Haken's 'Fauna' - Album Review

In some ways, I cannot believe that it has taken me until the release of Haken's seventh album to properly feature the British prog band on this blog. I was actually a relatively early fan of the band, picking up their second album Visions, from 2011, the year after it came out - and I also caught them live later in 2012 in Leicester where they played the album in full as part of a short co-headline tour with Headspace. For whatever reason, though, I soon dropped off the Haken wagon. I liked Visions quite a lot at the time, but after seeing the band live I rarely revisited it. I remember also listening to 2010's Aquarius around the same time, and spinning 2013's  The Mountain a couple of years later - but really my love for Haken never really left 2012. I am not sure exactly why I fell of the wagon so fast. I remember the show being extremely impressive, but I think that possibly, at the time, I found Haken too techy for me. The band have always straddled the line between progressive rock and metal - and the prog metal which they tend to indulge in is the more discordant, dry, tech-heavy side which is generally not the type prog metal I like. I prefer my prog metal to be more bombastic, symphonic, and lush - with Haken's more angular riffing and cold synths not borrowing much from the 1980s roots of the genre. I was happy to have seen the band live in a very small venue, as that 2012 Leicester show took place at The Musician, but I was also happy to move on - content that Haken were not really for me. I always respected the band, though, and was happy to see their star rise over the years. I think it is fair to say that they are one of the biggest movers and shakers in modern prog rock and metal - and it is great to see a British band being one of the genre's leading lights, given Britain's history with the development of prog in general. I am not sure what made me return to Haken, but for some reason last year I decided it was time to try again. I have not returned to any of the albums which I already owned again yet, but I picked up 2016's Affinity last year and enjoyed it. I will always prefer the warmer end of prog, but Affinity had more of a 1980s influence than their earlier stuff, and the retro synths and poppier hooks drew me in. I have not yet picked up 2018's Vector and 2020's Virus, but instead decided just to jump ahead to the band's latest. Fauna, the band's seventh studio album, was announced late last year and released earlier this month. It is the six-piece's first album in three years, and it is also the first to feature keyboardist Peter Jones. Jones was actually the band's original keyboardist, playing on their revered Enter the 5th Dimension demo from 2008 - only to leave Haken later that year. He seems to have remained close to the band over the years though, and has popped up occasionally doing bits and pieces on some of their albums, so seemed to slot back in naturally after long-time keyboardist Diego Tejeida left in 2021. Whilst I cannot compare Fauna to Haken's most recent work, it certainly feels less metal than some of the band's earlier work - with a strong focus on atmosphere throughout, as well heavy emphasis on the diverse and melodic vocals of frontman Ross Jennings.

As is to be expected, Fauna is made up of a mix of longer and shorter songs. Haken generally favour a longer-form piece, but there are some punchier songs here - with album opener Taurus being one such example. The track is also a good showcase of the band's heavier side, with that tech metal sound previously described on show from the off. Guitarists Richard Henshall and Charlie Griffiths open things with some discordant guitar stabs, which soon morph into a busy, mechanical riff - backed by some off-kilter drumming from Raymond Hearne. Nothing about Haken's music is ever truly expected, and even throughout the shorter Taurus the band take many twists and turns. A strong chorus showcases Jennings' vocal control and smoothness, letting Jones' keyboards fill the mix, whilst the verses mix atmospheric sections and techy riffing perfectly - with later renditions expanding on the song's opening riff, pushing it further melodically. A later bridge section focuses again on Jennings, his dramatic, thespian delivery during this section being vastly different from his more controlled approach used elsewhere - with this contrast established thanks to the chorus returning immediately after it. There are no big solos here, but the track is full of interesting ideas - and the album is only just getting started. Expanding from the off, then, Nightingale follows - and the longer song opens with some subtle keyboard melodies, which soon give way to a knotty guitar riff. Despite the riffing, though, the song overall is not as heavy as the opening cut. This is generally prog rock rather than prog metal, and the focus throughout is on strange rhythms and chiming melodies. Jennings' voice is used to great effect during the verses, his bouncy melodies offsetting the busy, somewhat funky, bass playing of Conner Green and the occasional whistling guitar melody. There is something whimsical and sing-song about the song's verses, which is a contrast to the chorus which does up the heaviness somewhat. A retro-sounding synth riff backs the chorus, and Jennings attacks the lyrics with more power here. The guitars are tougher, but the song overall still does not feel all that heavy - although some of this riffing is later built on during a busy instrumental section. This section revisits some of the retro synths from the chorus, as well as including some barrelling riffing and double bass drumming. It is a good reminder of the band's heavy side, but the song soon returns to the gentle, bird song-like, approach of the bulk of the piece, calming everything down, before a final chorus brings the song to a close. The Alphabet of Me is somewhat similar in tone, and again the piece opens with a keyboard melody. Here, though, Jones' synths stab out a staccato rhythm, which Jennings soon starts to sing over - whilst occasional clean guitar melodies add depth. The song soon opens out, though, but the quirky rhythms from the previous song are somewhat retained. They are much more percussive here, though, with electronic-sounding drums adding a retro touch. The verses really dance around the beat here, with flickering guitar melodies and a big bass presence backing Jennings' atypical vocal melodies - whilst the chorus ups the heaviness with some more traditional big guitar riffs, injecting a metal flair. Wordless vocal hooks and lots of harmonies help the song to stand out, too, and the track also includes some horns courtesy of Miguel Gorodi - with his playing dominating the song's jazzy, largely instrumental, outro.

Sempiternal Beings also opens slowly, but this time the guitars provide the main musical backing. Gentle clean guitar arpeggios and a stark drum groove back Jennings' emotional vocal delivery, whilst the song moves towards a more expansive and heavy sound. A big guitar riff soon kicks in, upping the energy for a few bars, before the verse settles down into another strong groove - featuring prominent guitar melodies and some spiky bass playing. There is perhaps less variation in the grooves here, but the rhythms and a focus on heavier guitars help the song to remain interesting - with the verses always creeping towards the looming chorus. The chorus is more expansive, and it explodes with a barrage of drums and heavy guitars - before Jones' synths provide a warmth and Jennings' lets rip with a powerful vocal delivery. The vocal melodies throughout this song are perhaps less strange than elsewhere on the album, but the simpler approach allows them to be memorable. The song's chorus feels pretty anthemic in the context of the band's typical sound, and this suits the overall heavier approach taken throughout. It also includes the first genuine solo of the album, with a relatively lengthy guitar solo that starts off fairly melodic before getting more chaotic as it moves along - with an appropriately off-kilter synth backing increasing its presence as the solo progresses. Clearly wanting to keep the heaviness at the fore, Beneath the White Rainbow opens with a bang - which comes as a surprise following the quiet opening of the previous few songs. Whilst the piece is typically dynamic, it certainly feels heavier overall than much of the album. The guitars are much crunchier here, and a big riff is never too far away. There is also an urgency throughout, which is perhaps best showcased during parts of the verses. Swinging, fast-paced drum beats dominate, with a high-energy bassline behind them, whilst the chorus sees more of a symphonic approach taken thanks to Jones' keyboards. Things get heavier after the chorus though, and a relatively lengthy instrumental section takes over - which features lots of metal riffing, as well as some thrashy drumming from Hearne. This section feels like true prog metal, with some gloomy, ringing piano melodies later offsetting the guitar riffs to enhance the sombre mood. Jennings' briefly joins in, with some strange, effects-heavy vocals, but, for me, the best moments of the song are the heavier instrumental sections - as they feature some of the best riffing and drumming of the album. Island in the Clouds returns to the more quirky approach taken elsewhere on the album. Green's bass playing dominates early on, his smooth playing providing the foundation for everything as Jennings' distant vocals and the laid back guitar playing add colour. There are bursts of heaviness here, but the ferocity of the previous song is not revisited. The riffing here is more mechanical, and the guitar tones are warmer - allowing Jones' synths to compliment them nicely, as well as letting Jennings continue with his floaty vocal approach. This is a song that is focused more on groove than on heaviness, and the riffing throughout is more to further the song's grooves than to up its heaviness. As such, the guitars are part of the song's overall texture - constantly promoting a more rhythmic approach.

Lovebite, the album's shortest song, then takes a bit of a different path - revisiting some of the 1980s tones that were featured on Affinity in the process. It certainly goes for a much poppier approach throughout, and lots of focus is placed on Jennings' vocal hooks - and the song's chorus is one of the album's most instantly-memorable moments. Despite this more melodic approach, there is still a lot of prog here. The guitar riffing throughout the verses, despite being memorable, is still pretty off-kilter - whilst the rhythm section switch up their approach regularly to make even the poppiest of Haken songs a musical journey. As the song moves forward, the hooks only increase, too. Wordless vocals from the band often interject between Jennings' main lyric lines, whilst a soaring guitar solo is also packed full of melody. The song's simpler structure and focus on hooks does make Lovebite stand out, but it is a fun piece that showcases a different side to Haken - and it is the sort of song which is likely to go down well live. Elephants Never Forget is almost the opposite of Lovebite, with the album's longest song following its shortest. At over 11 minutes, Elephants Never Forget is the album's epic. Haken have written many long pieces before - so it is perhaps strange that only one song here breaches the 10 minute mark. That being said, though, this album has been packed with prog - and Elephants Never Forget is no different. The song actually opens in pretty typical prog metal fashion, too, with some lengthy guitar leads and a fairly bombastic approach. Haken do not usually take such an approach, but it works well - and this bombast hangs around throughout. Jennings' also returns to the thespian vocal approach featured earlier on the album - and there are moments here that remind me of some of the more off-the-rails moments of the first few Queen albums. There is certainly a lot going on here, but there are some extremely playful moments that are very British in approach, whilst other moments return to a funk-led feel thanks to Green's prominent bass playing and some dancing synths. There are heavy moments here, too, and a big riff is never too far away - with the riffs here being very much out of Haken's general comfort zone. It is also good to hear more instrumental showboating throughout the song, too. Jones lays down a few shredding synth solos, whilst the instrumental sections feel busier overall. This is in contrast, again, to the album's closing piece Eyes of Ebony - which reins in the explosiveness of the previous song to focus more on atmosphere. Whilst the song's choruses are more expansive, and feature more riffing alongside strident vocals, much of the song is relatively minimalist. Some parts feature chiming guitar melodies and fuzzy synths, whilst elsewhere the spotlight is shone on the rhythm section - with Green's bass taking the lead for a lengthy period. The aforementioned chorus is hooky, but I do not think that much of the rest of the song could be described as such. It has a strange overall atmosphere, and at times I think it feels quite unsettling. It may be a strange way to close out the album, but I like the starkness of parts of the song as it again showcases a different side to Haken's playing and songwriting. Overall, then, this varied album contains a lot to like. I am glad that I have started to revisit Haken's catalogue, and Fauna includes a lot of dimensions on show - meaning that it gives a good overview of their many faces. I am certainly going to go back and revisit those early albums again - and it seems that the time is right for a true Haken re-evaluation.

