Thunder - London Review

It almost sounds rote to say these days, but it really is great that live music is back. Going to two arena-sized shows within the space of a week should not seem strange, but somehow it still does - given everything that happened throughout 2020 and 2021. We should, therefore, reminds ourselves as often as we need to that it was 2020 and 2021 that were strange - and that being able to attend two arena shows within the space of a week is actually very normal. The spectre of the COVID-19 pandemic still hangs over the world, and will no doubt linger for quite some time, but many of us stuck our middle fingers up at it a long time ago - as my busy gig-going schedule can certainly attest to. Last weekend I was in Birmingham to wave goodbye to David Coverdale and his near-50 year career, whilst yesterday I was back in London and at the OVO Arena in Wembley. I visited the venue last month, when I saw Dream Theater put on an excellent display of progressive metal, but the occasion this time was a tour-closing set from the British hard rock institution Thunder. Despite their success in the early 1990s, Thunder have arguably never been bigger than they are now. 1990's Backstreet Symphony, the band's debut album, is rightly considered as a British rock classic, but as far as status and audience pull are concerned I am of the view that Thunder are currently experiencing success unlike anything in their past. I first started to get into the band in the late 2000s, just before they broke up for a second time in 2009. I remember them playing at the University of Exeter's Great Hall a year or so before the split, which is a decent-sized venue but certainly nothing to shout from the rooftops about. The split did not last, however, and the band returned in 2011 - and perhaps the short break and the slow build towards releasing 2015's Wonder Days helped the band to recharge and grow again. The band have also credited a UK tour with Journey and Whitesnake as helping them to connect with bigger crowds again - and when Wonder Days was toured in 2016 the band hit some bigger stages, including Wembley Arena. Thunder have stayed in the bigger venues ever since for the most part, and the new-found success that started with Wonder Days has continued. Thunder have always been a bit of a cult band, but that cult has grown a lot of late - and it no longer seems strange that the band are pulling strong crowds at places like Wembley Arena. In some ways the band's career trajectory is somewhat similar to that of Marillion, whom I am also a big fan of, but perhaps without the extreme highs and lows. Both bands are experiencing significant success again these days which is great to see, and Thunder's current status as arena headliners is due to their excellent catalogue of no-nonsense hard rock albums and their reputation for being a great live band.

Before Thunder trod the Wembley boards, however, the growing crowd was treated to two support acts. Each show on the band's five-date UK tour has had a different opener, and at Wembley the Kris Barras Band had the honour of kicking things off. Barras is fresh from his own successful UK tour, which I took in at the Phoenix in Exeter back in March, so he and his band were fired up and ready to go. They only had time for six songs, but they made the time count by playing four songs from this year's excellent Death Valley Paradise. As was the case on the tour, however, the set opened with one of his older songs - the fan favourite Hail Mary. Barras is starting to make a bit of a name for himself, and it was clear that there were quite a few fans of his in attendance. The amount of singing that could be heard during the chorus of Hail Mary was louder than it would be for most opening acts, and the overall vibe only grew from there as the band launched into the hard-hitting Dead Horses - a personal favourite of mine. It helped, too, that the sound mix was really clear. There was no opening band muffle for Barras to contend with, and this allowed his vocal melodies to shine - and his excellent guitar solos to soar. The bluesier Rock 'n' Roll Running Through My Veins allowed his more organic side to shine, but in the general the set was hard-hitting and full of riffs. Barras' shift towards a heavier sound has been very natural, however. The new songs sit side-by-side with his older material nicely, although some of the older songs have definitely been 'rocked up' somewhat. For me, though, it all flows - and hearing songs like the heavy Who Need Enemies live makes the shift in sound make sense. It was left to Barras' new anthem My Parade to bring his short set to an end, and there was a bit more singing from the crowd here - many of whom were clearly impressed with what Barras and his band brought to the table. The setlist was:

Hail Mary

Dead Horses

Rock 'n' Roll Running Through My Veins

These Voices

Who Needs Enemies

My Parade

Whilst each of the shows on this tour had a different opening act, the main support for the whole run of shows was Ugly Kid Joe - a band who I have been familiar with for years but never bothered to actually listen to until last week. With the exception of one listen to 1992 America's Least Wanted, I went into Ugly Kid Joe's set blind so I did not really have any expectations. The band's sound is very much rooted in the early 1990s, but it never really crosses over into grunge. They sit at the heavier end of hard rock, but never really cross over into metal - and as such they are caught between a few different camps. This is probably why the band never broke through in a big way, but their set was decent - despite some rather tedious generic frontman antics from Whitfield Crane that seemed a bit indulgent given the band's limited time on stage. They only had time for eight songs, of which two were covers (although one of them was admittedly a song that the band are known for), so it was tricky to get a real handle on what the band were about. Some of the songs stood out, however, such as the excellent opener Neighbor, which was built around a big riff and had a strong chorus. Despite the band members' punky attire, which really dated them and did not really suit men in the 50s, there was little punk energy to be found. Much of the band's set was very mid-paced, so quite a few of the songs ended up sounding quite similar - but the overall weight of the riffing at least made the band's sound enjoyable. There were clearly quite a few Ugly Kid Joe fans in attendance though, as there was quite a bit of singing to be heard - especially during the more well-known songs. Their cover of Cats in the Cradle was one such song, and plenty sung along to it, as was Everything About You which is easily the band's best-known track. This song saw everyone get to their feet (the show was all-seated for some reason), but it also heralded the end of the band's set - or so I thought. They decided to throw in a cover of Motörhead's Ace of Spades to properly close things out, however, which arguably received the strongest reaction of the set. It seemed strange to include another cover, but it went down well with the crowd. Whilst I enjoyed the band's set, and will likely listen to some more of their albums in due course, I was not exactly blown away by Ugly Kid Joe's performance. Their set was fun, however, and they helped to get everyone in the mood for what was to follow.

It was Thunder that everyone had turned up to see, however, and I was really looking forward to seeing the band again - as I had not seen them live since 2016. I had expected to enjoy the band's set, but the show ended up being my favourite Thunder gig to date - and the band really felt at home on the big stage. I feel that some bands struggle to adapt to arenas from a 'show' perspective, but Thunder's stage set-up, despite being somewhat understated, still felt right for the big room - with moveable screens and lighting rigs enhancing the band's excellent 17-song set. Joined throughout by Sam Tanner (keyboards/vocals), as well as backing singers Julie Maguire and Carly Greene, Thunder's setlist was very forward-looking. 11 of the 17 songs played came from the band's reunion albums, with 10 coming from 2021's All the Right Noises and the brand new Dopamine. It is testament to the strength of the band's new material, though, that the crowd never felt as if they were just waiting for the next classic to be wheeled out - and plenty near me were singing along to all of the newer numbers. The band hit the stage with Last One Out Turn Off the Lights, which has become one of my favourite Thunder songs since it was released last year. The track is nice and upbeat, and it was brought to life by the eight musicians on stage. The Led Zeppelin-esque riff was nailed by guitarists Luke Morley and Ben Matthews, whilst Tanner's Hammond organ added plenty of depth. Having a full-time keyboard player certainly helped the set to sound as powerful as it did in my opinion. In the past Matthews would play keyboards on the songs with prominent keyboard parts, but this time he focused on his guitar - and Tanner added keyboard parts to songs that generally did not feature keyboards live previously. This allowed the hard rocking classic Higher Ground to sound even weightier than usual, and the additional vocals from Maguire and Greene made each chorus sound larger than life. These changes were more noticeable on the older songs, as the last couple of Thunder albums have been written with this set-up in mind. The jaunty One Day We'll Be Free Again showcased this big sound, whilst even the acoustic-based ballad Unraveling felt like it had a lot of depth. The band seemed to revel in this new sound, too, and really let the music do the talking. Frontman Danny Bowes has sometimes annoyed me in the past with his antics and unnecessarily long crowd interactions, but the talking was kept to a minimum this time.

As such, the night really was great song after great song. As was the case with the Kris Barras Band earlier in the evening (although not so much Ugly Kid Joe), the sound mix was also very clear. Everything that was played was audible, and at the right level in the mix. The backing vocals were just loud enough to have the desired impact, whilst the keyboards added depth and rumble without ever overpowering the rest of the band. The guitars were loud but crystal clear, and Bowes' voice soared above everything. Like FM's Steve Overland, Bowes is one of those singers who has lost nothing over time. He sounds as strong now as he did in the early 1990s, and his vocal prowess is one of the likely reasons for Thunder's enduring popularity. Whether belting out a heavy rocker such as The Devil Made Me Do It or something more downbeat such as the slow-burning Destruction Bowes shone. The latter was one of the overall highlights of the set for me. The song is not very typical of Thunder's sound, and it felt a laborious when I first heard it, but over time it has really grown on me - and it came over very well live. Those closing section was excellent, with some great soloing from Morley and the bluesy, soulful backing vocals from the two ladies. This song led into a great rendition of the more acoustic-focused Low Life in High Places, which saw plenty of singing from the crowd, before the upbeat and somewhat funky Young Man rocked the house with its snaking riffing and digestible chorus. There were not too many songs left at this point, but there was still a lot of fun to be had. Another big sing-a-long came with Love Walked In, an ever-present song in the Thunder set, which impressed as always with its mix of delicate acoustic passage and strident hard rock sections. It may well be the ultimate Thunder song, as it showcases a bit of everything that makes the band great in my opinion. The upbeat vibe was continued on throughout Across the Nation and a powerful version Backstreet Symphony - the latter of which rounded out the main set nicely. The band left the stage to loud applause, but they did not hide away for long. A three-song encore followed, with two new songs and one all-time classic rounding out the night. The somewhat folky Last Orders, which featured Morley singing the first verse, opened up this portion of the show, whilst the upbeat Dancing in the Sunshine injected some feel-good vibes into the night. It was left to Dirty Love to finish everything off, however, and the song really heightened the party atmosphere to new levels as the night came to a close. The setlist was:

Last One Out Turn Off the Lights

The Western Sky

Higher Ground

One Day We'll Be Free Again

Resurrection Day

Unraveling

The Devil Made Me Do It

Destruction

Low Life in High Places

Young Man

Black

Love Walked In

Across the Nation

Backstreet Symphony

-

Last Orders

Dancing in the Sunshine

Dirty Love

As mentioned above, this was easily my favourite of the few Thunder shows that I have now seen. It really felt as if the band transitioned naturally into being an arena act with this show, and the whole vibe was excellent throughout. It was great to hear so many of the new songs live, too, as it would have been easy for the band to focus on past glories. With two new albums in as many years, it seems that Thunder have no intent on slowing down just yet - and with a fanbase as supportive as Thunder's I have no doubt that we will be seeing them back at Wembley again in the not too distant future.

