any sceptical fan at instant ease. The riff is a very strident one, with a slight bluesy edge and backed up by some meaty Hammond organ, and it is clear that this is the song that will be opening the band's concerts for the foreseeable future. Inglorious has always had a bit of a Whitesnake influence, particularly that band's early albums, in their sound, and She Won't Let You Go really exemplifies this - with a powerful chorus bringing the best out of James vocally, while the the raunchy mid-paced grooves allow Dela Cruz and Stevens to lock in perfectly. It is a no-nonsense hard rock track, but it packs a real punch and is one of the most instantly-memorable tracks in the band's catalogue yet. Messiah is somewhat similar, but with a bit of a tougher overall sound that dials back on the keyboard presence. Despite this toughness, there is also a fair amount of light and shade here. The main riffs and the chorus are hard-hitting and expressive, while the verses are a bit more restrained - showcasing some subtler guitar playing and some excellent Colla bass playing. The band have a real knack for choruses, and James in particular has a great way of coming up with memorable melodies that are still raw-sounding. Many modern rock bands take an AOR approach to their choruses, which certainly suits many of their sounds, but Inglorious do not do this - instead going for a more old-school approach, with soaring 1970s-esque melodies backed by a big riff. Messiah's chorus is a perfect example of this and, when combined with the varied approach of the song's structure, it makes for one of the highlights of the album for me. Medusa, another single, ups the bluesier feel of the band and introduces some dirty slide guitars into the mix - with the main meat of the song hanging from a delicious groove that has become something of a trademark for the band. With the songs here largely written by James and a combination of his fellow band members, Medusa is the first of two songs here written by James in collaboration with Joel Hoekstra (Night Ranger; Trans-Siberian Orchestra; Whitesnake). The pair had already collaborated together on the first Inglorious album, but Hoekstra's two efforts here are particularly strong. Medusa has the sort of sound that I love to hear from Inglorious, with a big keyboard presence and a strong bluesy strut. The chorus is catchy because of its energy and groove, rather than its poppy melodies, and it is that that really makes the track stand out. It is another song that is sure to become a live favourite over the coming years, with the slide intro sure to elicit a strong response.

Eye of the Storm slows things down, and gives the listener a bit of a break after the hard-hitting opening trio of songs here. While I would not necessarily call the song a ballad, there is certainly a lot more light and shade here - with verses that have a certain ballad-esque quality to them. The guitars during the verses have a great, almost psychedelic quality to them; which fits in nicely with Lindop's gentle keyboard textures. It is a song that grows as it approaches the chorus however, with a larger sound building until it explodes into what is another memorable chorus section. The hooks here are perhaps not as large as those that can be found elsewhere on the album, but the slightly smoother approach (despite the bluesy bluster) helps the chorus sections to stand out nicely. Cruel Intentions is perhaps not as in-your-face as the album's opening trio, but it certainly packs more of a punch than the smoother Eye of the Storm, with a stuttering main riff pulling the listener in early on. The hollow drum sound from Beaver is what makes the song for me however. His organic playing really drives the verses with a bit of a crashing quality that makes the riffs sound heavier than they are. He might not be the most unique drummer in the world, but I think his playing is a big part of what makes this song so enjoyable. The chorus is another highlight however too, with some very impressive vocal gymnastics from James that sees him hitting some pretty impressive high notes while still managing to lay down a coherent and catchy melody. My Misery is similar to Eye of the Storm in the sense that it goes for a more dynamic approach. Again, the song is not really a ballad but it does have some slower, moodier sections that rely more on keyboards than big riffs - which then explode into hard rock sections more typical of the band's sound. Lindop, who seems to be the band's unofficial sixth member who went totally un-mentioned and un-introduced when I saw the band live in 2019, shines here - his piano playing providing some of the main hooks, and his textures laying the basis for the atmospheric verses. Atmospheric is not a word I would often use to describe Inglorious, but there is a certain depth here that is not typically found on the band's albums. The chorus is quite typical however, and is packed full of more strong melodies, but the rest of the song is quite dark and moody - which is quite different to the band's usual hard-hitting sound. Do You Like It gets back to the band's core sound however, with a mid-paced groovy riff kicking things off - while Lindop's Hammond once again growls away in the background. In many ways, this is the sort of song that Inglorious have been churning out since the very beginning. It is very similar to many of the songs on the band's first couple of albums in particular - with more of a focus on the riff and overall attitude than on big hooks. There are catchier tracks, but there is still plenty to like about Do You Like It - and its shredded guitar solo is one of them. There are lots of enjoyable solos throughout the album, but the one here is one of the album's standout efforts, with a fast-paced chaotic run of notes that cut through the mix of what is otherwise a mid-paced burner.

He Will Provide is another track that really showcases the playing of Beaver, who's grooves and ever-changing patterns make the song what it is. The song often moves between playful upbeat sections and menacing Black Sabbath-esque slower sections, and this constant shift in tone helps to make the song such an enjoyable and dynamic listen. The Inglorious of 2016 would not have written a song like this, and the maturity that I mentioned earlier is very clear here. As much as I like the band's core sound, it is great hearing them branch out a little and try new things. He Will Provide is possibly the band's most progressive piece of songwriting yet - but there is still a simplicity to the hooks. The chorus is another strong moment that many will latch onto, but for me it is the murkier elements of the track that stand out the most. The slower, heavier riffs are great; and the keyboard-led section before the lengthy and explosive guitar solo showcase the band's widening songwriting scope. We Will Meet Again opens with a hooky bass riff from Colla, which again is a bit different for the band, before a mournful guitar lead kicks in and the song morphs into another solid mid-paced rocker. There is still a little darkness here however, but the song has a satisfying crunch throughout - despite not being as heavy as some of the other songs on the album. Again, this is a track that shows the band's maturity with darkness being expressed in a number of different ways. Lindop's keyboards again play an important role, and the use of a central guitar lead shakes things up from the band's usual more riff-based approach. God of War is the second of the two Hoekstra co-writes, and it goes for a more all-out hard rock approach - similar to how the album opened - while still toning things down somewhat. Parts of the verses here are fairly low-key, but overall this is a hard rocking and riff-based track that brings the best out everyone involved. Dela Cruz and Stevens once again have plenty of riffs to play with, and the song's main riff has a slight harmony vibe that works nicely to add some extra melody to the piece. It is a very enjoyable song that has a great, heroic vibe to it - and it shows that the James/Hoekstra writing partnership is quite a fruitful one. The album comes to a close with its title track, which is one of my favourite cuts here and a perfect way to bring the album to a close. The chorus features another excellent vocal display from James, with some more impressive high notes, while the band's core riff-based sound is on display in a big way. There are a few murkier sections here too, but on the whole this is a hard rocker that closes the album the way it started - with something of a bang. In some ways too, the song is one that pulls together lots of the musical themes heard throughout the album - with many of its core sounds referenced here. That is what makes the song a strong title track and closing number, and again it is likely to become a live favourite over the years to come. It ensures the album ends on a high, and it leaves a very good impression on the listener. We Will Ride is a very strong fourth album from the band, and it shows that the current line-up has what it takes to build on the past and take the band forward. It is also an album that deserves the hype often bestowed on the band, and it deserves to be heard by a wide audience.

The album was released on 12th February 2021 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for She Won't Let You Go.