The album was released on 3rd March 2023 via InsideOut Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Taurus.

Blackberry Smoke - Birmingham Review

Following last night's adventures in Birmingham which I will soon get to, I went to six gigs in March. 2023 has been very busy for gigs so far, but March takes the crown for the busiest month. Things are about to get much more normal from April onwards, but I have enjoyed getting to so many shows recently. With the live music industry still playing catch-up from the COVID-19 pandemic, touring cycles are still somewhat out of sync. So many bands have been touring over the past couple of years - and these past few months have somewhat felt like backlog clearing. Whilst there are still a handful of tickets that I have which I have had for a while due to postponements, or were postponed before I got my ticket, I have largely caught up with myself now. One that needed crossing off took place last night, though, as the American country/southern rock band Blackberry Smoke brought their latest tour to the O2 Academy in Birmingham. Blackberry Smoke's tour was postponed at least once, but I only bought my ticket to the Birmingham show after it was postponed from last year. Others had been waiting longer than me for the gig, then, but the wait still seemed like a long one - especially given what a great band Blackberry Smoke are. I first got into them in around 2014, when their third album The Whippoorwill was released here in the UK. It was the first of their albums to be released outside of America, and the UK southern rock fanbase immediately latched onto it. Southern rock has always been popular here, and it did not take Blackberry Smoke long to find themselves at home here. I saw the band for the first time in 2014 in London - and then again in 2018 in Bristol on the tour for 2018's Find a Light. Both of those shows were well attended and blessed with excellent atmospheres - so I was gutted when the band's planned 2022 shows clashed with other plans. Neither of the two ended up happening for obvious reasons, so I bought a ticket for the rescheduled show. I would have likely done so anyway, but the catalyst for doing so was partly the release of 2021's excellent You Hear Georgia. Whilst I do not think that Blackberry Smoke have released a bad album, both 2016's Like an Arrow and Find a Light certainly saw the band operating more as a country act than a southern rock one. Blackberry Smoke have always straddled the line, but those albums lacked some of the heft that I generally like about their sound. You Hear Georgia rectified that, though, and it was an album I listened to a lot throughout 2021. Another good reason to see the band live is the fact that they tend to change their setlists night after night - meaning that there is always a chance to hear a deep cut or two alongside a few newer songs and old favourites. Many others had the same thought, too, as Birmingham's O2 Academy was packed throughout the night. It is not one of my favourite venues, and it can often feel overcrowded. Whilst last night's show was not as oppressive as Trivium's recent show there, it still felt over-full - which was not helped by those pushing back and forth to the bar.

Before Blackberry Smoke's set, though, the growing crowd was treated to 40 minutes or so of riffy southern rock from Oklahoma's Read Southall Band. Fronted by Read Southall, the band played a pretty traditional brand of southern rock - but I do not think that anyone in attendance would have been upset about this, especially as the lengthy opening number included some twin-guitar riffing and a bluesy guitar solo before it got going properly. Despite the band being named after Southall, who proved to be a captivating frontman with a voice suitably rough for the genre's needs, they very much seemed like a proper 'band'. The musicians were not there to simply carry Southall's songs, with the two guitarists in particularly shining with lots of great lead guitar interplay and a few moments and busy slide. Keyboards also played a big part in the band's sound, with washes of organ often filling the gaps between the guitar licks and riffs. The set's sole ballad was also very keyboard driven, with everything being based around some sombre piano melodies - even as the song grew in stature towards the end. I had given one of the band's songs a listen prior to the show, but the song which I had listened to was clearly not very representative of their sound. I was expecting the band to be much more downbeat and country in sound than they ended up being - and it was great that they turned out to be more of a classic-sounding southern rock band. They certainly could not be described as original, but given that so many of the classic southern rock acts are no more or are operating with none of their original members it is great to see a newer band carrying the torch for that classic sound. I imagine that only a handful of the newer southern rock bands make any kind of traction here in the UK - so it was good that Blackberry Smoke decided to bring one of them out on the road. I enjoyed the Read Southall Band's set, and judging by the reaction of the crowd throughout it would seem that most of the others in attendance also did. Hopefully the tour will be a success for them - as they are certainly a band whom I will be checking out further going forward. With the likes of them and The Georgia Thunderbolts, though, southern rock seems to be in good hands - and I hope that in time we start to hear more from the current crop of southern rock bands.

Half an hour or so after the Read Southall Band's set, the lights went down and the now-expanded line-up of Blackberry Smoke took to the stage. Since I last saw the band in 2018, both Benji Shanks (guitar) and Preston Holcomb (percussion) have been been added to the line-up - expanding Blackberry Smoke to a seven-piece. Due to his on-going battle with a brain tumour, drummer Brit Turner was not playing with the band having been unable to complete a show earlier in the week. Kent Aberle filled his spot, doing an admirable job throughout the two hour set, but of course best wishes go out to Brit. Despite this change in personnel, Blackberry Smoke rocked. Brit's absence did not lessen the impact of the show, and the band seemed really fired up - dedicating the show to him and opening with the fast-paced Leave a Scar. Whilst there were slower moments and ballads throughout, overall the set felt pretty hard-hitting. The band clearly wanted to rock out in Birmingham, and Charlie Starr (vocals/guitar/percussion) was in rude form throughout - peeling off a number of bluesy solos during the evening, whilst singing powerfully. The first five songs were essentially all rockers, with Good One Comin' On seeing plenty of singing from the crowd - as did the country-picking of Let It Burn. It was perhaps You Hear Georgia that stood out the most early on, though. The addition of Shanks allowed for a lot more slide guitar to feature in the set, and this song featured his playing heavily. He added another dimension to the band's live sound, which, in truth, could not be said about Holcomb. His additions to the sound were barely audible, which was a shame - as his congas could have contributed to some of the band's groovier numbers. Hey Delilah was one song which was enhanced by his playing, though, with the hooky new number whipping up a groovy storm before the band launched into Lucky Seven and the heavier Sleeping Dogs - the latter of which featured a snippet of Tom Petty's Don't Come Around Here No More. The harder rocking set was paced nicely, though, with some slower numbers thrown in. The melodic Ain't the Same also saw plenty of singing from the crowd - as did the country twang of What Comes Naturally, which proved to be a nice change of pace after the muscular Waiting for the Thunder. The latter featured a big keyboard presence from Brandon Still - who's organ playing was generally pretty high in the mix. Following a brief rendition of the oldie Livin' Hell, the acoustic-based Ain't Got the Blues led into a couple more slower tracks in the plaintive Run Away From It All and the ever-present One Horse Town - which was again sung loudly by the crowd. The main set then came to an end with Old Scarecrow, dedicated to Brit, with Brit's brother Richard Turner (bass guitar/vocals) driving everything with a pulsing bassline. A two-song encore followed, though, and it contained two real old favourites. The single which launched the band here in the UK, Shakin' Hands With the Holy Ghost, showcased the band's tougher side -  before an upbeat version of Ain't Much Left of Me, which included part of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Mississippi Kid, brought the two hour set to a rousing conclusion. The setlist was:

Leave a Scar

Good One Comin' On

Let It Burn

Live It Down

You Hear Georgia

Pretty Little Lie

Payback's a Bitch

Hey Delilah

Lucky Seven

Sleeping Dogs/Don't Come Around Here No More [Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover]

Ain't the Same

Ain't Gonna Wait

Everybody Knows She's Mine

Waiting for the Thunder

What Comes Naturally

Livin' Hell

Ain't Got the Blues

Run Away From It All

One Horse Town

Old Scarecrow

-

Shakin' Hands With the Holy Ghost

Ain't Much Left of Me/Mississippi Kid [Lynyrd Skynyrd cover]

Speaking of newer southern rock acts, Blackberry Smoke are almost certainly the modern kings of the genre at this point. They have been going for over 20 years, and are a big draw both at home in America and throughout Europe. Both of the previous gigs of theirs that I went to were great, but last night in Birmingham was likely the best of the bunch. The setlist focused on their heavier side, and seeing the band steam through half of their latest album, too, was a real treat. They are a band that have earnt their seat at the table, and I am sure that they will continue to go from strength to strength - and I look forward to their next album and tour.

King King - Exeter Review

Over the past few years, the Scottish blues rockers King King have become one of those bands whom I now seem to see on every tour. I first came across the band back in 2016 when I saw them opening for Thunder - and then saw them twice again in 2018: at Steelhouse Festival and opening for Europe. I always casually enjoyed seeing the band in those days, but it was not really until 2019 when I started to listen to King King properly - with my fandom secured with the release of fifth album Maverick in 2020. Maverick was where everything truly fell into place for me, and since then I have gained a full appreciation of the band's catalogue - and have seen them twice of my own volition. They were one of a handful of bands whom I saw in 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were starting to lift, and I also saw them again last year in Chepstow Castle with Cats in Space. Both of the 2021 and 2022 shows were excellent, and showcased why King King have become such a popular band in recent years. They are best described as a blues band, but King King do not play your grandad's blues - as there is plenty of hard rock in the band's sound, as well as the love of a pop hook and a soulful vocal delivery. This mix of sounds is a big part of what makes King King appeal to me - plus I think that it is fair to say that my appreciation of blues has only increased over the years. As such, then, when the band announced last year that they were going to undertake another UK tour in 2023 I knew that I had to go. Luckily, King King have managed to build up quite a following here in the South West - with Exeter now being a regular tour stop for them. Exeter was the location of the aforementioned 2021 show which I attended. That show was busy, and last night's was no different - with the room once again packed with loyal fans. As was the case in 2021, the venue for last night's show was the excellent Phoenix - a multi-purpose arts centre in the city which has been a pretty regular gig destination for me over the years. My trips to Exeter seem to have increased in recent years, too, so it is great to see that more and more bands are making the effort to head down the M5 to the South West. Pretty much every show that I have been to at the Phoenix has been great, too, as the venue always seems to create an atmosphere - with the sound there also generally being pretty good. It is always nice to see a show locally, too, so after work I headed up to Exeter for the evening - grabbing a bite to eat in the local Wetherspoons before walking up to the venue. The Phoenix was already pretty busy by the time I got there - so I filed into the main auditorium just before the evening's support started their set.

