Moon Halo's 'Trichotomy' - Album Review

Whilst it may no longer be quite the case, at one point it really seemed that much of the UK's best modern progressive rock could be traced back, at least in part, to the city of York. A sadly departed friend once joked that there must be something in the water up there - and it often seemed as if the next best progressive rock release was coming from someone with a connection to the city. I do not quite get the same feeling these days, but given my enduring love for Mostly Autumn I will always consider the city a musical wellspring - and, in truth, many of the other bands and projects which used to release those anticipated albums were often somewhat linked to Mostly Autumn. Sadly a lot of those bands and projects no longer seem to exist, and solo work from those involved has slowed, too, but one act which is still active is Moon Halo - an atmospheric and song-based progressive rock band formed around the core trio of vocalist Marc Atkinson, keyboard player Iain Jennings, and bassist David Clements. Both Atkinson and Jennings are long-time members of the York scene, the former as a member of Gabriel and Riversea and the latter as a member of Mostly Autumn and Breathing Space - with both also operating as solo artists. They have both been involved in a large number of albums over the years - many of which form a part of my vast music collection. I am generally more familiar with Jennings' work, given how much I love Mostly Autumn, but I have also followed Atkinson for a while - with his work with Riversea particularly standing out. The two more recently joined forces with Clements, who had worked with Atkinson a lot over the years, and formed Moon Halo - which debuted back in 2020 with the excellent Chroma (which I reviewed here). I listened to the smooth and somewhat symphonic album quite a lot during the following pandemic - and the pandemic also led to the creation of the follow-up Together Again (which I reviewed here) which came out in 2022. I enjoyed both of the albums quite a bit, and I am always going to support the York scene - so when another Moon Halo album was announced I knew that I would have to check out it. Dropping last month, then, Trichotomy is the band's third album - and it pretty similar sound-wise to the last two. Jennings' keyboard playing tends to dominate the soundscape, and the band seems to be his main outlet from a songwriting perspective these days, but Atkinson's heartfelt and emotional vocal delivery is just as key to the experience as ever. Fleshing out the trio as before, too, are guitarist Martin Ledger (Stolen Earth) and drummer Alex Cromarty (Mostly Autumn; Halo Blind) - very much keeping Trichotomy in line with the other two albums personnel-wise. Ledger's big guitar moments feel less prevalent this time, though, with this album perhaps being more atmospheric than ever - with more emphasis on soundscapes and vocal melodies and more explosive musicianship. This is not necessarily a bad thing but, as a result, Trichotomy feels more of a grower than what has come before.

Opening with Siren Song, Jennings' piano melodies slowly fill the speakers - and the lack of any synth backing actually takes me back to those early Mostly Autumn albums briefly. Once the melodies speed up, though, this feeling fades - and a piano hook becomes apparent as Ledger's guitar joins in. The song gets underway proper once Cromarty's drums kick in, though, and Ledger transitions to a tougher guitar tone - adding a slightly crunchy backing to Jennings' aforementioned piano melody. This melody forms the main musical hook of the song - with it sitting behind Atkinson's vocals during the verses whilst the guitars and bass add a subtle backing. Atkinson may not have the biggest vocal range, but his warmth as a singer always means that his performances are full of emotion - and there is a smoothness to his delivery which suits Jennings' songwriting, with subtle vocal harmonies during the chorus only enhancing this vibe further. Perhaps showcasing who drives this project, Jennings later takes a lengthy synth solo - which is interspersed with organ stabs, showcasing differing keyboard tones and styles early on. The subtle crunch from the guitars and Cromarty's relatively up-tempo drumming helps to give the song a bit of a kick, too, and Ledger also closes things out with a brief guitar solo. Empires Burning opens with some programmed noises and beats, over which Jennings soon adds a distant synth melody. Like the piano hook from the last track, this synth melody becomes quite a focus throughout - and it dominates the verses behind Atkinson's vocals, whilst Ledger adds some crunchy guitar rhythms to give them a slightly heavier edge. This crunch is less present during the chorus, despite some big guitar chords coming and going, which is more swirling and atmospheric overall - with a big synth soundscape and mournful piano melodies taking over. Moon Halo are never a heavy band, but their use of crunching guitar rhythms occasionally does help to add a bit of a punch when necessary - and this song certainly feels tougher overall compared to many of the others here thanks to Ledger's efforts. Later on, too, Jennings' uses some grittier keyboard textures - with organ and distorted synths adding to the heavier feel of the piece, whilst Ledger throws in a lengthy closing solo. Whilst most of the music here is written by Atkinson and Jennings, Punchline was written by Clements. He started contributing to the band as a writer on the last album, so it is good that he has also contributed here, and his effort is typical of the band's core sound - albeit with a bit more of a bass-driven feel. Atkinson's warm vocals seem to be more powerful than ever here, perhaps thanks to the arrangements and use of vocal harmonies, whilst the verses have more of a rumble thanks to Clements' bass playing. Arpeggiated guitar melodies and subtle synths fill in the gaps, but the crunch of the opening two numbers is gone - with bass grooves and occasional bluesy guitar leads taking over, whilst Jennings' adds a slow-burning synth solo later on which morphs into a snappy bluesy guitar solo.