Wolf's 'Shadowland' - Album Review

Sometimes, due to the sheer amount of bands out there, it can be hard to see the wood for the trees. It is impossible to sample every band, let alone follow them all, so inevitably there are thousands of great bands that we all miss out on. Despite my continual efforts to find new music, so much remains unexplored - and this will sadly always be the case. Dismissing bands due to a less than stellar first impression is also somewhat inevitable, too. It can take a lot of time to properly digest a band's work, and first impressions are decent way of separate which bands we want to take the plunge on with those that likely are not for us. One band that I did not significantly investigate due to a first impression was the Swedish four-piece heavy metal act Wolf. I first properly came across the band at the 2015 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air and, for whatever reason, they did not do much for me at the time. Sometimes festivals can be a bit overwhelming when it comes to discovering new bands, and I am of the view that only so much can be consumed at once, but I did not come away from Bloodstock that year a Wolf fan. I essentially paid the band no more heed until 2020, when I saw them open for Grand Magus in Bristol. Despite their previous set not really grabbing me, I went into The Fleece that night with an open mind and ended up really enjoying Wolf's 45 minutes or so on stage. Their sound is best described simply as heavy metal. They do not really fit into any particular subgenre, despite the odd hint of the heavier end of power metal creeping in at times, but instead play metal that very much sounds like the 1980s heyday of classic heavy metal. Wolf's sound is a good mix of melody and crunchy riffing, and the Swedish band have been releasing albums since 2000 - when they put out their self-titled debut album. Despite enjoying the band's set in Bristol, though, I am still not that familiar with Wolf's work outside of their last few albums. They are a band that I desperately need to explore further, but I did pick up their last album Feeding the Machine (which I reviewed here) not long after the show - as well as 2014's Devil Seed. The set was dominated with songs from Feeding the Machine and it dropped a couple of weeks later - so it seemed like the perfect time to properly get into Wolf. I listened to album a lot around the time that it came out, but I have not returned to it that often since. With the release of the band's latest album last month, though,  it seemed right to get back on the Wolf train. The new album, Shadowland, is the band's ninth studio release and, although it does not seem significantly different from Feeding the Machine, it has a bit more of an old-school sound compared to the album it followed. It is the second album with the band's current line-up, and it feels like bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Johan Kullberg have now fully integrated themselves into the band - with the former credited with co-writing a few of the tracks here. I was under the impression that they joined the band around the time that Feeding the Machine was recorded, so they likely had little input in its formation. Perhaps this is the reason for the slightly more old-school sound present this time, but it is my understanding that this sound is fairly typical for Wolf - meaning Feeding the Machine may have been a slight outlier in the catalogue.

The album opens up with the hard-hitting Dust, which roars out of the gate with a brisk Kullberg drum groove and the duelling lead guitars of main man Niklas Stålvind and long-time lead guitarist Simon Johansson. In many ways, the song is very much classic Wolf. Despite the melodic guitar riffing and leads, the song still feels nice and heavy - and much crunchier than Iron Maiden, to quote another twin-guitar band for example. There is a little Mercyful Fate to be found at times, but there is also plenty of the NWOBHM within Wolf's sound - with Dust sounding a bit like a mix of many of the big hitters of the NWOBHM but with a much grittier production that has been influenced by modern power metal. Wolf's sound is not exactly original, but there is a lot to enjoy here. The song's verses get the pulse beating, before a chorus crashes in that is filled with screaming guitar leads and the screeched vocal hooks of Stålvind - who delivers a strong vocal performance throughout the album. A lengthy guitar solo adds some extra melody to the piece, with Johansson showcasing his legato playing style nicely through a number of memorable runs. Visions for the Blind is similar, but it picks up the pace somewhat and goes for the throat a little more. The arrangement is simpler this time, with less knotty guitar interplay, as a big NWOBHM-style riff runs rampant throughout - creating the bed for Stålvind's urgent verse vocals. The pace slows somewhat for the choruses, and the song takes more of a melodic route during these sections. The guitar playing becomes more melodic here, with guitar leads somewhat mimicking the main vocal melodies - whilst Kullberg's drums take a ride-heavy approach for a big 1980s-esque sound. Thanks to its more straight ahead riffing and style, the song is one that easily sticks in the brain. It is crunchier than the opening cut too, which ensures that the energy levels are kept high, and it is a great jumping off point for the core Wolf sound - which Stålvind has been cultivating for many years at this point. The Time Machine slows the pace down somewhat. Instead of going for a snappy approach like the opening couple of tracks, the song is much doomier - and opens with a very Black Sabbath-esque riff. This comparison to Black Sabbath is especially true if the band's 1980s output is considered, and The Time Machine is not too dissimilar to Black Sabbath's work with Tony Martin. The riff has a similar heavy, yet melodic vibe, and the overall atmosphere is similar with the odd heroic melody and drum flourish. The chorus is perhaps the least Black Sabbath-esque moment, though, as it focuses more on guitar leads than riffs. There is a little of the aforementioned Mercyful Fate influence to be found here, though, with Stålvind singing in a slightly more over the top way to suit the spooky, yet melodic, guitar leads. The instrumental section showcases more of a Black Sabbath influence, though, thanks to a lengthy bluesy solo that sits atop another slower-paced riff.

Evil Lives ups the pace and returns to a vibe more akin to how the album opened. The slower riffing is replaced here by a more upbeat vibe overall, but there are still plenty of unsettling and slightly evil-sounding melodies throughout. It is a busy song guitar-wise and, as such, there are lots of great leads to enjoy. There is little traditional riffing here, as the main bulk of the music here is made up up leads - even if they sit atop something of a riff, which reminds me of classic Thin Lizzy but played through a much heavier filter. There are better songs here, but the short and to-the-point nature of the song helps it to stand out - as it is a ball of energy that does not outstay its welcome. It is sandwiched between two heavier, slower tracks, too, which only heightens its impact with its fast-paced leads and simple chorus. Seek the Silence is somewhat similar to The Time Machine, and sees the pace slowed once again. The song is heavy, yet there is a bit more light and shade this time. There are plenty of big riffs included, but I like how clean guitar melodies are used throughout. Much of the song features clean and distorted guitars playing at the same time - with the former creating an atmospheric depth with ringing arpeggios whilst the former creates a rhythmic base alongside the bass and the hard-hitting drums. Due to this depth of sound, the song sounds less like Black Sabbath this time, and instead sounds like an extension of the band's core sound - just significantly slowed down and with clean guitar melodies replacing traditional leads. The alterations make sense, though, and the song really works thanks to this deviation in approach. The album's title track follows, and it ups the pace somewhat - but the song is generally a mid-paced rocker that is built around a very memorable main riff and a solid vocal hook. Stålvind's singing really powers through the mix here, and the song's main riff is likely one of the album's best due to its mix of traditional chugging and the occasional melodic flourish. Much like Visions for the Blind, this is a song that favours a simpler arrangement and approach. Seek the Silence was longer to allow the ideas to develop, and to create more of an atmospheric depth, whereas Shadowland focuses on its core riffs and melodies nicely - which gives it something of an anthemic feel. The Ill-Fated Mr. Mordrake opens with a riff/chord progression that sounds a little like the opening few bars of Megadeth's Hangar 18, but the overall vibe soon changes to one that is more typical of Wolf. This Hangar 18-esque riff does resurface throughout, but generally the song is another mid-paced rocker with powerful verses and some of Stålvind's most unhinged vocals on the album. The vocal and lyrical approach of the song is very Mercyful Fate-like in scope, but the song is somewhat more melodic overall thanks to the resurfacing chord progression and some excellent soloing which again features lots of memorable legato runs.

Rasputin is similar, but the overall arrangement of the song feels somewhat more dynamic. Throughout this album, many of the songs tend to stick with one overall pace throughout, with subtle variations, but Rasputin takes some relatively drastic twists and turns - which helps it to stand out. It is generally a mid-paced track, with some big riffing and shrieking vocals similar to the previous song, but there are moments that see the pace slowed significantly - with some more gentle, atmospheric sections taking over. These moments are fairly short-lived, but they really help the song to stand out for me. I like the way how the song builds on the formula of the previous song, but takes it one step further with more of an atmospheric approach. It even features a lengthy instrumental closing section which includes lots of spacey synth work - which further adds depth to the song and its overall arrangement. Exit Sign returns to Wolf's typical sound, however, and immediately picks up the pace. The main riffing throughout the song is driving and heavy, with a few lead guitar flourishes thrown in for good measure. After two lengthier tracks, the punchier Exit Sign is welcome. There are not many out and out fast songs here, but this is one of them, and it is a great way to whip up some more energy in the album's final third. Another busy guitar solo is included here, too, and overall the song is one that catches the attention with its fast-paced riffing and strong vocal hooks. The album comes to a close with Into the Black Hole, which is another song that is very much typical of the album's core sound. It is not as fast overall as Exit Sign, but it is still a relatively energetic piece that is perhaps heavier due to a slight reduction in pace. There is definitely more of a focus on guitar melodies here, though, and there are lots of memorable guitar leads throughout - as well as some riffs which edge into Black Sabbath territory again, although these are relatively infrequent and serve to temporarily slow the pace for effect. The bulk of the song on the whole though is energetic and melodic, with some great guitar moments and another strong chorus that sticks in the brain thanks to its staccato drumming groove and another strong Stålvind vocal. Due its focus on the band's core sound, as well as the occasional flourish and pace change, the song works well as an album closer - and the album ends on a high thanks to its grooves and memorable hooks. Due to the subtle variations in the songwriting throughout, as well as my relatively limited knowledge of Wolf's work, Shadowland is likely my favourite album by the band that I have heard so far. There is a great crunch throughout, but the songs are rooted in the 1980s which is always welcome for someone who loves classic heavy metal. It is also an album that does a good job at creating a strong atmosphere and vibe throughout, meaning that Wolf have achieved what they have set out to do here - and the result is another enjoyable entry in their canon.