Providing support for the night was Squeeze frontman and songwriter Glenn Tilbrook. Squeeze are one of those legendary British bands whom I have been aware of for years, but they are not a band that I have ever really listened to. They always seemed like a band hard to categorise - with a quirky overall approach and something of a power pop sheen. Based on Tilbrook's set, my thoughts were confirmed to be correct - but I actually enjoyed much of his performance. I think that most of the songs that he played were Squeeze tracks, which certainly went down well with the crowd as there were lots around me singing along, although he did include a couple of 'out there' covers, too, including a bonkers version of The Human League's Don't You Want Me - where he encouraged the crowd to sing the second verse. What struck me about Tilbrook's performance, too, was how he seemed to be playing as if he was fronting Squeeze. None of the songs played seemed to be re-arranged for a solo performance. I had expected him to strap on an acoustic guitar and play through his songs in a fairly sedate manner - but instead he played a Telecaster throughout and brashly thrashed his way through the set. This was a bit strange, but it worked well - and the set was pretty endearing, especially as he seemed to be battling through a nasty sore throat. Despite this, though, I enjoyed much of Tilbrook's set. It confirmed to me that Squeeze are a band that I probably need to check out. They seem like quite a diverse band, but there were a lot of hooky choruses throughout Tilbrook's set - and the lyrics (generally courtesy of bandmate Chris Difford) were certainly not filled with the general rock and pop clichés. There was a lot of substance to the songs played, and Tilbrook also proved himself to be a pretty capable guitarist too - with a few snappy solos and plenty of busy riffs and melodies. The song that probably stood out the most to me was Pulling Mussels (from the Shell), which had an excellent chorus, but other Squeeze favourites such as Up the Junction and Goodbye Girl also proved to be a lot of fun. As such, Tilbrook's time on stage flew by, and the large crowd certainly had fun with the veteran singer-songwriter whilst waiting patiently for King King's set.

Given that there was not much gear to clear from the stage following Tilbrook's set, it was not long after he finished that King King took to the stage. As this show was part of King King's second lengthy UK tour following the release of Maverick, I was glad to see that the band had switched up the setlist quite significantly for this run of shows. Whilst a few favourites were still included, there were quite a few different songs played, too, showcasing more of Maverick and the band's other more recent album Exile & Grace. Instead of opening with a big, riffy number as is typical of the band's style, King King instead opened with the upbeat and groovy Dance Together - a song from Maverick which was not played on the last tour. The poppy track is a great representation of King King's feel-good side, with Alan Nimmo (vocals/guitars) sounding fired up from the off - whilst Jonny Dyke (keyboards/vocals) created the song's warmth behind his bank of retro instruments. In fact, this upbeat vibe continued on throughout the opening few numbers. Long Time Running, with its big riff and backing vocal-driven chorus, showcased the band's love of acts like Bad Company, whilst Heed the Warning opted for a grander approach - but one that still showcased the might of the five-piece band's sound. There were plenty of changes of pace throughout, though, and the slower By Your Side was the first example of such. Alan sung much of the song alone against Dyke's piano backing - but the band gradually bulked the arrangement out, with Alan delivering one of his many excellent guitar solos of the evening during the song's instrumental section. Lose Control then returned to a harder rocking path, with both Alan and his brother Stevie Nimmo (guitar/vocals) laying down some tough blues rock riffs throughout. For me, King King have become a more powerful live act since becoming a five-piece, with Stevie's rhythm guitar riffing and occasional leads bulking out the sound. Stevie's presence also allows Alan to focus on his singing at times, such as during the quieter moments of the lengthy ballad A Long History of Love - although, of course, Alan still let rip during the mid-section. From this point on, the set was largely made up of fan-favourites. The funky Waking Up and the poignant Whatever It Takes to Survive, dedicated to Thunder's Danny Bowes, went down well, but for me the real highlight of this latter part of the set was You Stopped the Rain - which included quite a bit of singing from the audience. A lengthy I Will Not Fall, with lots of funky piano playing and a great guitar solo from Stevie, was another memorable moment - before the main set came to a close with the blues rock juggernaut of Stranger to Live - with some of Alan's more ferocious guitar playing of the night, and more than a few nods to the bluesier side of Whitesnake. There was time for one more, though, and after a brief step off stage the band came back for a great, and elongated, version of Eric Clapton's Old Love. It featured a lot more soloing, and the spotlight was turned over to Stevie for a really lengthy, traditional blues-based solo - before Alan closed things out with one of his own, bringing the night to a guitar-heavy and powerful end. The setlist was:

Dance Together

Long Time Running

Heed the Warning

By Your Side

Lose Control

A Long History of Love

Waking Up

Whatever It Takes to Survive

You Stopped the Rain

Rush Hour

I Will Not Fall

Stranger to Love

-

Old Love [Eric Clapton cover]

Despite having seen King King twice fairly recently, it was great to see them again so soon - and it was also great to hear a few different songs in the set this time. The band have established themselves as one of the best modern British blues bands in recent years, and I can only see them pushing on further from here with their busy touring schedule and strong catalogue. I am hoping that album number six is being considered, too, as it would be great if the band could capitalise on the excellent momentum of the last few years with another strong album - but I am sure that whenever album number six comes it will be worth the wait.

The Answer - Bristol Review

There was an interesting symmetry regarding the two gigs that I attended this past weekend. I have already talked about my experiences catching W.A.S.P. in Wolverhampton, whom I had last seen in 2015, and I am about to discuss Sunday's gig in Bristol by the Irish blues rockers The Answer - whom I also last saw in 2015, in Exeter. Between 2010 and 2015 I saw The Answer four times - and their albums were on regular rotation on my iPod. The band's high energy live shows and brash blues rock sound made them a real draw for me - and I particularly remember a great 2014 show at the much-missed White Rabbit in Plymouth on part of the touring cycle for 2013's fourth album New Horizon. The 2015 show in Exeter was great, too, but it proved to be my last time seeing the band for eight years. The reason for this, though, was largely down the band themselves. The Answer toured their sixth album Solas throughout 2016 and 2017 - but when the 2017 dates came to an end, the band effectively folded on the quiet. Sadly I could not make any of the UK dates on the Solas touring cycle, which was a real shame, especially as it was almost the band's final tour. The band have not really talked much about their hiatus, but the liner notes of their newly-released seventh album Sundowners hint that the band really could have been over for a while. I do wonder if they had found themselves in something of a rut. I like Solas for its atmospheric and organic sound, but I think that it is fair to say that it lacks the band's usual brashness and love of a big groove. It felt like a band trying something new - and I am not sure that it quite worked in the way that they had perhaps hoped. I think the fans generally enjoyed the album, but I cannot imagine that it is anyone's favourite by The Answer - and perhaps the band felt somewhat creatively spent and decided to take a break. Sometimes taking a break is good for all involved, and it seems to have done The Answer a world of good. When it was announced last year that the band were back, I was really excited. I pre-ordered Sundowners as soon as I could - and when a handful of UK dates were announced I knew that I had to make the effort. A show on board the Thekla in Bristol made the most sense - so tickets were snapped up as soon as they went on sale. I have been to the Thekla a number of times over the years, and every gig there has been memorable for a number of reasons. It is one of those venues that always seems to attract a healthy crowd - and bands seem to really like playing there, which usually leads to excellent atmospheres. Following my trip down from Wolverhampton and a rest in the Travelodge whilst watching some football, I headed down to the venue for 7pm and joined the fairly modest queue. I had expected to see a few more waiting, but by the time the support band hit the stage at around 7:45pm the place was pretty much full. It was likely the busiest that I had seen the Thekla - and I am glad that I bought my new t-shirt when I did, otherwise it would have been hard to get to the merch desk.

Before The Answer's set, as mentioned there was one support act - who played for around 40 minutes to warm the crowd up. Oli Brown & The Dead Collective have been playing with The Answer on this tour, and the three-piece impressed with their atmospheric and murky take on modern blues rock. Brown is a name that I have been hearing for a long time, and I think has been known over the years as more of a traditional blues player - but with his new project The Dead Collective he seems to have taken a more harder rocking road, with touches of atmospheric prog thrown in. Joined by Wayward Sons/Black Star Riders guitarist Sam Wood and former King King drummer Wayne Proctor, Brown stormed through a strong set of dark material which showcased his grungy vocal style and high-octane guitar playing. In this current guise I was actually reminded quite a bit of Richie Kotzen, both vocally and in his guitar playing, and I get the impression that The Dead Collective brings out quite a different side of Brown's style. I am not sure if the band usually operate as a three-piece or not, though, as there was a reliance on backing tracks for the bass guitars and some synths. I did wonder if perhaps the band's bass player was unavailable, as it is always disappointing to see tapes relied on for such a key instrument, but this did not significantly affect my enjoyment of the show. It was also somewhat strange to see Wood essentially relegated to the role of a rhythm guitarist. He is a great lead player, as has been evidenced throughout his time with Wayward Sons and on Black Star Riders' recent tour, so seeing him as more of a background player was strange. He did cut loose occasionally, but largely he was there to support Brown - who led everything with his riffing and emotionally-charged vocals. There were some hooky moments during the set, but generally the songwriting relied on a dense atmosphere and the toughness of the riffing to get by. As such, The Dead Collective's songs are not the sort that I would likely listen to in my own time - but their live set impressed. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given Brown's pedigree, the guitar solos were generally the highlights of the set. It was great seeing Brown cut loose, and his playing showcased why he has been so well-regarded over the years. The large crowed seemed to enjoy the band's set, too, and after the night had come to an end they seemed to be selling quite a lot of merch - which was good to see.