The Things That I've Done really reins things in, and opens with a very laid back drum beat, acoustic guitars, and warm keyboards. Whilst many of Moon Halo's songs can feel like ballads thanks to Atkinson's vocal approach and the band's soundscapes - this song is the album's first true ballad, with Atkinson really pouring his heart out during the verses and Jennings' sombre keyboards creating a mournful atmosphere which is occasionally pierced by Ledger's guitar leads. Like many good ballads, though, the song does expand as it moves along - feeling bigger and bolder as it progresses. The drumming becomes punchier over time, with the acoustic guitar backing also growing, whilst Atkinson's voice becomes more powerful. Unison guitar and keyboard melodies also inject some melodic interest - whilst Ledger's aching guitar solo is more typical of his work on the previous Moon Halo releases when he cuts loose. Are You with Me feels more upbeat and poppy overall. Generally, Moon Halo's work is more laid back and atmospheric - but they have occasionally gone for a groovier and poppier approach, and Are You with Me is another strong example of such. Clements' bass playing is pushed to the fore here, his grooves having a slight disco edge, whilst Cromarty's drumming is similarly groovy - and Ledger's guitar melodies are busy and intricate. Atkinson takes a less emotional road on the vocal delivery front, too, instead singing in a slightly higher register to allow for the song's pop hooks to really shine. It is an easy song to latch onto thanks to these vocal melodies and strong grooves - with Ledger also adding some aching guitar leads as the song progresses. Don't Go Changing returns to something more typical of the band's core sound, with programmed loops opening things up - before Cromarty adds some subtle cymbal work and Jennings' synths join in. The early part of the song, then, is very laid back, with these synths and subtle percussion backing Atkinson's vocals, but once Cromarty starts to drum properly there is more of a punch to the track - with the bass adding plenty of depth despite the keyboards dominating. There is very little guitar weight here, with Ledger largely making himself felt during the chorus with some slow-burning leads, as it is the drum punch and the soundscapes which dominate. This contrast between atmosphere and a harder rock punch works well, though, although it does recede during the chorus to allow for piano chords and Ledger's guitar leads to shine. You, Me & Everybody is another track which goes for a poppier and groovier overall feel - but the song feels closer to the classic Moon Halo sound than Are You with Me. It is not as poppy as that previous cut, then, but there is still plenty of groove added by Clements' prominent bass playing - whilst the electronic piano melodies utilised throw the song back to the late 1970s somewhat. The slightly crunchier guitar rhythms heard earlier in the album return here, too, with parts of the track feeling a little heavier thanks to Ledger's playing - even though the bass playing and piano melodies dominate. There are grooves and hooks aplenty here, but the song is not as upbeat as Are You with Me so its melodies are more slow-burning and typical of the band's usual approach - and the closing guitar solo is another big Ledger moment.