The album was released on 1st April 2022 via Century Media Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Dust.

Whitesnake/Foreigner - Birmingham Review

A few years ago classic rock package tours seemed to be all the rage. With attendances at rock and metal shows creeping up again, package tours featuring two or three 'name' bands were often sufficient to get said bands back into arenas. Costs were shared and those who bought tickets were guaranteed value for money, so I can see why they were popular. They seem to have become less popular again now, though, which is likely due to the fact that many of the bands that made use of them previously are now big enough again to headline arenas on their own. This is great, of course, but I have missed the package tours - as they were a way to see a few big acts relatively easily. It was with glee then, at the end of 2019, that I greeted the news that Whitesnake would be touring with Foreigner and Europe in 2020. It was billed as a co-headline arrangement, with Europe as the special guests, and included a number of arena dates around the country. Clearly, however, these shows never happened. In truth, I do not think that they would have taken place even if the COVID-19 pandemic had not happened, as Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale needed to have hernia surgery around the same time - which thankfully he seems to have fully recovered from. The shows were cancelled rather than rescheduled, so it was great when the tour was re-announced last year. I had tickets for the London show previously, but this time I opted for a Sunday night at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham - a venue which I have been to a number of times over the years. Due to its city centre location it is easier to access than the Resorts World Arena out of town, and it is a place where the sound is usually very good - especially for a big venue. It was great as well that Whitesnake, who were the band on the bill that interested me the most, would be in the headlining spot. Whilst the show was a co-headline arrangement, as was typical of these arrangements previously, Whitesnake benefitted from the longest time on stage of the three bands. I had seen Whitesnake twice previously, and both times they were part of similar co-headline arrangements. At both of those other shows, though, Whitesnake were in the middle slot - so I was looking forward to seeing a bit of a longer set from one of my favourite bands. The tour is also acting as the UK leg of Whitensake's farewell tour - as Coverdale is looking to retire. Many bands have said that they will retire and then ultimately return a few years later, so whether this tour is indeed Whitesnake's final UK tour remains to be seen, but Coverdale certainly seems sincere in his wish to call it a day. He has been in the business for nearly 50 years at this point, and is currently 70 years old, so the time sees right for him to gracefully retire. Going out with a bang is always welcome, though, and the show attracted a large crowd in Birmingham. Whilst the show was not sold out, it was certainly very busy. Most of the seats were full, with the exception of a few sections at the back which were curtained off, and the floor was also pretty full. I arrived early enough to get quite close to the stage, too, which is a position that I managed to maintain throughout the night.

Up first were Europe, who took to the stage to find a healthy crowd waiting and proceeded to impress for around 45 minutes. I have seen the Swedish five-piece a number of times in the past, and they always deliver live. I had not see them since 2018, however, so I was really looking forward to seeing them again. Generally they tend to play sets that focus on their more recent albums, but their set in Birmingham was certainly aimed at the more casual listener - with lots of their 1980s classics included. They did play a couple of newer songs, though, and opened with the Led Zeppelin-esque Walk the Earth, from the 2017 album of the same name. The majestic song really brought the best out of Mic Michaeli (keyboards/vocals), who's retro keyboards took the song to new levels, whilst frontman Joey Tempest twirled his microphone stand and sung the song with ease. The live sound mix for Europe was immaculate, too, which meant that everything could be heard with ease. It is rare that an opening act sounds so clear, and this no doubt allowed Europe's set to really shine. There were cheers as John Norum (guitar/vocals) then launched into the main riff of Rock the Night, and the song was the first sing-a-long of the night - with even the casual listeners around me getting into it. It is an easy song to like, however, thanks to its anthemic riffing and chorus, but it certainly upped the energy levels - which were maintained with the fast-paced Scream of Anger. The power ballad Carrie was the only slower song played, but again it was one that prompted quite a few to sing along, before another more recent track in Last Look at Eden impressed as it always does with its symphonic metal edge and soaring chorus. It is the sort of song that really showcases nicely where Europe are in the 21st Century, and I would not be surprised if it converted a few of a sceptics. In truth though, especially down at the front, most people were really into what Europe were doing. Tempest strapped on a guitar for Ready or Not and the riff-heavy rocker kept the energy levels high, before the driving organ of Superstitious again encouraged a decent amount of singing. There were only a couple of songs left at this point, but they were both crowd-pleasers. The melodic Cherokee turned the clock back to the 1980s with its pulsing synths and staccato verses; and it was left to the timeless The Final Countdown to bring the set to a close. This did lead to one of the evening's more annoying moments, however, as a group of women old enough to know better suddenly decided to barge past a load of people near me just so they could jump around to the song and film themselves doing so. Europe are more than a novelty act to film yourselves being obnoxious to, but thankfully most in attendance realised that. That minor blip aside, though, Europe were excellent, as they always are - and they raised the bar for the two bands who followed. The setlist was:

Walk the Earth

Rock the Night

Scream of Anger

Carrie

Last Look at Eden

Ready or Not

Superstitious

Cherokee

The Final Countdown

The changeovers throughout the evening were quick and slick, which meant that it was only around 20 or 25 minutes after Europe finished that Foreigner took to the stage. I am a big fan, but I have long had an issue with the current situation that the band finds itself in. I have never been a line-up purist, but for a band to feel legitimate there has to be someone on stage that either founded the band or who is a long-time classic member that is known for being a big part of that band's success. Most of the time these days that is not the case for Foreigner. The band's founding member, guitarist, and songwriter Mick Jones is still a member of the band, but his health means that his appearances with the band are limited - and even when he does appear he tends to only join for the encores. With the rest of the band all being newer recruits, this leaves Foreigner looking like their own tribute band more than anything. This, coupled with stagnant and predictable setlists, meant that I made the decision to stop seeing the band live after a 2014 show in Nottingham - and I have kept that vow until now. Jones started this tour, but did not appear with the band at the two shows prior to the Birmingham one - so I assumed that he would not do so at the Utilita Arena. I was correct, which meant that this was the second Foreigner show in a row that I had seen that did not feature Jones at all. As I had gone to the show more for Whitesnake and Europe anyway, I did not let it bother me. The quality of Foreigner's songs cannot be denied, however, so they gave me a reason to sing along for an hour or so whilst I waited for Whitesnake! The current Foreigner line-up are very slick, too, with frontman Kelly Hansen being a great singer. They have never really been a guitar hero band, so the standout musician for me was Michael Bluestein (keyboards/vocals). His playing elevated the band, and it was fun watching him work.

Double Vision opened the set in fine fashion, and the 'hits only' set meant that even the casuals were singing along to most of the band's songs. Cold as Ice, with Jeff Pilson (bass guitar/keyboards/vocals) playing the main piano line in Jones' absence, received probably loudest cheer of the night, before the heavier Dirty White Boy allowed the guitars of both Bruce Watson and Luis Moldonado to shine a little more. The evergreen Feels Like the First Time also impressed, before the R&B-influenced Urgent cut a strong groove. The famous saxophone solo was replaced by a keytar solo from Bluestein, though, which did lessen my enjoyment of the song. Not replacing the recently-retired Thom Gimbel with someone else who can play saxophone is another black mark against this band for me. Moldonado is a solid guitarist, but Foreigner really need a multi-instrumentalist who can play saxophone and flute. It seems lazy not to find someone who ticks all of those boxes, but all Foreigner do these days is pander to the causal fan who owns a greatest hits album - and those people do not care about the lack of saxophone, or even the lack of Jones (they probably do not even notice his absence). A lengthy keyboard and drum solo followed Urgent, which seemed strange considering the limited stage time, but it led into a hard rocking rendition of Juke Box Hero - which brought the band's main set to a close. Foreigner were the only band of the night to go off and come back on again, which seemed strange, and they were gone for barely 30 seconds before launching into Long, Long Way From Home - which was also saxophone-less. The huge power ballad I Want to Know What Love Is followed, which also saw plenty of singing, whilst it was left to the mid-paced hard rock of Hot Blooded to bring the band's time on stage to a close. The setlist was:

Double Vision

Head Games

Cold as Ice

Dirty White Boy

Feels Like the First Time

Urgent

Keyboard and Drum solos

Juke Box Hero

-

Long, Long Way From Home

I Want to Know What Love Is

Hot Blooded

Again the changeover time between Foreigner and Whitesnake's sets was short, and Whitesnake actually took to the stage a little early. Being one of my all-time favourite bands, Whitesnake's set was the most-anticipated of the evening - especially as it was likely to be the last time that I saw them. Lots of people like to criticise Coverdale and the modern Whitensake line-ups, but I am not one of them. Coverdale's voice certainly is not what it was, and it does seem to have deteriorated compared to when I last saw him live in 2015 (when he sounded pretty strong to me), but he is still a great showman who led his seven-piece band through their paces throughout the 90 minutes or so that they were on stage. It was very much a 'best of' set, but it still included a few songs that I had not heard the band play live before. They opened with the ever-present Bad Boys, however, which set the tone nicely. Coverdale's voice was low in the mix for the first couple of numbers, but the band still powered through. The guitars of Reb Beach and Joel Hoekstra dominated, but the keyboards were higher in the mix than is often typical for modern Whitesnake. The band do have two keyboard players now, though, with Dino Jelusick having been added alongside existing keyboard player Michele Luppi. Both are arguably more important for their voices than for their keyboard playing, however, and they helped Coverdale out a lot throughout. Jelusick sang a few lines of Slide It In in a duet with Coverdale, whilst Luppi was often doubling Coverdale's own lead lines for extra depth. Coverdale does not attempt to hide his limitations, unlike some, so I cannot blame him for finding solutions. This big vocal approach was generally only present early on, however, and Coverdale seemed to grow in stature and voice as the set progressed. The bullish hard rock of Hey You (You Make Me Rock) was a great addition to the set, and only real non-hit played, whilst Slow an' Easy was transformed from a blues-based track into something much heavier - which the crowd sang along to with gusto.