Half an hour or so following The Dead Collective's set, the lights went down again and The Answer took to the stage with relatively little fanfare - and immediately launched into the old stand-alone single Keep Believin', which was released back in 2005 in advance of their debut album. The lack of any real fanfare and opening the set with a relative deep cut summed up the band's ethos. They really are a no-nonsense band, and they set about laying waste to the Thekla with a stunning performance that shined a light on some old favourites whilst also heavily promoting Sundowners. I had only had a chance to hear Sundowners once prior to the show, as it had only been released two days before, but this did not affect my enjoyment of the show. Unlike Solas, Sundowners is very much classic The Answer - even if some of the former's organic production style was retained. Sundowners rocks much harder though, as was evident early on as the band launched into lead single Blood Brother - with Paul Mahon's (guitar/vocals) staccato riff leading the charge, whilst frontman Cormac Neeson proved why is one of the best in the business with his juddering stage presence and rasping vocal power. It did not take much for the band to get the crowd on side, but Blood Brother did none-the-less - with the new track prompting the first of many sing-a-longs of the night. It was clear, too, that the band were really happy to be back. Neeson told quite a few stories during the show, whilst making a few jokes about the rugby, and revelled in introducing the songs old and new. The new cut Oh Cherry went down well, but before that the funky Tonight had brought the best out of bassist Micky Waters. Mahon was then featured with the riff-heavy Under the Sky, which is an ever-present favourite. Despite their power, the band are generally fairly restrained - but Mahon did cut close during the closing section of Under the Sky, soloing like a man possessed. The band's more soulful, bluesy side was then on show during the anthemic Nowhere Freeway, before the spotlight was once again shone on the new album. Mahon strapped on a resonator for the organic and bluesy title track, whilst the beautiful California Rust introduced some folk elements into the band's usual harder rock sound. Turning back the clock, Spectacular had everyone singing again - but the next real highlight was a barnstorming rendition of Come Follow Me. Famed as being the band's opening song during their early years, the song is another ever-present favourite - and the crowd really belted the chorus back at Neeson, and you could tell that he had missed it. The set was very much a forward-looking one, though, and it came to a close with two more new ones - with the groovy Want You to Love Me bringing things to a close. After some cheering, though, a two-song encore followed. One last new track in Livin' on the Line kicked it off, after being opened by Neeson toasting the crowd with an Irish drinking song, before the night was brought to an end in rousing style with Preachin'. The gospel/blues classic has often been a set-closer for the band - and this particular rendition was hugely powerful. Neeson took his customary walk out into the crowd during it, and the atmosphere was raised even further - ending the set on a real high. The setlist was:

Keep Believin'

Blood Brother

Tonight

Oh Cherry

Under the Sky

Nowhere Freeway

Sundowners

All Together

California Rust

Spectacular

Come Follow Me

Always Alright

Want You to Love Me

-

Livin' on the Line

Preachin'

Following the band's excellent set, as has generally been traditional the four members soon made their way over to the merch desk to meet the fans and sign autographs. I had got quite a few CDs signed by the band in the past, but decided to take my copy of Solas along for signing - which the band duly did. I would have taken Sundowners, but as I pre-ordered it from the band it was already signed. It was nice to meet the band again after quite a few years, and it was good to see that they were still as down to earth as ever. I get the impression that with this tour and Sundowners that The Answer are back in a big way - and I hope that further UK shows will follow, and I cannot wait to see them again.

W.A.S.P. - Wolverhampton Review

Whilst I was sitting down to start writing, it struck me just how busy 2023 has been so far from a live music perspective. My calendar starts to look somewhat more sparse (read: normal) from April onward, but January, February, and March have been extremely busy - and this past weekend I was on my travels again. I have a further two concerts planned for next weekend, too, meaning that March really will have been a bumper month. Enough of that for now, though, as I need to turn my attention back to this past Saturday - when I headed up to Wolverhampton for the first time in over a year. The journey to the West Midlands city was rather a long one thanks to the train strikes which are on-going here in the UK. The coach I ended up taking from Plymouth to Birmingham took around six hours - with the walk to the railway station and the train onward to Wolverhampton probably adding around another hour or so. This was certainly frustrating, so I was happy to step off the train in Wolverhampton - whereby I immediately headed to the local Wetherspoons for a bite to eat and then checked into the Premier Inn. The reason for the unusually mammoth journey to Wolverhampton was the fact that the American metal legends W.A.S.P. were in town - and ready to play to a sold out KK's Steel Mill as part of their 40th anniversary celebrations. I have been a W.A.S.P. fan for a long time at this point, but I became a somewhat lapsed fan over the past few years. The reason for this was pure spite, really, as I travelled to Bristol to see the band on their last UK tour in 2017 - only for the show to be cancelled about an hour before the doors were due to open. No explanation or apology for the cancellation were ever offered by the band - and they pressed on with the tour as if nothing had happened. This really annoyed me, so I barely listened to W.A.S.P.'s music at all for a few years. Sadly, shows being randomly cancelled with little-to-no notice is always a risk that is taken when buying a W.A.S.P. ticket. The band are known for doing it occasionally, and the disrespect shown to the Bristol fans annoyed me. As such, I was somewhat 'over' W.A.S.P. after that, but I slowly started to listen to them again over the past couple of years - and decided to risk getting a ticket to their 40th anniversary UK tour. The original run of shows ended up being cancelled due to the pandemic, though, with the eventual replacements being postponed last year when touring internationally was still tricky. As such, the fans have had to wait quite a while for this tour - but it promised to be worth the wait, with an expanded stage show and a special anniversary setlist planned by the band. After the first cancelation, where I again had a ticket for Bristol, I opted for Wolverhampton second time around. Gigs in the West Midlands city are always well-attended, and KK's Steel Mill is a great newer venue. Like many of the UK shows on this tour, too, the Wolverhampton show was sold out - which would have left rather a lot of unhappy punters had W.A.S.P. decided to cancel again.

Thankfully, though, that was not the case. I did breathe something of a sigh of relief when I actually entered the venue, which had been moved around significantly internally since I had last visited in 2021, and took my place down near the front. Before W.A.S.P.'s set, though, the large crowd were treated to 35 or so minutes of music from Bournemouth's South of Salem - a band whom I had heard of but had never listened to. I was looking forward to giving them a go, but I was not really prepared for how much I was going to enjoy them. Much is made of the current NWOCR movement, and there are certainly a lot of good new British rock bands around, but for me very few of the current crop are as good as the wave of British rock bands that were operating 10 to 15 years ago - very few of whom still exist. I find it strange that people seem willing to give new bands in the 2020s a chance, but hardly anyone cared about all of the bands that I was championing in my teens. The reason I bring this up is that South of Salem really reminded me a lot of some of those bands that I used to follow back then. With a slightly sleazy edge akin to early Heaven's Basement and a metallic twang similar to the poppier end of Glamour of the Kill's work, South of Salem impressed me from the off. With a great, somewhat gothic, look to match their razor sharp riffing and soaring choruses, the band set apart converting a few in the crowd with their up-tempo and melodic songwriting. Their live sound mix was not exactly perfect, but it was apparent that there was a lot to love about the band despite this. Thankfully, the vocals of frontman Joey Draper were high in the mix - even if the guitars were on the muddy side. Despite the band's songs including a number of strong riffs and some fluid solos, what really shone for me were the vocal hooks. This is why I namechecked bands like Heaven's Basement and Glamour of the Kill - as the melodies that Draper used really reminded me of why I loved those bands so much. For me, too many of the current crop of British rock bands rely on samey, blues-based 1970s grooves - but South of Salem borrowed more from the heavier end of 1980s hair metal, with a big dose of more modern gothic rock thrown in. Every song which the band played had a memorable hook in it somewhere - from the set-opening anthem Let Us Prey to the closing Cold Day in Hell. A big standout cut for me was No Plague Like Home, with its gang vocal-led chorus, whilst the ballad Demons Are Forever showed that the band had more in their arsenal than may be expected. I was captivated throughout, and was disappointed when their set ended - but it is safe to say that South of Salem are a band I will be following with interest going forward.

All things considered, there are actually quite a few reasons to not see W.A.S.P. live these days. Apart from the aforementioned risk of cancellation, the band often play pretty short shows - and have a want for over-promising and under-delivering when it comes to what their shows will include. That being said, there was excitement in the air during the changeover - even if the band made the crowd wait for over 45 minutes before taking the stage. The wait was pretty boring, but when the lights went down the place went wild - and the band, led by founding member Blackie Lawless (vocals/guitar), took to the stage and launched into a four-song medley including snippets of tracks from early in their career. I enjoyed the show a lot, but I do think that the setlist was extremely predictable. I expected as much, given that W.A.S.P.'s setlists have generally been such, but given what was promised it was hard not to be disappointed. Whilst a couple of deep cuts were included, there was room for more on that front - especially as the band only played for around 80 minutes. Again, I expected this. All of the W.A.S.P. shows that I have been to have been on the short side - but this one may have been the shortest yet. Despite all of this, though, I still had a good time. The band still know how to put on a high-energy show, and Lawless remains an engaging presence - despite the fact that he clearly relies on pre-recorded vocals during some of the songs (another reason one might give for not seeing the band live). Whilst I do not think that he was 100% miming, there was certainly a lot of 'help' going on during a few of the songs - whilst others seemed more natural. A couple of moments during the early medley definitely seemed 'enhanced', although the high-energy On Your Knees felt natural to kick off the night. Despite this, though, everyone (including me) was having a good time. The Flame, which came next (and felt like a genuine deep cut), felt quite significantly enhanced - but it was still fun to belt out the song's snappy chorus. The mid-paced grooves of The Torture Never Stops and the underrated Inside the Electric Circus then rounded out the opening medley - and by this point the crowd was ready for a party.