Worlds Collided opens slowly, with Atkinson's mournful vocals against some droning synths, and it sounds as if the song is going to be a real slow-burning ballad - but it actually soon morphs into something of a mid-paced rocker with a bit more of a punch than is expected. Ledger's guitar melodies and occasional leads give the song its rockier edge, whilst the rhythm section has a real snap to its overall performance. Big piano chords and melodies add to Ledger's guitar playing, and the song overall feels quite intricate and melodic thanks to the interplay between the guitars and the keyboards. The song reminds me a little bit of Cats in Space in places - at least the more laid back and less bombastic end of that band's sound. There is a positive and relative up-tempo feel which is similar to that band's overall sound - with the ringing piano melodies feeling bright and Atkinson's vocals feeling strident. Ledger also adds a folky guitar solo to the song's closing moments, adding to the overall upbeat and somewhat different feel of the track. Nobody Is Perfect is perhaps the ballad that the previous song was teasing - and it is the most stripped back song on the album, at least at first. Based around Jennings' piano and Atkinson's voice, the song is simple in its arrangement - and it really brings the best out of the latter in particular. The way that Jennings plays here, which leaves lots of room between each batch of notes, really gives Atkinson's voice the spotlight - and the opening section of the song really shines thanks to this lack of production and additional instrumentation. Eventually, though, Ledger does join in, adding some guitar melodies, and this is then the cue for the rest of the band to join in - and the rest of the track is backed by a sombre groove and some layers of synths. The focus on the vocals and the piano does not really change, though, and they still dominate despite the fuller arrangement - whilst the occasional, Pink Floyd-esque guitar lead is welcome. The song is quite a lengthy one, but the guitar leads and the dominant piano playing create a strong atmosphere - and Atkinson continues to shine throughout. Truth ups the pace again, and the song is more of a rocker with some crunchy guitar rhythms and a poppy synth hook which surfaces throughout. Jennings' keyboard playing is generally less prominent here, despite the aforementioned hooks and a synth bed during the verses, with Ledger's guitars largely dominating. His crunchy riffing and rhythms give the song a bit of a punch, which the rhythm section help to expand on, whilst his solo part way through is lengthy and more typical of his contributions to the previous albums - despite it feeling a bit more hard rock and high octane than before. Not to be outshone, though, Jennings also adds a synth solo towards the end of the song. This builds on the synth hook mentioned before, as well as compensating somewhat for the reduced keyboard presence throughout the rest of the song.

The album's penultimate song, Back to You, returns to the core Moon Halo sound following the more up-tempo and rocking previous number - with Jennings' piano and synth work creating a bed for Atkinson's emotional voice, whilst the rhythm section add something of a groove. Despite parts of the song feeling very atmospheric, with the chorus perhaps being Moon Halo 101 in terms of approach, there is a little more bounce elsewhere - with the verses feeling more upbeat, albeit in a subtle manner. Programmed synths and a prominent bass presence help the verses to tick and feel a bit more bouncy - whilst the rumbling piano of the chorus, alongside some shimmering synths, are the perfect backing for Atkinson and his heartfelt lyrics. Jennings also adds a big synth solo in the middle of the track, with the cutting tone of the keyboard adding to the bounce heard elsewhere, whilst Ledger, whose playing is generally relegated to the background here, takes over as the song closes out for another guitar solo. The album then comes to a close with The Masterplan, a very typical Moon Halo track which covers a lot of the ground referenced throughout the album. There is a bit more weight here thanks to Ledger's guitar playing. His crunchy rhythms from earlier in the album return here, giving parts of the song a tougher feel, whilst Jennings also uses organ and some more oppressive keyboard tones to further this feeling in places. Grooves are also present, with snappy guitar lines locking in with Clements' bass playing during the verses - whilst Jennings' piano melodies operate slightly separately to provide additional interest. Atkinson sings well against this somewhat dense backing, with the use of subtle vocal harmonies adding to the song's overall big feeling - which is particularly prevalent during the chorus thanks to the shimmering synths and the layers of additional vocals to bulk out the sound. As the song progresses, too, it becomes a lot more dramatic - with a symphonic instrumental section crashing in with big drums and synth stabs, rocking up the piece unlike anything else on the album. This then morphs into a lengthy Jennings synth solo, which is somewhat Pink Floyd-esque too - although it is more harder rocking than that, which is exemplified when Ledger takes over, replacing the synths with his busy guitar soloing. This extended passage is the album's biggest and most bombastic instrumental workout - and it is fitting that it falls within the closing number to really give the album a kick as it comes to an end. Overall, then, Trichotomy is another strong album from Moon Halo. I did not find it immediate as some of the band's previous work, but over time many of the songs here have really grown on me and there is some subtle variety throughout which helps the album to shine. The core sound remains, but a few moments of experimentation and a harder rock approach help - even if the band's atmospheric approach very much dominates. There is a lot to like here for fans of the current progressive rock scene, and the melodies throughout are strong.

The album was released on 2nd May 2025 via Moonhalomusic. Below is the band's promotional video for album, featuring snippets of many of the album's songs.