The pace was then slowed for a gorgeous rendition of Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City, which showed that Coverdale still has a great voice for the blues. Beach's guitar solo was a thing of beauty too, and a world away from the shred firepower that him and Hoekstra generally employed throughout the rest of the set. The mega hit Fool for Your Loving unsurprisingly elicited a strong reaction too, and everyone in the crowd sung along to the track that made Whitesnake a household name here in the UK in the early 1980s. A lengthy solo section followed, with the two guitarists taking a chance to shred - along with Jelusick who came out from behind his keyboard with a keytar. A muscular version of Crying in the Rain followed, which was another song that Coverdale owned vocally. There was no help here, and he belted out the song with plenty of power - with the whole band harmonising during the big choruses. Tanya O'Callaghan (bass guitar/vocals) really added to the overall sound of these big harmonies thanks to her higher voice, and the song was paused half way through to allow a drum solo from Tommy Aldridge to take place. At 71, Aldridge has not aged one bit since the 1970s. He is one of those musicians who has never slowed down, and it is always great to witness him in action. There was then another slowing of the pace for an emotional rendition of Is This Love, which included a great Hoekstra solo, but the rest of the set was then upbeat and hard rocking until the close. Give Me All Your Love saw plenty of singing in the mid-section, before Here I Go Again received one of the biggest cheers of the evening. Beach's melodic solo filled the hall, and the place then went wild as the main riff to Still of the Night filled the speakers. It is always a barnstorming song live, and everyone around me down at the front was having a great time as the strutting, bluesy riff powered through everything. There was time for one last song, though, and Coverdale reached back into his Deep Purple past and dusted off Burn, which also managed to elicit a strong reaction. It was a long version of the song, too, with lots of soloing - including a great organ solo from Luppi. It was a great way to close out a powerful set from Whitesnake, and the large crowd certainly showed their appreciation as the band took their bows. The setlist was:

Bad Boys/Children of the Night

Slide It In

Love Ain't No Stranger

Hey You (You Make Me Rock)

Slow an' Easy

Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City [Bobby 'Blue' Bland cover]

Fool for Your Loving

Guitar and Keyboard solos

Crying in the Rain

Is This Love

Give Me All Your Love

Here I Go Again

Still of the Night

Burn [Deep Purple cover]

We Wish You Well

Despite what I think about the situation regarding Foreigner these days, I had a great evening in Birmingham with all three bands. Europe were great as always, and Foreigner put on a professional performance that included a lot of legendary songs. Objectively, Europe were probably the band of the night, but my history with Whitesnake goes back a long way. I loved seeing them for what will probably be the final time - and the band's set was a powerful one that was filled with a lot of fan-favourite songs.

Satan's 'Earth Infernal' - Album Review

There's an argument to be made that the NWOBHM movement is stronger in the 2020s than it was in its 1980s heyday. In terms of influence and cultural significance, such a statement is clearly nonsense, but when the quality of recent releases from NWOBHM acts is considered - then such a claim does not sound so ridiculous. To me, too, it seems that many of the best modern NWOBHM albums are being released by bands that did not find significant success during the genre's original boom - with the one exception being Saxon, although they were never as big as some of their peers. Throw in the fact that there are a number of newer bands out there playing music very much rooted in the style of the NWOBHM (Night Demon are an obvious and relatively successful example), and the retro sound of early 1980s heavy metal is certainly alive and well in the 2020s. One band that has been religiously releasing strong albums over the past decade or so is Satan - a Newcastle-based five-piece who made a bit of a splash in 1983 with the release of Court in the Act before derailing any momentum that the album allowed them with numerous line-up changes and re-brands. Between 1983 and 1989, five albums were released by the band's nucleus under the names Satan, Blind Fury, and Pariah - with three different singers joining guitarists Steve Ramsey and Russ Tippins, bassist Graeme English, and drummer Sean Taylor. I imagine that the masses struggled to keep up with this constant shift in branding, and the band called it a day at the end of the 1980s. They resurfaced under the Pariah name for a few years towards the end of the 1990s, but this reunion was short-lived and only produced one album: 1998's Unity. Seemingly wanting to finally return to where it all started, however, the four aforementioned musicians, along with classic-era singer Brian Ross, reunited again in 2011 - and this time under the name Satan. This reunion is currently eleven years old, and has resulted in the release of four studio albums - which brings the release of studio albums released under the Satan name to six. The past decade has easily the been the most stable and prolific of Satan's history too. The same line-up has stuck together throughout, and the reviews have been some of the best in their career. With the exception of the band's newly-released Earth Infernal album, though, which is the subject of this piece, my only previous exposure to the band's music was 2018's Cruel Magic - which I first picked up around a year ago. I enjoyed Cruel Magic quite a lot, and Earth Infernal is very similar - both in terms of quality and sound. Satan are certainly at the heavier end of the NWOBHM, and there is a Mercyful Fate influence throughout - at least musically, as Ross' voice is quite deep and dramatic. The album has been produced in a way so as to sound retro, too. This is not a big, flashy sounding album - but it sounds quite fuzzy and organic. It reminds me sonically of Europe's more recent albums - as well as Angel Witch's 2019 release Angel of Light (which I reviewed here), which is a better comparison considering that the two bands are peers.

Wanting to get straight down to business, and instead of hiding behind some kind of atmospheric intro, Satan start the album in a heavy fashion. Whilst the opening to Ascendancy does open with some slow-burning twin-guitar leads, they are backed by a doomy riff - and this melodicism soon gives way to a big drum barrage and a great fast-paced riff that turns the clock back to the early 1980s. Many of the tracks here are on the faster side, and there is a real energy throughout the album as a result. Like modern Saxon, the modern Satan are really fired up - and are arguably heavier now than they were originally. Ascendancy is a great example of this, as the pace never lets up throughout. Ross' theatrical voice soars over the top of the heavy, dry guitar tones, whilst a lengthy solo section sees Ramsey and Tippins trading shredded leads back and forth. Ross might not have the greatest vocal range, but his style is very distinct. He is perhaps less urgent-sounding than some of the punkier NWOBHM singers, but there is a thespian quality to his delivery that suits Satan's organic heaviness - although he does unleash a high-pitched scream at the conclusion of the solo section to show that he can inject a little extra character into his delivery when required. Lead single Burning Portrait is similar, and the overall pace of the opening track is retained. For me, though, the song is more melodic and less in-your-face than the opening cut - as the overall arrangement is much more dynamic. The aforementioned Mercyful Fate influence is very apparent here, as Ramey and Tippins constantly harmonise with each other throughout, creating ominous-sounding riffs and melodies, whilst Taylor lays down some hard-hitting beats. Burning Portrait has distinct chorus section, too, which slows the pace down somewhat and allows Ross to really express himself over the top of a snaking guitar melody and a staccato drum punch. The vocal melodies during the chorus are extremely catchy, and it is one of the album's hookiest moments for me - so it makes sense that the song was released early to promote the album. Twelve Infernal Lords is similar, but the song just sounds much bigger - and there has clearly been a real effort made here to make it sound very epic. Ross' vocals are very dramatic throughout, and he uses the lower end of his register to really rumble throughout the mix, Candlemass style - but there are a handful of higher screams included to add to the song's overall epic sound. Compared to the opening two songs, too, Twelve Infernal Lords feels somewhat more progressive. The guitar riffing seems a bit more technical here, and the instrumental sections are a little longer to allow the riffs to really bed in. English's bass is also pretty high in the mix throughout, which gives the song a real depth. His playing is likely more audible too thanks to the weaving nature of the guitar riffing, which is based around twin-guitar leads and melodies - which further add to the song's more progressive and epic-sounding nature.

An instrumental piece, Mercury's Shadow, follows and slows the pace down somewhat. It opens with some acoustic guitar melodies, but it is not too long before the rest of the band kick in. It then essentially becomes a mid-paced vehicle for riffs and guitar solos - and the overall style reminds me very much of early Iron Maiden this time. The sound is a little brighter throughout, and the riffing style is not too dissimilar to that which was found on the first couple of Iron Maiden albums. A Sorrow Unspent then gets the album back on its more familiar path, although it does open in a somewhat different manner with some Eastern-tinged guitar melodies and percussion - before another big riff kicks in and the song becomes largely another fast-paced anthem with pseudo-thrash riffs and an urgent vocal performance. There are moments which slow the pace down, which allow Ross to inject some heroic wordless vocal melodies, and the band to go for a more anthemic riffing style that contrasts nicely with the speed metal that characterises the bulk of the song. Whilst I like the band's faster riffing style, most of my favourite riffs throughout the album are the more mid-paced ones - and the slower sections of A Sorrow Unspent really shine for me as a result, particularly with what Ross tends to do vocally as a part of them. Luciferic is another more dynamic piece, and the overall pace is generally slowed down throughout. The mid-paced track has a real crunch to it, but there is also an atmospheric depth here that is not always present in the band's music. Subtle keyboards seem to have been used throughout to create a spooky atmosphere, although they are used very sparingly and never interfere with the band's core sound. The riffing is still very much king, and being a mid-paced track there are a number of very memorable guitar moments here - including a great solo section that is a mix of speed and melody. The band's mid-paced sound also brings the best out of Ross' voice too in my opinion. He sounds great throughout the album, but he really shines here thanks to the song's more anthemic nature - his deep voice rumbling over the strident power chord sequences. From Second Sight ups the pace again, but it does not reach the fastest speeds that have been seen on the album - with the song still retaining an anthemic quality whilst also injecting a bit more of an urgency throughout. The riffing is still very memorable throughout, and there are some excellent guitar melodies throughout the verses which are a bit different from the norm. These melodies help to elevate the song, and also throw in the odd curveball - which is welcome considering that the song is somewhat on the shorter side. Many of the songs here are around five minutes long, but From Second Sight is under four - so it feels much more compact compared to the other songs here. It is a catchy track though, and the aforementioned guitar melodies help to the track to pack a punch.