What essentially followed was a greatest hits set, with the the shout-along L.O.V.E. Machine provoking a sing-a-long - before Wild Child rang through the venue thanks to its soaring pop metal melodies and Lawless' charisma. Three songs from The Crimson Idol followed, with the suite opening with the power ballad The Idol. The song spotlighted Lawless at first, as he crooned the intro, but it generally acted as a vehicle for Doug Blair (guitar/vocals). His closing guitar solo was extremely lengthy, but it was packed full of melody - and the song became the set's most impressive from a musical perspective. The longer The Great Misconceptions of Me followed, but the next big highlight was Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue). The song is pretty much ever-present in W.A.S.P.'s setlists, but always goes down well live - with the crowd once again getting behind the big chorus. The band then returned to the sleazier end of their sound for the rousing Blind in Texas - but as the song came to a close, so did the main set. At less than an hour, many were looking quite confused around me - but after what seemed like quite a while the lights went down again, and some information about W.A.S.P.'s battles with the PMRC flashed up on the screens. This heralded the band re-taking the stage, and launching into Animal (Fuck Like a Beast) - a song which they had not played for quite a few years before this tour. I have always thought that the song was quite silly really, but it was fun to see it live finally - and I know that many have been upset with Lawless for not playing it recently. It certainly received a strong reaction, which continued on throughout an excellent version of The Who's The Real Me - which featured lots of melodic bass playing from Mike Duda. It was then left to I Wanna Be Somebody to bring the night to a close, which again featured plenty of singing from the crowd - and, in a nice touch, every former member of the band was name-checked on the screens as the song was wrapping up. Despite the short set, the band still received a strong reception as they left the stage - and in truth it still very much felt like the job had been well done. The setlist was:

On Your Knees/The Flame/The Torture Never Stops/Inside the Electric Circus

L.O.V.E. Machine

Wild Child

The Idol

The Great Misconceptions of Me

Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)

Blind in Texas

-

Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)

The Real Me [The Who cover]

I Wanna Be Somebody

Despite all of the criticisms that could be levelled at W.A.S.P. in recent years, I still had a fun time with the band on Saturday in Wolverhampton. They are a band that it is hard not to get swept along with, and Lawless is still a great showman despite his age - as was evident when he mounted his huge skeletal microphone stand at the end of the show. I am sure that the sold out crowd had a similarly great time, but it is hard not to wish that the band had pulled out of a couple of extra deep cuts to make the 40th anniversary tour something different than largely relying on the same setlist standards. I had not seen the band since 2015, though, so it was great to see them again - and it is also nice to have a recent W.A.S.P. live experience to remember that does not involve a cancellation. I also purchased a copy of South of Salem's debut album The Sinner Takes It All, which the band duly signed, which I am very much looking forward to digesting.

Hellripper's 'Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags' - Album Review

The quest to discover new music is essentially endless. I do not think that I will ever get to a point where I am satisfied. As much as I love my favourite bands, I am always on the hunt for the next potential favourite - as well as looking more generally to expand my horizons. When it comes to music, it is very easy to stagnate. There is nothing wrong with having a narrow taste, but when there is so much good music out there not sampling as much of it as possible really feels like a waste. I have spoken on this blog before about my ongoing quest to generally appreciate more music from the extreme metal genres. This goal is something of a slow-burning one, but I do feel that over the past couple of years I have made quite a lot of progress. I have not reviewed a lot of extreme metal here, but I certainly listen to more death metal now than I did in the past - particularly when it comes to some of the genre's most defining acts. Black metal remains a real blind spot, though, and, in truth, it is always likely to be. I have covered both Dimmu Borgir and Behemoth on this blog, but I do not think that either band genuinely qualify as being true black metal - at least in recent years. I have always struggled with the abrasive, droning, and often un-melodic sound that generally characterises black metal - with the shrieking vocals also often acting as a stumbling block. As such, I am not about to break character and review some true black metal here - but one band with a black metal influence which I have recently been getting into is Scotland's Hellripper. Calling Hellripper a 'band' might not be accurate, given that they are, at least in the studio, essentially just multi-instrumentalist and songwriter James McBain. Despite this, though, McBain has been active as Hellripper since 2014 - and in that time has put out three studio albums, two EPs, and a number of singles/splits. It is the band's third studio album, Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags, which is the subject of this piece - but, for a bit of context, Hellripper play a pretty old-school brand of blackened thrash/speed metal. I would say that McBain's biggest influence here is classic Venom, but there are also plenty of nods to both Motörhead and early Slayer throughout - as well as a NWOBHM-esque approach to lead guitar melodies. As such, much of the material on Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags, which was released last month, is fast-paced and uncompromising. Despite there being a strong black metal influence throughout, there is enough classic heavy metal and thrash to appeal to me. McBain's vocals are delivered in a manner which I can connect with, and the overall production is sharp - but with a retro edge akin to those bands referenced. Many of the songs here tell Scottish folk tales, which adds to the overall atmosphere nicely - with each song taking the listener on a dark journey despite the relentless energy. Despite Hellripper being a one-man band, three of the songs feature the guitar talents of Joseph Quinlan (Desert Heretic) - who also plays with the band live.

I have sampled some of Hellripper's previous work, but this album is the first which I have fully digested. It also appears to be the band's most expansive yet, with some of the songs here having more of a progressive feel and fuller arrangements. Most of the band's previous songs have been short and sharp, and there are some like that here, but this album feels much more developed than anything which has come previously. The Nuckelavee opens the album, and in many ways it feels like a mix of the band's older sound with this new-found expansiveness. Much of the song is extremely fast, opening with a furious riff. The complexity of the riff grows over the opening few bars, with the drumming beneath it becoming more frantic, before the pace slows somewhat when the verse kicks in. The verses feel more mid-paced, but there is still a frantic energy throughout. This allows the band's atmospheric side to shine - and introduces McBain's rasping vocals, which sit somewhere between a traditional thrash and black metal delivery. His voice is not as screechy as that of many black metal singers, but it is more throaty than would be typical in thrash. There are certainly Venom comparisons here, but the song overall is much thrashier - particularly when the faster-paced chorus rolls around. Not one to shy away from melody, though, McBain showcases his love of a more traditional metal approach during the instrumental mid-section. The duelling lead guitars are straight out of the Iron Maiden playbook, whilst much of the soloing is packed full of melody. I love the approach to the lead guitar parts throughout this album, and they are often what pull me in. The instrumental mid-section of The Nuckelavee is a winner for me, and it helps to break up the blasting intensity of the rest of the track which, apart from the verses, tends to be pretty furious. I, the Deceiver follows and, from the off, it takes a bit more of a traditional heavy metal path. The opening riff feels more chunky and mid-paced, whilst some of the early guitar melodies remind me somewhat of classic Mercyful Fate in atmosphere. These creepy guitar leads set the tone amongst the mid-paced riffing, but once the song proper kicks in the pace is upped. A big drum barrage leads into the verse, which is extremely fast, whilst the bridge between the verse and the chorus somewhat returns to the classic metal influences of the song's intro. The chorus ups the intensity even further, essentially going full black metal with some extremely raspy vocals and an expansive, rolling drum backing. An old-school riff is never too far away, though, and the fast pace of the main song is often broken by a chunky early 1980s riff - helping to give the song real character.

The title track follows, which feels much more mid-paced throughout. There is less of McBain's black metal influence here, with the track feeling quite a bit more anthemic overall - especially early on. The opening riffs are pretty strident, before some folky guitar leads join the fray. These folky leads are pretty present throughout the whole song - and they help the mid-paced track to stand out from the crowd. There are nods to bands like Ensiferum here, but the folk edge is not overpowering. The guitars add melody, but the overall sound is still very much in-keeping with the rest of the album. Both the verses and the chorus here have a real strut, adding to the song's overall anthemic vibe, and the main guitar solo borrows a lot from the melodic phrasing of Thin Lizzy. To add to the song's folk edge, towards the end some bagpipes (McBain is Scottish after all) are added into the mix - courtesy of Antonio Rodriguez. They are not overpowering, but instead used sparingly - adding to the overall vibe of the track nicely as it comes to a close. Goat Vomit Nightmare ups the pace again, and essentially returns to the fast and furious sound which Hellripper have generally employed up to this point. There is a strong Venom feel here, and the pace never lets up. At just over three minutes in length, it is the shortest song here - so it is fitting that it also the most uncompromising. The riffing is less distinct, but the driving drum patterns really keep the song moving - whilst the shout-along chorus would almost certainly go down well live. Despite the riffing perhaps being less interesting here, there is still time for a couple of guitar solos. They are less chaotic than might be expected, and the overall approach to melodic lead playing remains - with some strong NWOBHM vibes present as McBain shreds his way through the solos. There is a brief moment of respite, with the tiniest glimpse of an acoustic guitar melody, but this is extremely short-lived - with the intensity soon ramping back up. This intensity is retained throughout The Cursed Carrion Crown, which very much showcases McBain's love of Slayer. Whilst the vocals are much more black metal inspired, this song is very much inspired by thrash. The opening handful of riffs are very Slayer-esque, particularly Slayer's debut album, and there is even an opening scream which recalls Tom Araya in his youth. Despite the overall heaviness of the piece, the track feels more expansive than the previous song. The riffs are more pronounced this time, and it generally feels like less of an all-out assault. The thrash riffing keeps the pace high, but there is more of  a dynamic arrangement present. Not everything steams ahead at a break-neck speed - and the lengthy guitar solo section, featuring some back and forth playing between McBain and Quinlain, is packed full of melody and impressive shredding.