Young Gun Silver Fox's 'Pleasure' - Album Review

A type of music which has become a real favourite of mine over recent years, particularly as a respite from all the heavier music I tend to consume, is all that falls under the rather nebulous umbrella of yacht rock. I had often, wrongly, thought that yacht rock was just another term for AOR and melodic rock due to Toto often getting tagged as such - but following watching an excellent two-part documentary on the yacht rock sound I learnt that I was wrong, and watching the programmes made me finally play those handful of Doobie Brothers LPs I had previously acquired cheaply. Funnily enough the Doobie Brothers LPs I had were some of the early ones, from before their yacht rock period, but they nevertheless led me to the band's late 1970s smoother era - alongside the works of acts like Daryl Hall & John Oates, Christopher Cross, and Boz Scaggs. It also made me realise that bands I already liked, such as Toto and Steely Dan, often flirted with such a sound - and the smooth sounds of the 1970s American West Coast has become just as much a part of my listening habits as harder rock and metal. It is very much a sound which characterises a time and a place, though, so it is not generally being made today. There are newer yacht rock acts, obviously, but they tend to operate on the fringes - often as uncool as many of the big yacht rockers were even when they were selling millions of records. Back in 2022, though, I was introduced, via Facebook, to the UK/US duo Young Gun Silver Fox - and after a couple of listens to their 2020 release Canyons I was sure that I had found the best modern yacht rock act around. Three years and two more albums on, I still feel the same. Admittedly I have not delved into the modern yacht rock scene, if such a thing even exists, but compared to anything else which I have heard in recent times that even attempts to be yachty Young Gun Silver Fox truly rises above. They are easily one of my most listened-to acts over the past couple of years - and after I saw them live for the first time at the beginning of 2023 I actually had to force myself to stop listening to them for a while so that I would not burn myself out on their albums. I listen to them more in moderation now, but I still love them - and I have seen them live three times in total, with the most recent time coming just last month in Bristol. The reason for that latest UK tour, their most extensive as a headliner, was the release of their fifth studio album Pleasure - which also dropped at the beginning of May. The duo's first since 2022's Ticket to Shangri-La (which I reviewed here), Pleasure sees multi-instrumentalists and songwriters Andy Platts and Shawn Lee in truly fine form. All of the duo's albums have been great, but the vibe throughout this latest record is joyous - and there is perhaps more of an upbeat pop vibe throughout the 10 songs here than on previous albums. There are still plenty of smooth grooves and the occasional slower number, but Pleasure is a great, feel-good record - with occasional 1970s disco vibes thrown in alongside a typical yachty approach. As usual, Platts and Lee are essentially responsible for everything here - although a horn section of Nichol Thomson, Tom Walsh, and Graeme Blevins flesh out some of the tracks as has often been the case in the past.

Whilst I have my favourites here, there are really no weak numbers on Pleasure. The album is a digestible length, too, which makes it perfect for any occasion - and the variety in the songwriting, despite the duo's core sound, keeps things interesting. The album's lead single, Stevie & Sly kicks things off - and the track feels poignant given the very recent passing of Sly Stone. It is not a plaintive track, though, with an upbeat groove showcasing that slight disco edge hinted at - whilst strong Motown and Steely Dan influences ensure that a core smoothness is retained. The prominence of the opening bassline, courtesy of Lee, sets a groove which never lets up throughout - whilst spiky drumming, metronomic guitar lines, and dreamy Fender Rhodes melodies create a warm bed for Platts' voice. Despite the great songwriting and production of the duo, it is Platts' vocal melodies which really make Young Gun Silver Fox. He generally sings in quite a sultry, Scaggs-esque register - but his falsetto is excellent, too, and the song's pre-chorus really benefits from this approach whilst synths swirl around. He also utilises some higher-pitched vocals during the infectious chorus, which may be one of the duo's best choruses yet, which sees an even more enhanced bassline create yet more grooves - whilst Platts' layers of harmony vocals ensure that the classy yacht rock 'produced' sound is very much present. The opening song is a future classic for the duo - and it is sure to become a staple in their live sets over the years. Upping the overall pace somewhat, though, Born to Dream is much more overtly pop in approach - and it may be the most unashamed slice of up-tempo pop rock in the duo's canon yet. Based around a tight Rhodes melody, the song moves along at a faster click than is average for yacht rock's groovy approach - but there remains a smoothness thanks to the pulse of the Rhodes and the bass, whilst Lee's guitar playing is subtle and melodic. The musical arrangements are perhaps less intricate here than the duo's often are, but all of the classic touchstones are still there - with Platts' once again knocking it out of the park vocally. Lots more falsetto vocals are utilised here, with the chorus in particular containing shades of Queen's more whimsical moments, but some deeper backing vocals from Lee add a playful edge. Lee also throws in a short guitar solo, too, which is effects-heavy and slow-burning - but it is melodic and suits the song's overall melodic approach nicely. This is a track which is all about hooks and its overall vibe - and it achieves this without sacrificing too much of the duo's usual layered approach. If Born to Dream looked to strip things down somewhat, then Late Night Last Train returns to the duo's true sound - with the smooth semi-ballad showcasing every yacht rock trick in the book. This is a song which could have easily been sung by Michael McDonald, so it is fitting that it is based around a Rhodes and synth bed - with arpeggiated guitar melodies, big acoustic guitar chords, and another pulsing bassline. I call the song a semi-ballad as many yacht rock songs could be seen as ballads due to their pace, but in reality the song is just a classic of the genre - and recalls the duo's own Mojo Rising somewhat for pace and vibe. Lee cuts loose a little here, too, with a lengthier guitar solo, adding Eagles-esque aching melodies to the piece, whilst the slow-burning chorus is another which Platts owns thanks to a more laid back delivery and plenty of soul.