Poison Elegy is another more mid-paced track, and as such it is another song that goes for a much more theatrical approach. There is still plenty of riffing throughout, but overall it seems as if the song was written to be a vocal showcase for Ross. Generally throughout the album there is a balance between the dominance of the vocals and the guitars, but this song is very much all about Ross. There are still some strong riffs here, but this very much a melodic track that was written to be sung over. This style works well, though, and there are not many moments on the album like it - which allows it to stand out. It has another very memorable chorus, which rivals the excellence of Burning Portrait for me, and sees Ross operating in full-on thespian mode - as the band lay down a staccato riff around him for maximum effect. The Blood Ran Deep returns to the fast pace that the album opened with, and as such the song is something of a real contrast to the anthemic, vocal-dominated Poison Elegy. The importance of the guitars is very much re-established, but perhaps the standout performer here is Taylor. He is not the flashiest drummer, but I like how he manages to inject lots of pace and energy into the band's very fast songs without relying on endless double bass drum patterns. The drumming throughout The Blood Ran Deep is very reminiscent of his style, and the retro production give the drums an old-school booming sound. I like how they do not always sound perfect and well-balanced sound-wise as is the case in many modern metal albums - which helps to give the album a great energy and a proper human touch, in an age when so many feature triggered or even slyly programmed drums. The album then slows down one last time for the closing track Earth We Bequeath. It is another more anthemic mid-paced track, and it is easily the album's most epic-sounding song. Ross delivers another fantastic vocal performance throughout, and his screams during the chorus are almost King Diamond-esque - which again recalls that Mercyful Fate influence that runs through the entire album. This song is probably the closest that Satan come to sounding like Mercyful Fate, too, as it has that great mix of melody, atmosphere, and evilness that made the Danish band such an influence in the early 1980s. Earth We Bequeath is still very much rooted in the NWOBHM though, and the track is more anthemic than Mercyful Fate's core sound thanks to Satan's classic rock-esque strut. There are moments throughout that feature some very simple riffs which would see fists in the air if the band ever play it live, whilst other moments are more complex - with the band's slightly progressive side again given a chance to shine. It is a song that mixes a bit of everything that has been heard on the album up to this point together, and as such it is a great way to round it out - with all of its great and powerful melodies being a real bonus. Despite my general lack of knowledge when it comes to Satan, I have been enjoying this album a lot over the past couple of months. It is similar in style and quality to Cruel Magic, and based on what I have read this quality extends back further into the band's catalogue too. I fully intend to seek out the rest of the band's albums in due course, as there is clearly a lot more out there for me to discover about this NWOBHM stalwart.

The album was released on 1st April 2022 via Metal Blade Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Burning Portrait.

Stone Broken - Exeter Review

After having at least a gig a week for the majority of the past couple of months, it was actually quite nice to have a bit of a rest last week to recharge! I say this in jest, of course, as I never want to have an enforced 18 month 'rest' from live music again, and the fact that I have been tired due to taking in a diverse and large number of gigs over the past couple of months is a very good thing. From clubs to arenas, and back again, 2022 has been great so far from a gigging perspective and there is a lot more to come - especially following today's announcement that Yes will be playing an intimate tour warm-up show at The Wharf in Tavistock, a local venue for me, next month. Enough about the future, however, as the focus on this piece is last night - and the excellent gig that I attended at the Exeter Phoenix, another local venue. The night was a great showcase for young, modern hard rock - and was headlined by the Walsall-based four-piece Stone Broken who have became pretty established over the last few years. I remember seeing the band open for The Treatment before their first album came out in 2016, and I followed the band from afar for a while - before becoming a proper fan between seeing them headline the Friday night at the 2018 iteration of Steelhouse Festival and another excellent showing with Black Star Riders in Bristol in 2019. Readers of this blog will know that I traditionally struggle with bands who channel post-grunge and American radio rock-type sounds - but a few bands who clearly are very much influenced by this type of music have won me over. Stone Broken is one such band, and I would now consider myself a proper fan of their work - rather than just a casual fan who was impressed at the band's ability to grow their fanbase through good, old-fashioned hard work. With a new album, Revelation, released last month (a review of which to follow in due course) for me to enjoy, the next step in my fandom was to see the band live again - and on their own terms this time. An Exeter show seemed to be the perfect opportunity - but I was forced to wait! I believe that the tour had been postponed at least once previously but I was originally supposed to see the band in January, before the show was moved to May. Half way through the tour, however, Rich Moss (vocals/guitar) contracted laryngitis which meant that the rest of the shows had to be postponed again! This must have been gutting for the band after finally getting back on the road, but luckily they, and we, did not have to wait long as the rescheduled shows followed only a couple of weeks or so later. I have been to the Exeter Phoenix quite a few times recently and the turnouts have always been strong - as was the case last night, despite the mid-week date. Clearly the people of Devon and the surrounding environs are embracing live music again, which is certainly great to see.

Before Stone Broken took to the stage, though, the growing crowd was treated to sets from two support acts. The latest rescheduling meant that Scotland's Mason Hill would not be able to join Stone Broken on these final few shows, and they were replaced - at least in Exeter - by the Welsh four-piece Tribeless. I was unfamiliar with Tribeless prior to last night, but I enjoyed the band's melodic take on alternative rock. Tribeless' sound is quite poppy, and relied more on synth and guitar melodies rather than traditional riffs - whilst a busy rhythm section added plenty of danceable grooves. Frontwoman Lydia McDonald has a strong voice, and she elevated the band's material beyond its floaty, melodic simplicity. With a lesser vocalist the band would have likely not been anywhere near as interesting, though, as instrumentally there was little write home about. The songs were written for McDonald to her thing over, and as such they worked. She has a surprisingly soulful delivery, in that post-Amy Winehouse style which has become popular with female pop/rock singers over the past decade or so, and a strong sense of melody. Whilst a few of the band's songs did not make much of an impression, there were quite a few strong choruses throughout Tribeless' set. Some of the songs played were of the sort that would likely become earworms after a couple of listens, and clearly quite a few in the crowd agreed - as the band received quite a strong reaction throughout their set. They were perhaps a little on the poppy side for the bill considering the two sets that were to follow, but I enjoyed my time with Tribeless - and they are another new band that will be fun to keep an eye on and watch their development.

Bumped up from openers, Devon's own The Fallen State clearly wanted to make an impression on what was almost a home-town show for the five-piece. They need not have worried, though, as there were a lot of Fallen State t-shirts on display throughout the venue - and the band received a headliners' reception during their powerful eight-song set. I have been a fan of the band for quite some time at this point, but my last live experience with the band was disappointing - as the show at The Junction in Plymouth last year was blighted by a terrible sound mix and ring rust. With plenty of shows under their belt since then and a powerful mix, though, The Fallen State shone this time. The Plymouth show last year was also frontman Adam Methven's first with the band, so he was still finding his feet, but last night he seemed much more assured - and the band sounded the heaviest that they ever have, as they stormed through a number of fan-favourite songs from their many releases. They opened with For My Sorrow from 2019's A Deadset Endeavour, a song which always comes alive when played live, before the first highlight of the night in Sinner was played. Methven really impressed throughout the set, and his takes on the older songs help them to sound heavier. Sinner rocked thanks to his gritty delivery, but in truth the whole band was fired up. Rich Walker (drums/vocals) played his heart out throughout the set, and seemed to inject quite a few new flourishes into a number of the songs which worked really well, and Jon Price (guitar/vocals) bounced around in front of us with a huge grin on his face as he peeled off riffs and solos aplenty. The moody Sons of Avarice, which is always a favourite, was one of the few moments of respite in the set, as tracks like the anthemic new single Standing Tall and the punky Knives kept the energy levels high. The crowd really fed off the band's energy, too, and when Methven asked the audience to sing the wordless vocal hook to Burn It to the Ground they did not need to be asked twice. The heavy track was another winner, too, but by this point the band's time on stage was coming to a close. They had time for one more, though, and the power ballad Nova, which has become one of the band's signature songs, brought the set to a close. There were more singing from the crowd here too, and it is clear that The Fallen State had impressed - and it was great to see them back firing on all cylinders. The setlist was:

For My Sorrow

Sinner

Sons of Avarice

Lost Cause

Standing Tall

Knives

Burn It to the Ground

Nova

Whilst Stone Broken were the night's headliners, it felt as if most of the crowd were there to support all of the bands. Stone Broken received a headliners' welcome, of course, but it is great to see bills like this - with lots of new rock bands helping each other out and having a great time. Mason Hill's headline tour last year had a similar vibe, and evenings like it always have a great atmosphere. Some bands would have struggled to follow The Fallen State's barnstorming performance, but Stone Broken have been around the block a few times by this point - and put on a show that was worthy of their top-billing status. Most of the band's song's are anthems, and the slight synth-based edge that their new material has helped to add a new dynamic to their overall sound. One of these new songs, Revelation, opened the evening up, and the smooth track impressed. The band sounded tight and powerful from the off, with Moss now recovered from his laryngitis, and there was very little time to rest throughout. A few choice cuts from the new album were played, but largely the set was made up of old favourites - which pleased the large crowd. The opening guitar salvo of Stay All Night introduced Chris Davis (guitar/vocals) in a big way, whilst the snarling groove of the caustic Heartbeat Away saw plenty of movement from the crowd. As they had been for the previous bands, the crowd was very much behind Stone Broken from the off - but took things to the next level. Everyone was out to have a good time, and it was great to see such a mix of ages in the crowd - all of whom were singing along. Another highlight for me was Black Sunrise, which is probably my favourite song from the new album thanks to its Alter Bridge-esque chorus, before the strip club anthem Let Me See It All, which was preceded by some snippets of some hair metal classics over the PA, again injected a lot of groove into the set - with the drumming of Robyn Haycock impressing. There was something of a mid-set pause for breath when Moss took the opportunity to throw some Stone Broken merch into the crowd, but this was short lived and the band arguably rocked even harder during the set's second portion with anthems like Better and the hard-hitting new cut The Devil You Know. By this point the end was approaching, though. Worth Fighting For again showcased Davis and his excellent lead guitar skills, but the pace totally dropped following the heavy track for the set's only true ballad Wait for You. The song is a real fan-favourite, and it was largely sung by Moss alone with his acoustic guitar - but the crowd helped him out, before the rest of the band returned for the last chorus. A somewhat sloppy but fun cover of Bad Company's Feel Like Makin' Love was then thrown in, as has been the band's want on this tour, but the best was left to last as the set was rounded out the night with a powerful rendition of another signature tune in Not Your Enemy. Moss went for a walkabout during the song, and the crowd lapped up every minute of it whilst singing along. It was a great way to end the night, and I am certain that everyone went home happy judging by the reception that the band received as they took their bows. The setlist was:

Revelation

Stay All Night

Doesn't Matter

Heartbeat Away

Black Sunrise

Let Me See It All

This Revival

Better

Let Me Go

The Devil You Know

Worth Fighting For

Wait for You

Feel Like Makin' Love [Bad Company cover]

Not Your Enemy

Stone Broken were excellent, and I am glad that I have finally made it to one of their headline shows. It has taken me a while to fully embrace the hype, despite seeing them for the first time all the way back in 2016, but I am now a true convert. It was great seeing The Fallen State back to their best, too, and overall the evening was a great night of modern hard rock music. It is always worth checking out new hard rock bands, as there are so many great UK-based acts at the moment - who all deserve support.