I mentioned Hellripper's Motörhead influence early in this piece, and The Hissing Marshes is where it is best heard. The opening bass riff could have come from one of Motörhead's classic albums, and the wider intro in general could have come from Lemmy. The section where the bass guitar sits alone against a simple double bass drum pattern is pure Motörhead, and it fun to see this sound mixed in with black metal elements. It is only really the intro that feels like pure Motörhead worship, but as these riffs also resurface during the song's chorus the overall piece certainly feels more anthemic overall. The classic metal influences shine again here - even though the verses are more extreme with traditional black metal elements. The song is a clash of styles but it works well, and being Motörhead influenced it is fitting that it is quite short - with no respite and an uncompromising sound. Poison Womb (The Curse of the Witch) is another shorter, faster piece - acting as one final blast of relentlessness before the album's lengthier closing song. The drum grooves and relatively simple guitar riffing here have a strong speed metal feel - whilst the reliance on dual guitar leads to bridge each musical gap only reinforces that sound. Some of the guitar leads would not sound too out of place on an old Running Wild album - but the overall feel of the song is much heavier. McBain's black metal influences are still very much employed, with the overall atmosphere of the verses filled with a pummelling darkness, but the amount of guitar leads gives the song a hooky edge - which fits in nicely with the album's general feel. As alluded to, the album comes to a close in a more expansive way - with eight minute-plus Mester Stoor Worm rounding things out in style. It is the sort of song that feels like a mix of everything else on the album put together. At times it feels like the most extreme thing here, especially during sections which feature genuine blast beats, screeching vocals, and tremolo-picked guitars - whilst other heavy sections feel more death metal influenced, with McBain using more of a growling vocal approach. Short instrumental interludes break up the pace, whilst the occasional more mid-paced riff recalls some of Bathory's work. Given the lengthy of the song, though, it is perhaps surprising that lead guitar playing is not as key here as it is. This is much more of a riff-driven piece, with lots of room for the contrasting vocal styles to breathe, but when the lead guitars do take over they make their presence felt. It would have been nice if there had been a stronger lead guitar presence here, but an Iron Maiden-inspired section towards the end does tick quite a few boxes - as does a more aching section as the song fades out. Overall, this album has been one of the surprises of the year so far for me. I have been enjoying it a lot over the past month since it came out, and each listen reveals more - particularly from a guitar perspective. There is so much to like here when it comes to excellent lead guitar playing, but the songwriting and arrangements are great, too. It is extreme metal that people like me can get into, and I am going to enjoy going backwards through Hellripper's catalogue now.

The album was released on 17th February 2023 via Peaceville Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for The Nuckelavee.

Blaze Bayley - London Review

Since live music restarted in earnest in 2021 following the relaxing of the COVID-19 lockdowns I have not seen anyone live more times than Blaze Bayley. Prior to the pandemic, I had seen the Wolfsbane and former Iron Maiden frontman three times as a solo act and twice with Wolfsbane - but over the past couple of years I have seen him a further four times in relatively quick succession. One of these occasions saw him fronting Wolfsbane, but three of the shows were solo outings - with the most recent of which coming this past Saturday at The Underworld in Camden. Funnily enough, the last time I saw Bayley as a solo artist was in 2021 at the same venue - and the overall situation was also mirrored. Back in 2021, I went to Bayley's London show as Opeth had postponed their planned show in the city. I had not planned to travel to see him, as I went to see him five minutes from my house in Plymouth as part of the same tour - but it made sense to also see him in London when Opeth moved their show. I was not planning to see him at all on this current 2023, either, as no local shows were announced - but when Lamb of God had to postpone their planned show at the O2 Academy in Brixton due to the venue still being closed, the opportunity to see Bayley again presented itself. I was more than happy to snap up a ticket to do so - as Bayley's recent live solo outings have been excellent. I saw him a couple of times back in 2007/2008 - but then did not see him again as a solo act until 2019. The 2019 show and the two in 2021 were excellent - so I was happy to get to attend one of the 2023 shows after the initial disappointment of the tour coming nowhere near the South West. The Underworld is always a great place to see live metal, too. It is one of those venues that always seems to have a real buzz around it - and there is usually a great atmosphere, even if the turnout is not exactly great. Bayley certainly did not have trouble pulling a crowd, though. I remember the 2021 show at the same venue being pretty busy, and it was the same this past weekend. He may not be a household name, but his fanbase is extremely loyal - and it is very rare for one of his solo shows, or a Wolfsbane gig, to feel flat. As a frontman, he gets the best out of a crowd - and his current band is tight and have been with him for a while. He is also very down to earth, and always does free 'Meet and Greets' at his shows. This meant that when the venue opened its doors at 6pm, he was sat at the merch table ready to sign autographs and take pictures. He has signed quite a lot of things for me over the years, so I did not queue to meet him this time, but he sat there for around 45 minutes (i.e. until the support band went on) signing everything put in front of him and taking lots of selfies. The support band, Absolva, who also double as Bayley's band, were also hanging around at the merch table, too. I had their last few albums, so I decided to pick up one of their older ones - which they duly signed. Despite coming to Absolva via Bayley (although I did see Fury UK, which was essentially baby Absolva a few times as a support act many years ago) I have become quite a fan of their recent work - so I also picked up one of their tour shirts given that it was under half the price that lots of bands are currently charging for one!

As mentioned, Absolva went on around 45 minutes after the venue opened. Given that them and Bayley essentially come as a pair these days - it makes sense that they are essentially his ever-present support act. If you are not an Absolva fan this might be frustrating - but I like them quite a bit, and I was looking forward to seeing them again following the release of the strong Fire in the Sky album last year. They had around an hour to play with, which meant that the band could really get stuck in - and they pulled quite a few different songs out of the vaults. This meant that the setlist was quite different from the 2021 shows, with four songs from Fire in the Sky being part of an 11-song set. They opened with a couple of old ones in Flames of Justice and Anthems to the Dead - but it was the third track, the anthemic Never a Good Day to Die, which was the first real highlight. It has been one of my favourite Absolva songs for a while thanks to its huge chorus, sung proudly by Chris Appleton (vocals/guitar), as well as the great Iron Maiden-esque guitar harmonies throughout. I was also interested to see that Luke Appleton (guitar/vocals) had more time in the spotlight this time around. Previously he largely stuck to rhythm guitar, with the occasional lead break, but the lead guitar and solo duties seemed more evenly split between the two brothers this time. I do not know if this was just down to the songs which the band selected to play - or whether a conscious decision has been made to increase Luke's overall role. The change worked well, though, as it allowed for some excellent guitar back-and-forth between the two. Many of the songs, particularly the newer ones and those from the band's debut album, included lengthy solo sections which featured both players - and this really upped the overall excitement in my opinion. This is not to take anything away from Chris, who is a fantastic guitarist, but Luke has a slightly different, yet complimentary, style - and the interplay between the two made for some ferocious moments. Elsewhere, though, it was riffy songwriting that carried the set. Shout-a-longs like Stand Your Ground and Defiance certainly saw plenty of singing from the large crowd, whilst the somewhat lengthier and more dynamic Historic Year showcased a slightly progressive flair. It was clear that Bayley's fans have embraced Absolva, and the reception which they received was stronger than average for a support band. This was particularly evident towards the end of show, which again focused on more anthemic pieces. The powerful Code Red went down nicely, but for me the overall highlight was the excellent From Beyond the Light - which included some of the most intense guitar playing of the night. Both Appleton brothers shredded hard during the lengthy instrumental section - and Absolva's set came to a powerful end as a result. The setlist was:

Flames of Justice

Anthems to the Dead

Never a Good Day to Die

Side by Side

Stand Your Ground

Historic Year

Defiance

Fire in the Sky

Code Red

Refuse to Die

From Beyond the Light

Half an hour or so following Absolva's set, the same four musicians walked back out onto the stage - but this time they were followed by Bayley, and the five soon launched into the groove-laden and hard rocking 18 Flights, from Bayley's 2021 release War Within Me. No big deal was made of this throughout the show, but all 10 songs from the album were actually featured in the set. A few songs from the Blaze band days and a couple of Iron Maiden favourites rounded out the set - but it was great that the night was such a forward-looking one. War Within Me is a great album, and it really showcases the great work that Bayley and the Absolva guys have been doing since getting together in around 2014. 18 Flights worked really well as an opener, with Bayley in fine voice throughout, and the band then moved straight onto the faster-paced 303. The crowd reacted well to this opening one-two punch, and the atmosphere was electric from the off. The songs from the latest album were scattered throughout the set, so to keep the fast-paced vibe going it was time for the oldie Ten Seconds to be dusted off. It was one of three songs from 2004's Blood & Belief to be played. The album has recently been reissued, so I imagine that Bayley wanted to bring some of its songs out of the vaults - with Ten Seconds keeping everyone rocking before the more mid-paced Warrior and the pseudo-ballad Pull Yourself Up slowed things down somewhat. Pull Yourself Up is a song that very much characterises Bayley's personality, with his 'never say die' attitude on full display. He has always worn his heart on his sleeve, and many of the songs in the set showcased this. He has had to overcome a lot in his career, too, and this song felt like the personification of that. He also showcased his love of science, with his trilogy of songs about famous scientists. My favourite song of the three has always been The Power of Nikola Tesla, largely as it features a classic Bayley chorus. Bayley is at his best as a singer when he is really booming out a anthemic melody - and the chorus of The Power of Nikola Tesla is one of his recent best. Two more songs from Blood & Belief then followed, with the brooding Soundtrack of My Life and the more dynamic title track. I do not think that I had seen Bayley do either of these songs live before, so they were certainly treats - before the epic closing ballad from his latest album Every Storm Ends proved to be one of the night's most powerful moments thanks to Bayley's epic vocal prowess. Witches Night upped the pace again, before it was time to dip once more into the Blaze back catalogue for a stunning rendition of the lengthy Stare at the Sun. It proved to be a bit of a highlight as it often is, before a couple of Iron Maiden tracks really upped the tempo. Man on the Edge and Futureal are both ever-presents, but they always go down really well. I have always liked that Bayley rarely dines out on his time in Iron Maiden, but I do not think it would be right if that part of his career was not represented in the set. The songs always go down well, and it was no different this time, before the set then came to an end with War Within Me - with the thrashy newer song bringing the whole set full circle. The setlist was:

18 Flights

303

Ten Seconds [Blaze material]

Warrior

Pull Yourself Up

The Unstoppable Stephen Hawking

The Dream of Alan Turing

The Power of Nikola Tesla

Soundtrack of My Life [Blaze material]

Blood and Belief [Blaze material]

Every Storm Ends

Witches Night

Stare at the Sun [Blaze material]

Man on the Edge [Iron Maiden material]

Futureal [Iron Maiden material]

War Within Me

Given that this show was a relatively late addition to the schedule given Lamb of God's postponement, it turned into another extremely memorable night with Bayley and Absolva. Bayley always gives everything to each and every show that he does - and Saturday night in London was no different. Both of the sets played were great, and the large crowd lapped both up with glee. The merch desks looked pretty busy throughout the night, too, which was great to see. Given how busy Bayley has been recently I would not be surprised to see him take it easy for a bit following this lengthy tour and the upcoming Wolfsbane tour - but it would also not surprise me to see him back out again next year, and I will be there if he does.