Burning Daylight is somewhat more upbeat - introducing a strong dose of funk thanks to the prominence of Lee's bass playing and the introduction of the horn section for the first time here in a big way. Despite feeling more upbeat than the previous song, the track is still a mid-paced piece overall - with the bass playing giving the song a kinetic feeling, whilst bigger guitar chords and Rhodes flourishes add some drama. The track is less laid back than some of the duo's efforts, and there are some bigger musical flourishes throughout in general - with the horn section adding colour and the Rhodes taking the lead at times to accent certain parts of the track. Blevins throws in a pretty lengthy saxophone solo, too, and the this jazzy excursion only enhances the song's funky overtones in a positive way - with the call-and-response chorus vocals also having a similar impact. Holding Back the Fire reminds me of West Side Jet from the previous album - in the fact that the smooth groove feels especially Scaggs-esque, with sparse bass playing creating a slightly off-beat feel whilst acoustic guitar chords tend to dominate. This especially applies to the verses, which feel somewhat restrained and plaintive - with the Rhodes melodies feeling more mournful behind Platts' slightly quieter vocal delivery. The chorus is a bit more upbeat, though, with strong gospel influences in the approach to vocal harmonies and the presence of the horn section which kicks in as the pace becomes a bit more intense during the chorus. Occasional Toto-esque synth stabs add to this upbeat feel during the chorus, with Platts later laying down a Rhodes solo in a change of pace to the usual guitar-based approach. Just for Pleasure somewhat builds on the approach of the previous song's chorus, as well as doubling down on some of the disco vibes heard elsewhere throughout the album. The bassline, particularly in tone, reminds me of Michael Jackson's Thriller album - and this track has a similar overall vibe to the more laid back songs on that all-time classic. Some of Platts' vocal harmonies are Jackson-esque during the chorus - and there are synthy moments which also recall the 1980s, too, building on those synth stabs during the previous song. The classic Young Gun Silver Fox sound is retained, though, with a smooth chorus still managing to exist in amongst the funkier vibes throughout. Everything manages to hang together despite this variance of influences, and it is fun to see the duo operating on a poppier plane during parts of this album. Put Up Your Dukes returns to something much more typical of the duo's core sound, though, with another excellent bassline generally driving everything - whilst Rhodes melodies and subtle guitar lines once again return to the fore. This is the sort of song which the duo have written since the beginning, but the formula has not run dry yet. The duo's core approach still sounds fresh five albums in - and it helps that Platts' ear for a massive vocal melody endures, with the song's chorus being another hooky one despite a smooth approach and slightly pared back harmonies.

The Greatest Loser is another which treads a slightly more typical pop-based path - albeit with the duo's core sound retained, particularly during another smooth chorus. Instead of the prominent Rhodes sounds used throughout the album, which do still surface throughout this track, The Greatest Loser feels more typically piano driven, especially early on, with the opening verse actually reminding me of early Elton John thanks to Platts' slightly different vocal approach and a more stripped back arrangement. There is certainly less groove here, with the song having more of a typical pop rock drive. The bass is less important here than is typical, with the piano chords the song's most prominent facet - even if the harmony vocals during the chorus and Platts' melodies are very typical of the duo's core sound. Platts' guitar solo is a bit more rock-orientated than is typical, too, and it really screams out of the speakers at one point - adding some strong additional melodies to a track which feels more strident despite it having ballad-esque qualities. Stealing Time returns to something much more yachty, though, with a prominent horn hook heralding the start of another smooth, grooving number which may be the album's biggest grower. This is not a piece which really grabbed me much at all early on, but repeated listens to the album have brought it to the fore - with the chorus' slightly off-kilter vocal melodies helping it stand out. It helps that the horn section really adds a powerful depth to this track - and there is an instrumental section part way through which really turns the clock back to classic Chicago. This horn-led moment showcases the duo's penchant for tight arrangements - and there is quite a lot going on beneath the core melodies from the trio of horn players. A big bassline drives everything as always - and the mix of this horn-led approach and another excellent chorus have really elevated the song for me. The album then comes to a close with the breezier One Horse Race. It returns to the poppier feel of Born to Dream somewhat - but with more of the duo's core yacht rock sound retained, which gives the song a snappy feel despite a smooth groove being present throughout. The bass playing is not as busy here as it often is, but the gaps between the notes add as much to the groove as the notes themselves - and the ever-present acoustic guitar helps to add a level of class and depth. A bit like Journey's Don't Stop Believin', the song's chorus is only really fully revealed towards the end - and the brightness overall increases during this eventual chorus, with huge vocal harmonies and a driving Rhodes chord sequence providing once last sing-a-long with Platts. Subtle horns and synths add depth, too, and the track closes out the album nicely with its breezy vibes. We are now five albums in and I am not sure that Young Gun Silver Fox know how to disappoint. The duo have crafted an excellent set of new songs here and the arrangements and layers throughout only help to enhance the base melodies and chord sequences within. These are songs that keep giving despite their pop hooks and easy-going melodies - which is what tends to make yacht rock special to begin with. This is pop music written by expert musicians who are masters of their craft - and the album is already one of the band's best for me.