Dare's 'Road to Eden' - Album Review

Despite never really establishing themselves as a big player in rock world, the English five-piece Dare remain a popular act - particularly here in the UK where they have maintained a loyal following. The band were formed in 1985 by singer and keyboard player Darren Wharton, and three years later started to make an impact with the release of their 1988 debut album Out of the Silence. Wharton had previously risen to fame as a member of Thin Lizzy - with whom he recorded and toured with between 1980 and 1983, appearing on three studio albums and the band's farewell live album Life. Thin Lizzy had never had a full-time keyboard player prior to Wharton's arrival, and in my opinion he contributed significantly to the final phase of Thin Lizzy's original run. His playing and songwriting elevated albums like 1981's Renegade and 1983's Thunder and Lightning, so it was not surprising that he sought to strike out on his own following Thin Lizzy's disbandment. He has remained in the wider Thin Lizzy family, and has been a part of many of the various Thin Lizzy reunion/tribute tours that have happened over the years, but I think it is fair to say that Dare has been his focus since 1985 - despite the band taking a hiatus between 1992 and 1998. Dare's original era saw the band very much focusing on the AOR/melodic rock market that was popular at the time. Sadly, though, they were probably a bit late to the party. If Out of the Silence had been released a few years earlier then the band probably would have had a chance at greater success, but sadly it was not to be. 1991's Blood from Stone followed a similar path, but also toughened up the band's sound somewhat. The album did not catch on, though, and Dare split up the following year. Wharton reformed the band in 1998 with a whole new line-up, and took Dare in a different direction. The albums that followed the reformation certainly toned down the hard rock elements of the band's sound, and instead went for a very atmospheric, soft rock sound that introduced quite a few Celtic elements. There is a folkiness to Dare's reformation albums, but they are still very melodic - with the hooks of the early days still present. In recent years, though, Wharton seems to have grown more of an appreciation for harder rock again - especially since both guitarist Vinny Burns and bassist Nigel Clutterbuck (who were both a part of Dare's original era) re-joined the band. 2016's Sacred Ground (which I reviewed here), despite still being a soft rock album, felt less folky and more anthemic; and this trend has continued with the band's newly released album Road to Eden. Released last month, Road to Eden is easily the most hard rocking album that the band have made since Blood from Stone. It is not a significant shift from Sacred Ground, but Wharton clearly wants to rock again - whilst seemingly also wanting to maintain the atmospheric sound that has dominated Dare's catalogue. Road to Eden is still closer to Dare's more recent work than their older albums, but the mix of styles works well - and it is great to see Wharton embracing his rockier side again, as there was a period where he seemed to want to leave it in the past.

The band's re-discovered hard rock credentials are on display right from the off, too, and the album opens with probably its heaviest track: Born in the Storm. Born in the Storm is easily the toughest that the band have sounded since the Blood from Stone, and it explodes after a gentle Burns guitar lead kicks things off. It should be understood, though, that this song is tough and heavy for Dare. It is not a metal song, and there still a real smoothness thanks to a strong keyboard presence and Wharton's husky croon - but there is some real guitar weight here. The verses pack a punch thanks to Burns' muscular power chords - and the drumming of Kev Whitehead feels much more in-your-face than it did on Sacred Ground. For me, Born in the Storm might be the best song that Wharton has ever written. I have not been able to stop listening to it since it was released as a single a few months ago - and it was a highlight of the band's set in Nuneaton back in March. It has everything: great riffs, strong melodies, and a soaring guitar solo - and the song is one that instantly sticks in the brain thanks to a powerful chorus and a number of melodic refrains. Given the quality of Born in the Storm, it would be easy for the rest of the album to feel like a disappointment. It is true that, in my view at least, the rest of the album does not reach the heights of Born in the Storm, but there is still a lot of great material to come. Cradle to the Grave, which follows, dials down the heaviness and returns to the smooth soft rock that characterised Sacred Ground - although the production overall has a little more punch. Burns' guitars have more bite this time, and the drums pack more of a punch. The shift in sound is not significant, but for me it really elevates the material - and Cradle to the Grave really hits home thanks to the layered production and the soaring vocal hooks from Wharton. It is not a song that is packed full of big musical motifs, but the hypnotic guitar lines form a great bed for the vocals. Burns does contribute a great guitar solo, which apes many of the vocal melodies, but it is very short - and for me this is very much a song that shines a light on Wharton as a songwriter, singer, and lyricist. Fire Never Fades injects a bit more rock back into the band's sound. It opens with a melodic guitar line, which is soon replaced by a muscular riff that whips up some energy early on. This riff later forms the basis of the song's pulsing chorus, which again soars with some strong melodies, but the verses are very stripped back - with Wharton's piano and Clutterbuck's bass generally dominating. The mix of gentle and harder rock works well throughout, and it showcases both sides of Dare nicely. What pulls everything together is Wharton's performance. He may never be held up as one of the greatest rock singers, but his voice is very distinct and perfect for Dare's atmospheric, romantic sound. His vocal melodies are always perfectly-crafted too, and he says a lot with what are often relatively simple melodies. There are a few singers out there that truly sound like him, and it is this unique sound that makes a song like Fire Never Fades truly work.

The album's title track slows things down again a little, and opens up with a great Burns guitar lead that showcases Wharton's love of a Celtic melody. Despite rocking a little harder this time around, he has not abandoned the sound that Dare have forged since the late 1990s. I love the Celtic edge to the band's sound, and the folky overtones that it brings - but Dare have never sounded like a folk band. It has always been a sound that the band have made their own, and the album's title track very much channels this. Wharton's voice is pushed to the fore again, and what backs him is largely very atmospheric in sound - with layers of keyboards and percussive drumming forming the basis of the verses, before the choruses are bulked out by more guitar leads and a strong bass presence. Lovers and Friends is much more of a ballad, and based around some great piano playing that is backed by layers of strings. Lots of Dare's songs sound like ballads even if they are not truly such, but Lovers and Friends is the first proper ballad on the album - and it sounds stripped down and smooth even by Dare's usual standards. Burns' presence is largely reduced to some backing melodies this time, as Wharton dominates musically with his piano and keyboard layers - but Clutterbuck does make his presence felt with some melodic bass playing that is far more percussive and driving and Whitehead's simple drum beats. It is the sort of song that has more going on throughout than it initially seems, and there is an atmospheric depth that takes a few listens to fully appreciate. Only the Good Die Young injects more rock into the band's sound, and the song is very upbeat in the context of the album. Burns' power chord riffing drives the song, and there is a bit of a brashness to the verses which is generally absent from Dare's sound. The keyboards take a bit of a backseat this time, although they do ramp up when the chorus kicks in - and the overall sound is suddenly much lusher with layers of synths. There are still keyboards in the verses, as piano melodies back up Burns' guitar nicely, but it all feels somewhat more organic and less atmospheric - which contributes to the more rocking sound that the band were clearly going for this time. Grace is another pseudo-ballad, although in truth it is just more typical of the band's last handful of albums. There is less of the newfound harder rock sound here, and the song could have easily sat on Sacred Ground with its whimsical lyrics and atmospheric depth that pushes Wharton's voice to the fore. There are a number of great vocal melodies on this album, but Grace might be his best overall delivery here. There is just something about his emotional vocal style that really brings the song to life. It is not the most interesting piece musically, but it is elevated significantly by the vocals. It is the sort of song that would not hold up as well if someone else sang it, and it is a real showcase for Wharton's talents.

I Always Will packs a bit more of a punch, but it is still relatively laid back - and the song has something of a swing to it. Whilst Dare never sound like Thin Lizzy, working with Phil Lynott has clearly rubbed off on Wharton. There is something about the song's groove and swing that reminds me of Thin Lizzy - but this is not a twin guitar hard rocker, and overall the sound is very typical of modern Dare. I just think that there will always be a bit of Lynott in Wharton's approach, and occasionally it rears its head. It probably helps that Clutterbuck's bass playing is pretty busy throughout the track, too. He is a very melodic player, and I Always Will is elevated by his basslines - which are not just simple root notes. It is this inventiveness on the bass that likely contributes to the occasional Thin Lizzy shade which I can hear in the song - as well as the occasional soaring guitar lead from Burns. The Devil Rides Tonight is not as heavy as the song title might suggest, but it does pick up the pace again. It opens slowly, though, with some gentle guitar melodies and Wharton's low key vocals - but it does soon pick up, with some punchy drumming and lots of guitar depth. The song rocks, but it is still not exactly heavy. That being said, though, there are lots of great guitar moments from Burns throughout. He solos a lot on the album, but his solos are generally very controlled and sometimes extensions of some of the other melodies found within a song. His solo here is much flashier, though, and there is a real abandon to his playing which fits the pacier nature of the song nicely. It is not quite shredding, but his playing is much faster and certainly more hard rocking than usual - which is welcome and very enjoyable. The album comes to a close with Thy Kingdom Come, a track which is very typical of Dare's modern sound. There is a bit more of a punch, although this is largely due to the overall production of the album which has more brightness than usual, but on the whole the song is a soaring soft rocker with a real emotional depth thanks to layers of keyboards and lots of melodic Burns guitar playing. Burns is almost constantly adding a soaring guitar lead to the track, so it should be no surprise that the song also contains one of his best guitar solos. It is another solo that feels a bit more feral than some of his efforts, but it works well and helps the album's closing cut to sound like a true full stop. Wharton's vocal melodies are as a great as ever, too, and the song is a real melodic feast that takes everything that is great about modern Dare and puts it into a blender. It has an epic side to it too, which makes it a perfect closer - and the album is perfectly rounded out by its presence. Considering that the album opened with what is probably now my favourite Dare song, the overall consistency throughout is remarkable. There are no weak songs here in my opinion, and Road to Eden has a bit more variety than the band's other recent albums thanks to the mix of more rocking songs with tracks that are more typical of their recent sound. There is a lot to love here, and in time it could become my favourite Dare album.