VV - Bristol Review

A long-standing wrong was righted this past Friday. Whilst the Finnish gothic rock band HIM were never one of my favourite bands of all time, they were nevertheless an important band during my teenage years. It was rare to turn on Kerrang! TV and not see one of their videos, and I listened to their classic albums quite a lot at the time. They are not a band that I have listened to as much in recent years, but HIM's influence on me is undeniable - and they were likely a gateway band for me when it came to the doomier end of metal and more 'traditional' gothic music. HIM made gothic and doom music accessible, and they are rightly regarded as a modern classic of the goth genre. The 'wrong' which I mentioned at the start of this piece was the fact that I never saw the band live before their 2017 split. I tried a couple of times to make a plan work, but they always fell apart for whatever reason - and then it was too late. I have been pretty lucky over the years and have seen most of the bands that I like live - or at least most of those that are still active. As such, HIM was a relatively rare omission - so I was gutted when they called it a day. The band's members all seemed to fade into the background after the split, too. I did wonder if they had genuinely retired, but then in 2020 the band's talismanic lead singer and driving force Ville Valo released three new songs under the name VV. In truth, these new songs were essentially HIM in all but name - and Valo's career was then 'properly' relaunched last year when he announced his debut solo album and its accompanying tour. The album, Neon Noir, dropped in January, and I liked it from the off. If it had been released under the HIM name I am not sure that many would have noticed the difference, and Valo seems intent on continuing the HIM sound under his own name. In truth, Valo essentially was HIM. Whilst not looking to take anything away from the band which brought his songs to life, Valo essentially wrote the whole HIM catalogue alone - and the band was always the vehicle for his distinctive voice and lyrics. VV should be seen as the continuation of HIM, then, so when I saw that his lengthy debut European tour contained a healthy number of UK shows I knew that this was the chance which I had been waiting for. As a show at the O2 Academy in Bristol fell on a Friday, I quickly snapped up tickets when they went on sale. The show ended up selling out, which is not a surprise given how popular HIM were, and I was happy to finally have the chance to see Valo live - particularly given how strong Neon Noir ended up being. Whilst not all of the O2 Academies are particularly great venues, I have always liked the one in Bristol - and I have visited it a number of times over the years. The sound is generally pretty good there for the most part, and it has a quite intimate feel despite it having a reasonable capacity. Given that there was only one support act, too, and the fact that they went on around an hour after the venue opened, I was actually able to catch the whole show this time. In recent years, the venue staff seem to let people in significantly slower than they used to - so much so that it is not uncommon to miss much of the first support band. This does annoy me, and I have complained about it before on this blog, but thankfully it was not a problem this time.

As mentioned, there was only support act - and that was the Icelandic trio Kælan Mikla. I am not really sure how to describe Kælan Mikla's music, but there was a lot of 1980s goth in their sound - as well as plenty of the darker side of synth-driven pop and some strong folk influences. Made up by three women (a singer, a bassist, and a multi-instrumentalist who also seemed to control the drum machines), Kælan Mikla certainly made an impression from the off. I think that it is fair to say that their music is not really my thing - but I enjoyed their set as, for me anyway, it was something pretty different from the norm. The music was generally synth-driven, with pulsing industrial drum machines underpinning everything - but the bass playing of Margrét Rósa was also important. She rarely played the bass in a traditional way, instead playing lead lines throughout, whilst frontwoman Laufey Soffía alternated between very gentle, angelic vocals and the occasional shriek. The more shrieking moments were surprisingly heavy in an industrial-esque way, particularly given how mechanised the drum machines often were, but much of the band's set was pretty atmospheric with lots of dense keyboards and gentle vocals. There were even some folky moments, too, with one of the early songs seeing multi-instrumentalist Sólveig Matthildur pulling out a flute for some excellent melodies. This song certainly stood out more than others as it was something different - and I would have actually liked to hear more from the band's folk side. The other thing to mention, too, is the fact that all of the band's lyrics were in Icelandic. I usually struggle with bands who do not sing in English, but given the overall vibe of Kælan Mikla the lack of English did not bother me. Icelandic is a language of which I have no comprehension and, in a way, that just pushed the atmosphere further - particularly during the somewhat heavier moments. The crowd in general seemed pretty receptive to Kælan Mikla's set, too. The cheers between each song were pretty healthy, and I think that most in attendance appreciated that they were seeing something a bit out of the ordinary. Whilst I would not say that I become a fan of Kælan Mikla, I certainly enjoyed their set - and it was great to see something different for me and be exposed to something new.

Half an hour or so following Kælan Mikla's set, the lights went down - and the newly-adapted version of HIM's iconic Heartagram logo, altered to fit Valo as a solo artist, lit up at the back of the stage. The four musicians that made up Valo's band; guitarists Mikki Virta and Sampo Sundström, bassist Juho Vehmanen, and drummer Risto Rikala; took to the stage - with the man himself walking out just in time to launch into Echolocate Your Love. I was not familiar with any of the musician's in Valo's band, but they all did admirably bringing both the music from his solo album and HIM to life. It was surprising that no keyboardist was in the band, which meant that all of the keyboards were pre-recorded, but some of the keyboard parts from the older songs were re-created on the guitar - which gave some of the HIM songs subtly different feel. The setlist was evenly split between old and new. Nine songs from Neon Noir and nine old HIM songs made up the 18 song set, and they were essentially alternated throughout. I assume this was help hold attention if there were some that were not familiar with Neon Noir - but the new songs were cheered by the crowd just as loudly as the classics. Neon Noir has been getting strong reviews, and it was great to hear so much of it live throughout the night - and it was also a real treat to hear plenty of HIM classics. The Funeral of Hearts was the first older track played, and the crowd went wild. It was around this time that I realised, too, how good the sound was. Valo's voice was crystal clear throughout, and he sounded great, too, whilst the band were the right mix of loud and quiet - depending on the need at the time. The heavier songs had real a punch, whilst the ballads felt suitably atmospheric. Generally the HIM songs played were from the poppier end of the band's catalogue - but this was likely due to Neon Noir generally being pretty poppy, too. I would have not complained if a couple more heavier tunes were played - but overall the setlist flowed nicely. Lots of singles featured early on, such as the new album's title track and the floaty Loveletting - whilst Right Here in My Arms proved to be a big sing-a-long. The heaviness was upped with a powerful version of Buried Alive by Love, but this was relatively short-lived as both In Trenodia and the sparse Heartful of Ghosts followed - with even the old favourite Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly being more pop than metal. The poppier vibes meant that there was lots of singing, though, and the crowd always obliged. Join Me in Death featured plenty of during the chorus, whilst the up-tempo The Foreverlost saw plenty of bopping from those around me. The Kiss of Dawm then showcased Valo's doom influences, and it was a real personal highlight thanks to the riffing throughout - before the main set came to a close with two floatier songs. The sprawling ballad When Love and Death Embrace closed things out, showcasing Valo as a singer perfectly - before he walked off the stage to let the band play out. After a few minutes, the lights went down again and the band came back out for four more. Two of the original VV singles were featured here, with the doomy Saturnine Saturnalia closing the show out, but perhaps the overall highlight of the encore was a heavy version of HIM's Soul on Fire. Valo, who had not really spoken to the crowd at all throughout the show, took a chance to talk briefly and introduce the band before Saturnine Saturnalia - which was another highlight, with the band once again playing out after Valo had left the stage. The setlist was:

Zener Solitaire

Echolocate Your Love

The Funeral of Hearts [HIM material]

Neon Noir

Right Here in My Arms [HIM material]

Loveletting

Buried Live by Love [HIM material]

In Trenodia

Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly [HIM material]

Heartful of Ghosts

Join Me in Death [HIM material]

The Foreverlost

The Kiss of Dawn [HIM material]

Run Away from the Sun

When Love and Death Embrace [HIM material]

-

Soul on Fire [HIM material]

Salute the Sanguine

Poison Girl [HIM material]

Saturnine Saturnalia

Whilst Valo's music might no longer be as big a part of my life as it once was, I was so glad to finally get the chance to see him live. I will still regret never seeing HIM, but this past Friday's show in Bristol was as close to seeing HIM as I am likely to get. I imagine that Valo may wish to move away from playing as many HIM songs as his solo career moves forward - with this tour somewhat bridging the gap. The balance of material played was great, and the HIM songs played satisfied that part of me. I loved hearing almost all of Neon Noir live, too, and I really hope that the response to the album and the tour persuades Valo to keep going - as I would love to see him again.