The album was released on 5th May 2025 via Candelion. Below is the duo's promotional video for Stevie & Sly.

Machine Head's 'Unatoned' - Album Review

Each time the American groove/thrash metal band Machine Head release a new album, I generally realise that it is has been quite a long time since I last listened to them. They are one of those bands who I like, and would consider myself a fan of, but that I reach for rarely. I generally have an aversion to a particularly chest-beating brand of American modern metal, and Machine Head have certainly ventured into that territory at times, but I think my main issue with the band is just how patchy their back catalogue is. There are some great albums in there; with 1994's Burn My Eyes, 2003's Through the Ashes of Empires, and 2007's The Blackening being some examples of such; but they have also released albums which do little for me - and there have also been a few identity crises along the way, particularly during the early 2000s. That being said, though, in recent times I have generally found the band's output to be on the stronger side. The first album of theirs I properly investigated when it dropped was 2014's Bloodstone & Diamonds (which I reviewed here), which I listened to quite a lot at the time. It is certainly overlong, a common problem when it comes to Machine Head's albums, but there are plenty of strong songs within - and I saw the band live for the first time on its supporting tour and they delivered a memorable show. The initial reviews for 2018's Catharsis meant that I did not end up picking it up until years later - but I did not find much to hate on it despite a handful of rather juvenile-sounding songs and the overlong curse striking again. Perhaps the album from the band that I like the most, though, is 2022's Of Kingdom of Crown (which I reviewed here) a powerful concept album which did not really outstay its welcome - and it was one I listened to a lot in 2022. I saw the band again around that time, and was disappointed that only one song from the album was included in the set. The amount of strong, and varied, songs which graced Of Kingdom and Crown made it a real highlight for me - and it demonstrated that Machine Head is capable of so much more than they often seem to be. As such, I was really looking forward to what was to come - so I picked up the band's eleventh album Unatoned when it dropped back in April. The album cover and font continues on the look of Of Kingdom and Crown, but this latest album is quite different. For one, it cannot be described as overlong. It is easily the band's shortest album at just over 41 minutes long - and it is clear that bandleader Robb Flynn has really tried to create a number of hard-hitting anthems here, whilst also continuing on some of the experimental moments from the last album. My initial view was not all that positive, despite the album's punchy nature, but the songs here have grown on me quite a bit - and it is actually nice to have something bite-sized from the band. It sees the band's current line-up debut in the studio, too, with guitarist Reece Scruggs (Go Smack Alice; Monolith; Havok) making his mark since permanently replacing Wacław 'Vogg' Kiełtyka last year. Scruggs joins Flynn, long-time bassist Jared MacEachern, and drummer since 2019 Matt Alston - with Alston also performing on his first Machine Head album as pandemic-related travel restrictions prevented his involvement with Of Kingdom and Crown.