The album was released on 1st April 2022 via Legend Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Born in the Storm.

Michael Romeo's 'War of the Worlds, Part 2' - Album Review

As a founding member of the American progressive/neo-classical metal band Symphony X, guitarist Michael Romeo has become one of the most-respected musicians and songwriters of the genre. Whilst Symphony X might not have achieved a level of fame akin to their contemporaries Dream Theater; and have been surpassed in popularity by a number of more modern progressive metal acts who followed in their wake, they are still a much-beloved band - particularly by those of us who love their progressive metal with a hint of 1980s neo-classical shredding and lyrics inspired by fantasy and mythology. As arguably the band's main songwriter, Romeo is often seen as the band's leader and spokesperson. Frontman Russell Allen is probably a more well-known figure in the wider metal scene thanks to his various guest appearances and projects, but when it comes to Symphony X Romeo dictates the direction of travel. It would be safe to assume, then, that Symphony X's recent downtime has come from Romeo. Symphony X have not released an album since 2015, when the excellent Underworld (which I reviewed here) was released, and have just started their first tour since 2019 - although that is largely down to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2019, though, the band had gone two years without playing live at all - following the end of the Underworld touring cycle in 2016. I am hoping that the on-going US tour will be the catalyst that the band need to write the follow-up to Underworld. The lack of Symphony X activity of late, though, is also probably due to Romeo's decision to do his own thing for a while. Despite releasing an instrumental solo album, The Dark Chapter, in 1994 a few months prior to Symphony X's debut album coming out - Romeo had never sought to branch out on his own until 2018 when he released War of the Worlds, Part 1 - an album which was not that dissimilar to his work with Symphony X, and is also an album that, for whatever reason, I did not pick up until much later. I have sometimes wondered if there were issues within the Symphony X camp which led Romeo to do his own thing - especially as War of the Worlds, Part 1 did not deviate from his day job that much. It was an enjoyable album, however, and its sequel was finally released back in March - much to the delight of his fans. Joining Romeo, who handles the album's guitar and keyboard work, is bassist John DeServio (Pride & Glory; Black Label Society; Cycle of Pain) and drummer John Macaluso (Ark; TNT; Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force; Jorn; Labyrinth) - both of whom contributed to the 2018 album. Replacing singer Rick Castellano, though, is Dino Jelusick (Trans-Siberian Orchrestra; Animal Drive; Dirty Shirley; Whitesnake) - a powerful Croatian singer and Public Enemy #1 of Frontiers Records. No reason has ever been given by Romeo for the change of vocalist, but Jelusick's performance throughout War of the Worlds, Part 2 is excellent - if a little too similar to that of Allen's general style for comfort at times. Despite Jelusick's presence, there are still plenty of opportunities for Romeo's compositional and virtuosic guitar style to shine. The album contains four instrumental tracks, and in fact it comes with a bonus disc of the whole album played instrumentally - for those who enjoy that sort of thing.

One of these instrumentals, Introduction - Part II, opens the album though. It is part a typical progressive metal symphonic intro and part a demonstration of Romeo's neo-classical guitar prowess - but it works well as a scene-setter, with dark synths forming a great orchestral backdrop for some pin-point shredded guitar runs. It segues nicely into Divide & Conquer too, which opens with a riff that is very much out of the modern Symphony X canon. The album contains a lot of Romeo's melodic guitar playing, but much of the album is very heavy - so typical of Symphony X's sound from 2007's Paradise Lost forward. The song's verses are packed full of groove, thanks to DeServio's thick bass playing, and they introduce Jelusick for the first time. I have been familiar with the singer in name only for a while, and I assumed that he was more of an old-school hard rock singer - but he sounds very similar to Allen throughout this album, and again the gruffer, more modern Allen. There is a lot of grit to Jelusick's vocal delivery, but it does make the album sound very close to Symphony X - whereas Castellano's performance on the first album provided some separation. This is not necessary a bad thing, though, as the album sounds great - and Divide & Conquer is a great introduction to its sound. The slower chorus is packed full of soaring melodies, and a great guitar solo from Romeo showcases that he has lost none of his melodic touch over the years. Destroyer slows the pace down somewhat and goes for more a mid-paced modern groove metal approach. Romeo's guitars sound very downtuned here, and there is something djent-esque about his tone and riffing style throughout the song. The song never crosses over into TesseracT or Periphery territory, though, and Romeo's signature style is very much evident. All of his songs are rich in depth, and his keyboard work throughout adds a symphonic edge - and an Eastern-tinged breakdown, complete with acoustic instruments to add further depth, allows for some deviation from the more mechanical elements of the rest of the track. A simple chorus and a Yngwie Malmsteen-esque solo keep things grounded, too, and the track is another winner. Metamorphosis reins in the heaviness somewhat, and goes for something of a more overtly-melodic sound. The song's intro is a little bit Dream Theater-esque, with busy keyboard leads and synth stabs backing up guitar leads which switch back and forth between busy and soaring. It also reminds me somewhat of some of Symphony X's earlier work, but it still packs a punch - despite the more dynamic arrangement. The verses are slower, with something of a bluesy edge, which allow Jelusick to showcase a different side of his voice - as he delivers the lyrics with more of an emotional punch, before returning to his grittier delivery for a hard-hitting chorus that is possibly one of the album's hookiest. I really like the overall diversity of the song, and its mix of toughness and more melodic passages makes it one of the standout cuts on the album for me.

Another instrumental in Mothership follows. It opens with some marching drums from Macaluso, and generally takes more of a cinematic approach throughout. It is a piece that really showcases Romeo as a composer. He is not just a guitarist that can play some very fast solos, but he is a true musical genius that can write music that could easily back a Hollywood blockbuster. There is very little guitar showboating throughout, although there is a short closing solo, with the song generally being one to showcase his orchestral arrangement skills - and it segues nicely into Just Before the Dawn, which takes on more of a ballad-esque vibe. Romeo's Symphony X bandmate Michael Pinnella contributes the song's piano, and the long-standing working relationship between the two musicians is evident here. It sounds even more like Symphony X than the album's previous songs, and that is because of how Romeo and Pinnella team up here - with the latter's piano forming the bed that Romeo adds colour too. Jelusick makes use of his slightly more emotional vocal style throughout the track too, and this suits the more downbeat, piano-led song nicely - especially during the chorus which is another hook-led moment that will stick in the brain after only a few listens. The guitar playing is generally less in-your-face this time, too, although Romeo still contributes an excellent guitar solo - which is somewhat slower-paced than usual to fit in with the song's overall vibe. Hybrids ups the heaviness again, but it retains some of the more dynamic approach taken throughout the past couple of tracks. It is a bit of a strange track arrangement-wise as a result, but for me the mix of grooves works well. The verses are fairly low key, with occasional stabs of muscular guitar punctuating a drum and bass groove which sees Jelusick singing atop in a rather odd manner. He almost whispers the lyrics, and the somewhat mechanical grooves remind me a little bit of bands like Fear Factory. The chorus and solo section is more typical of the album's sound, however, but it is great to see Romeo going off in a bit of a different direction here - whilst still showcasing his talents as one of the best neo-classical shredders of the modern day. Hunted, the album's third instrumental piece, returns to the more symphonic and cinematic approach of Mothership - but this time the track is much more frantic and features a lot more guitar firepower. Parts of the song retain the film score-esque vibes of Mothership, but this track feels a lot more like a typical guitar instrumental than anything else on the album. It is not a continual shred-fest though, which helps to keep things interesting. I am not a fan of endless shredding, which is why I rarely listen to all-instrumental metal, but Hunted mixes great neo-classical runs with cinematic orchestral passages that pulse with strings and synths.

The heaviness then returns in a big way with Maschinenmensch. It is the album's longest song, at over nine minutes, so as such it feels like a bit of a mix of everything that has come before. Its opening sections are very heavy, and it takes a while for Jelusick to join the fray. These opening sections are filled with a mix of groove-based riffs and shredded solos, which build up towards a gritty verse backed by pulsing symphonic strings and some excellent Macaluso drumming. His double bass drumming continually pushes the song forward, and Jelusick's verse delivery is very emotive. There is a bluesy tinge to it, but he mostly retains the real grit that was showcased during the album's early stages. His best vocal performance on the whole album, though, is arguably the song's chorus. The chorus is somewhat slower than the rest of the song, which is quite typical in progressive metal, and this allows Jelusick to really ham it up. His blues-mixed-with-grit delivery really shines here, and the power that he injects into the chorus makes it another strong moment. There is also quite a bit of vocal diversity in the song, too, as a slow-paced bridge section around two thirds of the way through the song allows him to sing in a much cleaner manner - which is then followed by a fantastic Romeo solo that sits against a relatively low key instrumental backing. It is the sort of song that has a bit of everything, and it is a great showcase for Romeo as a songwriter as well as a guitarist - as well as being one of the best overall cuts here. Parasite, the last vocal-led song here, reins in the busier arrangement of the previous song and returns to the more hard-hitting style that the album opened up with. It very much feels like the companion piece to Divide & Conquer, with fast-paced, hard-driving riffs and a vocal delivery from Jelusick that pushes the grit in his voice to the max. There is little of the light and shade that has generally been present throughout the album here, with the song instead being a real metal fest with never-ending riffs and plenty more double bass drumming. This has generally been Romeo's main songwriting style of late, although he still remains a diverse composer - as much of this album demonstrates. His guitar style is suited to all-out metal though, and it is great to hear him in full flight here - especially given the lack of new Symphony X material in recent years. It is left to Brave New World (Outro) to close out the album, and the final instrumental is a very typical symphonic metal piece with choral vocals, dramatic string stabs, and a tough undercurrent thanks to Romeo's guitar rhythms. There are quieter moments, however, such as a section that sees the heaviness drop out to leave some acoustic instrumentation - although this just acts as a bit of a bridge until the next bombastic section kicks in, which also features Romeo's final guitar solo to bring the album to a close. It is also the sort of piece that helps you to reflect on what you have just heard. I was looking forward to this album, but it has surpassed all of my expectations. I enjoyed the first album in 2018, but in my opinion War of the Worlds, Part 2 is much better - and it comes close in quality to much of Romeo's output with Symphony X. The songwriting throughout is very memorable, and it is certainly an album that I am going to be playing a lot this year. Based on the strength of it, too, I really hope that a new Symphony X album is not too far away - as they are sorely missed and it is time for them to re-enter the scene in a big way.