Delain's 'Dark Waters' - Album Review

I think it is fair to say that the schism which occurred within the Dutch symphonic metal band Delain in 2021 came as a real shock. Despite the symphonic metal boom having already past, Delain are one of the real survivors of the original wave of bands playing such music - and are also one of the genre's success stories. Never as bombastic as some or as progressive as others, Delain have often showed that tight songwriting and a strong enough hook is enough to make it in the symphonic metal world - a I think that Delain's relative brevity is often their greatest strength. They are an easy band to latch onto as a result, with their concise albums and melodic songs helping to propel them to near the top of the symphonic metal tree. Despite this, though, the band seemed to grow with each album - meaning that 2020's Apocalypse & Chill (which I reviewed here) was easily their most impressive and expansive to date. Whilst it may not be my favourite of theirs overall, it certainly pushed the band's sound further - delivering a lot of variety as well as a number of songs which played to the band's strengths. Sadly, given that it was released in early 2020, it never really got its chance to shine. I saw one of the handful of shows which the band played in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic essentially forced the band off the road, and it was a real triumph. This is why I was shocked to read, almost exactly a year later, that Delain had essentially fallen apart - leaving founding keyboardist and principal songwriter Martijn Westerholt alone holding the reins. Without wishing to dwell on the split, which seemed to even include negotiations between Westerholt and the rest of the band as to them essentially carrying on without him, ultimately Westerholt seemed to want Delain to return to its roots as more of a project with guests than a full-time band. Despite this, though, it soon became clear that this was not to be the case - and that Delain would carry on as a full-time band with a new line-up. Throughout 2021 and 2022, the new line-up was slowly put together. Former guitarist Ronald Landa and former drummer Sander Zoer both returned in 2021, having previously left Delain in 2009 and 2014 respectively, whilst new frontwoman Diana Leah and new bassist Ludovico Cioffi (Nightland; The Modern Age Slavery; Sun of the Suns) came on board last year - debuting with the strong single The Quest and the Curse. Since then a few more singles have been dropped, which all led up to the release of the band's seventh album Dark Waters last month. Given the significant line-up shift, I approached Dark Waters with some trepidation. Would Leah be able to step into the big shoes of Charlotte Wessels, and would Dark Waters help to further Delain's already strong legacy? The answer to both, thankfully, is yes. Whilst Dark Waters is perhaps a 'safer' album than Apocalypse & Chill, it certainly sounds like Delain. Leah has a similar voice to Wessels, and is equally as familiar with a pop hook. As such, it does not feel like the band has missed a step here - and long-time fans will find plenty to enjoy within.

Despite Cioffi being announced as Delain's bassist last year, his contributions to the album appear to be minimal. The bass throughout seems to be performed by another alumnus in Epica's Rob van der Loo - with Cioffi being brought into the fold after the bass had been laid down. I think he is responsible for the occasional harsh vocals heard here, though, but the focus vocally is understandably on Leah. As is typical of a Delain album, there are a few guest appearances throughout - but the first couple of songs focus on the strengths of the new line-up. Hideaway Paradise kicks things off, and the song opens slowly - with some simmering keyboards which Leah soon sings over sweetly, stepping into the spotlight right away. As such, the album opens slowly - but the understated intro works well. The shimmering nature of her voice shines, and when the rest of the band crash in fairly soon after all seems to be business as usual. Landa's guitar riffing is crunchy, but as is typical the guitar playing is pretty rhythmic and relatively simple throughout, whilst Westerholt's keyboards are a mix of atmospheric strings and more synth-based electronics. The verses are filled with such atmospherics, which allow Leah's voice to shine, whilst the choruses are a bit crunchier - with Landa's guitar more present to kick the song up a gear. The focus throughout, though, is on hooks - and the song is one of the album's most instantly-memorable tracks. The chorus is a real ear-worm, with the closing refrain that repeats the song's title being one of the things that will stick with new listeners. The Quest and the Curse follows, which introduced the new line so well last year. It is heavier overall than Hideaway Paradise - with Landa's guitar playing essentially driving everything. It is the only song here that he is credited with co-writing, so it is unsurprising that the guitars are more prominent - with the opening riff, which often resurfaces throughout the song, being packed full of weight. The whole song just has more punch overall than the opening cut, too. The verses have a bit of a groove to them thanks to the riffing and Zoer's drumming - whilst the chorus soars with a big string backing, whilst harsh vocals add further weight after Leah's initial big melodies. The song is more overtly symphonic than some of  Delain's poppier material, with plenty of bombastic strings and a big choral arrangement during a dramatic mid-section. It still very much feels like classic Delain, though, and it feels like a song that will become a setlist staple going forward. Another single in the form of Beneath comes next, and it is the first of three songs here to feature the vocal talents of Paolo Ribaldini (Seraphiel; Skiltron). Delain are no stranger to duets, and there are a handful here - but the focus throughout is still generally on Leah. Ribaldini only contributes to the song's chorus, but his rich voice helps to add depth - whilst Leah shimmers during the crunchy verses, which are backed by some hypnotic, rhythmic guitar riffs. Ribaldini is also credited with co-writing a couple of the songs that he appeared on which, along with the fact that Westerholt's wife Robin La Joy (Eye of Melian) wrote most of the album's lyrics, makes me wonder if much of this album was put together before the current Delain line-up was finalised. This should take nothing away from the performances here, though, and Beneath is another strong song. The chorus, with Leah and Ribaldini's voices intertwining, works nicely - and there is even a brief solo from Landa which adds some additional guitar firepower to what is generally a dramatic song.

Mirror of Night features another guest, but this time in the form of guitarist Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation; For All We Know). Delain have never been the most guitar-focused band as previously alluded to, so I am not really sure what Jolie brings to this song that Landa could not - particularly as there is no feature solo moment for Jolie. That being said, though, the song is another enjoyable one. The riffing throughout is crunchy enough, with Zoer creating some rhythmic grooves thanks to his double bass patterns, whilst the epic-sounding chorus, which slows the overall pace, is a real showcase moment for Leah. During Mirror of Night's chorus she really lets rip and sounds very powerful - which is later contrasted against a piano-only rendition of the chorus towards the end. This showcases Leah's range nicely, and four songs into Dark Waters is clear that Westerholt has made a good choice where her appointment is concerned. Tainted Hearts is the first of only two songs which Leah wrote the lyrics for - which makes me wonder if it was one of the last songs written for the album. It is interesting, too, that the two songs which feature Leah's lyrical input are some of the album's poppiest moments. It is my understanding that Leah's background is in trance music - so it is perhaps not surprising that her songwriting contributions are more pop-orientated. This is no bad thing, though, and Delain have always had a healthy dose of pop in their sound. The song is still pretty weighty, though, thanks to some big guitar riffs - but the chorus certainly feels a lot more anthemic overall. She sings the chorus is a much more full-bodied way, which pushes the melodies to the fore, and this ensures that it sticks in the brain. As if to counter this, there is a pretty heavy instrumental mid-section which ups the weight of the guitars and delves into a more overt symphonic territory with some dancing strings - before returning to pop with a reprise of the chorus. Building on the symphonic mid-section of the previous song, The Cold really pushes the more dramatic side of the band's sound further. The opening guitar riffing is pretty potent, with Westerholt's strings and keyboards providing dramatic counter melodies. In a way, the song feels like something that could have appeared on one of Delain's first couple of albums - when the band took a more typically-symphonic path. It is a bombastic piece as a result, with Leah pushing herself vocally - whilst Landa comes out of his shell a little with a few busy guitar-led moments including a few leads and plenty of knotty riffs. The song feels like a big statement piece as a result and it is one of the album's heaviest tracks. Moth to a Flame returns to the pop sound of Tainted Hearts, so it should not be a surprise to learn that Leah also wrote the lyrics to it. Despite some pretty sharp riffing throughout, the song is very hook-driven. Westerholt's pomp-tastic keyboards are a mix of modern synth sounds and 1980s AOR bombast, which recall lots of chart-toppers of old, whilst Leah feels truly unleashed here. Her love of a big pop hook can be felt throughout the track - and the chorus really leaps out of the speakers as a result. Delain have been poppy in the past, but this is maybe their biggest pop song yet. It even features a final key-changing chorus to tick another big 1980s AOR box - and it is one of the simplest, yet most fun, tracks here.

The album's final three songs push things a little further, though, with some of the experimentation of the last couple of albums creeping back in. Queen of Shadow has become a real favourite of mine over recent listens - and it is a great mix of anthemic heaviness and some more atmospheric, gentler moments. Ribaldini returns here, and he is featured much more prominently this time. He is generally restricted to the chorus again, but his voice very much takes the lead during it - and his vocal melodies take a slightly different path than what might otherwise be expected, which makes the chorus hit really hard in my opinion. The song is not exactly a progressive epic, but there is something a bit different about it throughout. The approach to melody really stands out in my opinion - and again the vocal interplay between Leah and Ribaldini works nicely. The mix of big guitars and lots of keyboards allows for a full sound, too, and the track just powers throughout the speakers as a result - with the occasional gentle moment standing out and allowing Leah a moment of subtly, before another big chorus kicks in. Invictus builds on this approach, but stretches it out further. Ribaldini adds some harmonies and backing vocals throughout, which gives the verses a unique feel - whilst other sections see Leah deploying some wordless vocal hooks against a dramatic, symphonic backing. Elsewhere, too, some effects-heavy vocals from her are set against modern synth backgrounds - which are definite call-backs to the feel of Apocalypse & Chill. I like the mix of sounds throughout, and how all of these disparate sections flow well together - but the real treat comes later on with the introduction of Marko Hietala (Tarot; Sinergy; Nightwish; Northern Kings), who adds his distinct voice to the song's bridge and later sections. Hietala is, of course, no stranger to a Delain album - and it is great hearing his voice again here. He almost feels like part of the furniture at this point, and his controlled howl blends well with Leah's voice towards the end of the song - with a dramatic Latin-section which sits atop some furious Zoer drumming being a real highlight as the song comes to a close. The album then comes to a close with Underland which, like the previous couple of songs, is also quite expansive. There are no guests to help this time, though, which allows the current Delain line-up to really close things out with a bang. Guitar-wise, the song is busier than usual. There are few moments of respite here, with plenty of riffing throughout, whilst there are other instrumental sections which essentially push Landa to the fore - whilst other sections employ a choir that would not sound of place on an Epica album to push things further. Sound-wise, the song is typical of the rest of the album - but everything just sounds that bit bigger. It is an explosive piece that places huge emphasis on the band's symphonic side, but it is still extremely melodic - with another big chorus which also helps the album close as it repeats as the song fades out. As the album closes, too, any of that initial trepidation seeps away. As sad as it was to see Delain splinter, this new line-up of old and new faces clearly has a lot to give - and the songwriting throughout is typical of Delain's sound, with perhaps more of a focus than ever on pop hooks. I hope that this is the start of a new, successful era for the band - and with the new line-up now fully entrenched and road-ready, I imagine the results will only improve from here.

The album was released on 10th February 2023 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Quest and the Curse.