As always, Flynn leads the way here from a songwriting perspective, but both Scruggs and MacEachern also made significant contributions on that front - and the concise nature of the songs, alongside the duelling guitar leads of Flynn and Scruggs, make Unatoned feel like a real band effort. The opening instrumental piece Landscape of Thorns is so brief that it really lacks any character. It essentially just sets a cold tone with some synth work and effects - before the first big riff of Atomic Revelations kicks in and the album gets underway. Despite a slightly percussive opening following the first big guitar chord, Atomic Revelations is a fast-paced, thrashy track - very reminiscent of Machine Head's classic sound. There is a lot of that throughout this album, but there are also mid-paced, groovier moments - as well as the odd slow-burner. Atomic Revelations generally goes for the throat, though, with Flynn's gruff vocals driving the fast-paced verses - whilst the punchy drumming of Alston cuts through the mix. The drum production here is very typical of that groove metal sound of the 1990s, but it works well here - and Alston shines on his first album with the band. The song does vary the pace as it moves along, though, with a chorus that feels a lot more mid-paced and atmospheric, breaking up the heaviness of the verses - with Flynn adopting a cleaner vocal style as subtle synths fill in the gaps between the less intense riffing. A blistering solo section follows later, too, which is kicked off by Flynn and finished by Scruggs - the latter showcasing his talents early on. It is a powerful opening statement despite the strange little intro which preceded it - and Machine Head feel as venomous as ever. Those preferring something a bit groovier will find a lot to like in Unbound, though, a song which straddles the thrash and groove line a bit more closely. The opening guitar riffing is intense and fast-paced, but there are more mid-paced moments here - particularly during large chunks of the verses which are built around southern-friend guitar slides and monolithic power chords. The verses are multi-part, though, and do speed up as the chorus is approached - moving to a thrashier sound with a more pronounced chug. The chorus, again, is cleaner, though, with Flynn actually soaring vocally - which is a contrast to the harsh vocal-adjacent sound he uses during the song's groovier moments. In fact, there is a lot of vocal variety from Flynn throughout the whole song - with a death metal-adjacent style, a thrashier approach, and his chorus cleans, nicely backed by MacEachern, all adding character. Outsider opens with a simplified rendition of its chorus, which Flynn singing clean against a cold and synthy backing - before the song launches proper, where it takes on a somewhat groovy, mid-paced approach with a slight industrial edge. Machine Head have often thrown in synths and more modern effects to give their songs an edge, but that side of their sound is more prominent here - particularly during the verses which have occasional techy additions, whilst Flynn's vocal patterns and delivery feels very early 2000s. The chorus is much smoother, though, although later renditions are fuller than how the song opened. Flynn and MacEachern's vocals swirl around to add a cleaner side to the song - and the poppier melodies are very memorable, contrasting to the barked approach of the rest of the song.

Not Long for This World is the first song here to slow things down quite significantly - and it feels like something of a ballad compared to what has been heard so far on the album. Machine Head have often included downbeat, grungy songs on their albums - but I feel that this side of their songwriting has improved a lot in recent years, with the last album really benefitting from this approach. I was initially a bit sceptical of this song, though, but over repeated listens I have felt that the melodies have shone through the murk - with Flynn delivering an emotional vocal throughout, whilst synths and guitar leads help to elevate the song further. There are still riffs here, and moments of the track do feel heavier - but even these parts still feel restrained compared to much of the rest of the album. They help to give the song a dynamic feel, and the chorus sees backing harsh vocals adding character behind the soaring clean hook, but generally this is a song which revels in its murk - with synth melodies adding to the colder guitars and a lengthy instrumental section sees interweaving guitar leads from Flynn and Scruggs replacing a traditional guitar solo. The band ups the pace significantly again on the thrashy These Scars Won't Define Us - a song which feels like a true anthem. It is likely to become a live favourite going forward thanks to its pit-ready riffs, strident, hooky verses, and a chorus which will see fists in the air and crowds shouting along. A version of this song was released in advance of the album with guests vocals from members of Lacuna Coil, In Flames, and Unearth, who Machine Head were touring with at the time, but this version features Flynn singing alone - and that is probably fitting given the overall sound of the album. It perhaps also features Scruggs' best guitar solo on the album. It is a really explosive and fast-paced lead guitar moment which remains hooky despite the speed at which he plays - and it adds to the song's overall melodic approach despite the intensity of the riffing throughout. The instrumental Dustmaker follows, and it provides a bit of a mid-album break thanks to some programmed drum beats, distant guitar drones, and cold synths creating something of an atmospheric feel. Spoken word lines later weave in and out of these synth pulses - and the song acts as a nice bridge between the anthemic These Scars Won't Define Us and the similarly memorable Bonescraper. There are a number of songs here which seem to have been written purely to be hooky and memorable - and this mid-paced anthem really feels like one example of such. It taps into the groovier side of the band's writing - with mid-paced and angular riffing dominating. There is little of the band's thrash side here, with chugging riffing setting a nice headbanging pace - whilst slight industrial additions help to flesh things out. It feels like the song was written around its chorus, though, which is a very hooky one with wordless vocal melodies, and anthemic feel thanks to Flynn's vocal performance, and a bigger synth presence despite plenty of guitar crunch.