The album was released on 25th March 2022 via InsideOut Music. Below is Romeo's promotional video for Divide & Conquer.

Winter in Eden's 'Social Fake' - Album Review

I have discussed on this blog before that UK-based symphonic, progressive, and power metal often gets a bit of a raw deal and it is a real shame that bands from this country who play European-style melodic metal often struggle to find an audience. Whilst the aforementioned genres may not be the most popular genres in the UK, there are still plenty of fans of melodic metal here - which is why the likes of Nightwish, Sabaton, and Within Temptation have been able to headline arena-sized venues here in the past. Considering the influx of similar bands from Europe, it does seem strange that our home-grown talent is all too often ignored. In fairness, many of the best (in my opinion) UK-based bands playing this sort of music generally operate on a very small scale. Scotland's Turbyne recently split up, sadly, whilst bands like Damnation Angels and Dakesis are very much cottage industries. The band that I am going to talk about today is another cottage industry-type effort, and that is the English symphonic rock/metal act Winter in Eden. I am not sure when the band first got together, but I first become aware of them in 2010 when they played at the Cambridge Rock Festival. Their debut album Awakening was pretty new at this point, and it become a heavily-played album for me over the next few months. The few years around 2010 were probably the high point of my symphonic metal fandom, too, so hearing a UK-based band playing similar music to many of the big European names that I was really into at the time (and still am into) was a real treat. Since then, however, I have not really kept up with Winter in Eden in a big way. I did not listen to 2012's Echoes of Betrayal that much when it was released, but I did enjoy 2014's Court of Conscience a lot following another strong Cambridge Rock Festival showing that year. The band has largely been quiet since and, despite the occasional online update, I wondered if they had essentially called it a day. A new album was supposedly in the works, but nothing ever came - until earlier this year that is when the band's fourth album Social Fake was officially announced. I pre-ordered the album, which arrived last month after a slight delay on the physical product being ready - and I have been enjoying it a lot. It is similar in style to the band's other albums, which forged a relatively stripped-back and no-nonsense brand of symphonic metal, but for me it is easily their best-sounding release. Winter in Eden's previous albums often had a really echoey sound, which made it sound like they were recorded in a school gym, but Social Fake sounds much tighter and crunchier - with the guitar presence of recent addition Benji Lynch giving the band a much tougher sound than before.

Another great thing about Social Fake is how digestible it is. Symphonic metal albums can often breach the hour mark and require a lot of attention, but Social Fake is around 40 minutes long - which makes it an easy listen. The album starts off in fine fashion with its title track, which is a hard-hitting yet catchy metal anthem - with droning synths briefly setting the scene before the first of Lynch's many big riffs crashes in. Interestingly, the album's booklet states that the whole album was written by the band's Court of Conscience line-up - with former guitarist Samuel Cull credited. Lynch plays all of the guitars here, though, and perhaps this line-up change was one of the reasons for the long gap between albums. Lynch shines throughout, though, and his riffing drives the title track from the off - whilst Steve Johnson's synths and orchestrations add depth. Winter in Eden have a grand sound, but it is never really that over-the-top. Steve's orchestrations are tasteful, but never overblown - and the focus is generally always on the vocal melodies of frontwoman Vicky Johnson. Vicky's voice is very easy on the ear, and she knows how to craft a pop hook - and the chorus of Social Fake will certainly be stuck in the brain after only a couple of listens. A short Lynch guitar solo pulls everything together, and the hard-hitting single leaves a strong impression. Never Let Go is a bit grander in sound, and sees the band pushing the symphonic side of their sound - but there are still plenty of pop hooks to be found. The chorus soars with some of the album's best vocal melodies, whilst the song's intro is a wash of dancing strings and ringing power chords. There is still plenty of crunch throughout thanks to some tough rhythm guitar playing, but this is a song which generally sees the keyboards shine. They dominate the intro, as well as the chorus which uses a similar musical pattern, and the song's main instrumental sections feature keyboard leads and synth stabs. It is another relatively straight-forward song, but the grandness certainly helps it to stand out. Out of Touch gets back to a heavier sound, more akin to the album's title track. Lynch's guitar dominates throughout, despite the ringing piano of the intro, and the song is one that plays around with its arrangement somewhat. Winter in Eden can rarely be described as progressive metal, as there is something refreshingly stripped-back about their sound, but Out of Touch feels like it pushes things a little. Drummer Steve Hauxwell mixes things up, and there are a few breakdown/pre-chorus sections that feature some busy around-the-kit drumming, and there are a few moments of shred from Lynch. There is still plenty of time for lots of vocal melodies, though, and the song still hits the spot from a hooks perspective. The chorus is crunchy and hits hard - and a slow piano-led reprise of it towards the end of the piece emphasises the strength of the song's melodies. This reprise follows a barnstorming riff that could have come from on of the first two Iron Maiden albums such is its NWOBHM rawness - and the heaviness contrasts nicely with the piano melodies that follow.

The next three songs form part of the Critical Mass song cycle, which started on Court of Conscience with Burdened. Dear Diary is a short spoken word piece, that features Oliver Johnson and Johanne James (Threshold; Kyrbgrinder) reading a diary entry, before The Change opens up slowly with some delicate piano melodies. The song is generally very typical of the album's sound, however, although it does return to the more orchestral sounds of Never Let Go - with the heaviness reined in somewhat. Steve's keyboard work dominates, but there is still plenty of crunch thanks to Lynch's rhythm playing and the hard-hitting drumming style of Hauxwell. Despite the smooth, soaring nature of the song, Hauxwell still includes a few bursts of fast-paced double bass drumming which work well - and helps to inject some heaviness into what otherwise is a more emotional piece. The piano melodies of the song's opening section form the main melodic hook throughout, but they are often backed by a heavier rhythm to really drive the song - and they are even somewhat reprised later on by Lynch during a short guitar solo. Rage, the third part of the Critical Mass cycle, opens in a heavier manner, with some driving double bass drumming, and it features the vocal talents of Alex Cooper (Devilfire) who duets throughout with Vicky. Cooper's voice is not all that different to Vicky's, with both singers having a smooth delivery and a similar tone. This means that when the two sing in harmony it sounds really effective. There is a lot of harmony singing throughout the song, with the chorus really benefitting from the talents of both singers. Despite the overall heaviness of the song, though, there is still plenty of melody. Similar piano lines to the previous song are included, although the guitars and drums really drive this one - with Lynch afforded a lengthy guitar solo in which he indulges in plenty of shredded leads. Leaving the Critical Mass cycle behind, Down returns to the album's typical song-based approach - and it is easily the heaviest track on the album up to this point. The whole song is based around a great guitar riff from Lynch, and it is not really until the chorus that any typical symphonic metal tropes rear their heads. There are great orchestrations and smooth melodies during the choruses, but the verses are much more overtly metal - with stop-start rhythms and some drum-led grooves. The verses see Vicky singing in a slightly different style to usual, but it works well in my opinion and helps the song to stand out. There is also a relatively long instrumental section towards the end of the song, which features some industrial synths and some more great guitar playing - with Lynch and Steve working really well together to come up with a sonic tapestry to match the song's overall heaviness.

Blind Acceptance returns to the band's typical sound, however, and shakes off a lot of the overt heaviness of Down. Lynch leads the verses with a snaking guitar lead, but the choruses then explode with a glut of strings, soaring orchestrations, and a very expressive vocal from Vicky. In many ways, Blind Acceptance is very much the type of song that Winter in Eden have been writing since the beginning. I think that there are stronger songs here, but the overall sound is very typical of what the band have been doing for years. This album generally is very hook-focused, though, whereas Blind Acceptance feels more as if atmosphere is being prioritised over melody. This is not uncommon for symphonic metal, and the song is one that really sweeps the listener along - even if it is not as hooky as some of the other tracks here. Smiling Assassin goes for something of a more downbeat vibe - although some of the heaviness of Down returns. It is not an out-and-out heavy song, but the verses in particular are slow and crunchy - with the rhythmic guitar playing of Lynch and the drums mixing well to create something weighty. Despite this, though, the song actually has something of a ballad-esque vibe at times. The heaviness is done in a low key way to form a backdrop to Vicky's vocals, and additional melodies are provided; particularly during the choruses; by Nick Lawrance's violin. The violin adds a lot to the song, and its aching melodies help to enhance its overall ballad-esque feel. It is not a true ballad, though, as the mix of heaviness and the slower pace creates a bit of a strange sound - but it is a sound that works well for me. There is a great instrumental mid-section too, which sees some classical-sounding piano mixing well with the Lawrance's violin to create an epic sound. The album comes to a close with Exclusive Invitation, a very melodic track that returns to the sound that opened the album with tracks like Never Let Go. It is a song that reins in the heaviness somewhat, and instead focuses on a smoothness created by Vicky's vocals and some excellent keyboard playing from Steve. The guitars are less busy this time around, although Lynch still adds plenty of depth to the song with his rhythms. As such, the song is very much a typical symphonic metal-sounding piece. It is certainly one of the grandest songs here, and the addition of a children's choir helps the song to really soar. Guitars are generally mixed into the background when it comes to symphonic metal, too, and that is the case here. It is very much a vocal and string-focused piece, which is fitting given how melodic and hooky the song is. The album ends on a high as a result, and it is another track that showcases the band at their best. The great thing about this album, though, is that every song showcases Winter in Eden at their best. There are some songs here that sound like refined versions of their previous efforts, whereas other songs showcase some new sounds - which is always welcome. Social Fake is certainly the Winter in Eden album that I have enjoyed the most up to this point, and I can see myself listening to it a lot more going forward.

The album was released on 25th March 2022 via Firestreak Media. Below is the band's promotional video for Social Fake.