Addicted to Pain then returns to a much more intense sound, and it is another song which treads the line between thrash and groove nicely. There are some really fast moments here, particularly during the song's opening and the instrumental hooks which resurface throughout - but the verses feel a bit groovier, with some more percussive drumming from Alston which speeds up as the chorus is approached. As is typical here, though, the chorus is pretty hooky. It is another with big clean vocals from Flynn and supporting harmonies from MacEachern - with the pair singing in a smoother manner against some guitars and synths to contrast with the intense riffing of the rest of the song. It is a song which is very typical of the album's core sound, then. Bleeding Me Dry opens slowly, with programmed drums and cold synths, but the song is not another ballad - and it soon kicks off proper with a really mechanical riff that has a Fear Factory-esque vibe. This is probably the song where the band's industrial side shines through the most, then, and it mixes heavier and quieter moments together to create a varied sound. Despite some slower moments, where Flynn sings clean against a sparse backing, the song as a whole never really feels like a ballad - as so much of it remains heavy. The verses are slow-burning, then, but the chorus is packed full of tougher grooves and a gruffer vocal performance - and there are some instrumental sections which are packed full of heavy riffs, alongside another dual-guitar moment which adds a lot of melody. Shards of Shattered Dreams returns to a thrashier sound overall, and it is the album's last heavy moment. Despite the thrash pace throughout much of the song, it does feel somewhat groovy and industrial, though, so it is a song which includes all of Machine Head's sides in one track - whilst holding together well. Flynn's barked vocals hark back to the early 2000s, with those rapped rhythms which Machine Head have often made use of returning - whilst bleeping guitar noises and Flynn's own chaotic guitar solo adding to the song's overall pace and heaviness. The chorus is a bit cleaner, then, but it still retains a fair amount of heaviness - meaning that the song is less overtly hooky than some of the other efforts here. The album then comes to a close with Scorn, the album's second and final ballad. There is little metal at all here, until the later moments, with Flynn's emotional vocals sitting against a background of synths, chiming guitar melodies, and genuine strings. He might not have the biggest range as a clean singer, but he can deliver an emotional performance when he needs to - and the chorus here does soar surprisingly well, with MacEachern adding some subtle harmonies to fill out the sound. Guitar leads add to the song as it moves along, and there are a few heavier riffs thrown in towards the end - with the final verse and chorus feeling tougher despite the overall tone being retained. It ends the album on a downbeat, but worthy, note and, overall, I have found a lot to like on this album despite being initially disappointed. It is not as epic and inventive as the last album, but as an exercise in concise and anthemic songwriting Flynn and the rest of the band have largely succeeded. There are some future live favourites here for sure - and the riffing, production, and hooks are as vital as ever.

The album was released on 25th April 2025 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Unbound.

Harem Scarem's 'Chasing Euphoria' - Album Review

Even accounting for my love of AOR and melodic rock, I already seem to have reviewed a lot of it here this year. It does generally get featured quite regularly given my love of the genre, but 2025 seems to have been particularly fruitful for all things chorus-centric so far - and there is certainly more to come given what else I have to look forward to. My last review here also featured some melodic rock - so this latest entry feels like something of a sequel to Saturday's post, but we are moving from Sweden to Canada to discuss the latest album from genre stalwarts Harem Scarem. The band, led throughout by frontman Harry Hess and guitarist Pete Lesperance, are one of those bands that have been around for a while, and have generally been quite prolific over the years, but that I am not all that familiar with. I started my journey with their self-titled debut album from 1991 many years ago, which is considered something of a classic in the melodic rock world, but I am not sure that I genuinely digested one of their albums until I covered 2020's Change the World (which I reviewed here). Given that Change the World was released just before the COVID-19 pandemic really took hold, the upbeat and melodic album became a bit of companion during those early months of lockdown - and I remember listening to the album a number of times on my daily walks in the lovely spring weather of that year. Perhaps associating the album, and by extension the band, with that time, then, I have not really gone back to them that often since. I said at the end of my review of Change the World that I intended to check out more of the band's albums - but, sadly, I have not really done so. I have played their debut a few more times, and I did pick up 1993's Mood Swings, another melodic rock semi-classic, but besides that I have barely listened to the band since 2020. I have occasionally looked to buy some of the band's albums, but many of their earlier ones seem to be long out of print - and with many of the newer ones on Frontiers Records some of these are also proving hard to track down. I am sure that I will find copies of them eventually - but when the band's latest album was announced earlier this year I decided it was time to get back on the Harem Scarem train. This latest album, Chasing Euphoria, was released at the end of April and I have been enjoying it over the past month or so. Harem Scarem's sound is generally considered to be a mixture of AOR and more traditional hard rock. They are not as smooth and as keyboard-heavy as most AOR bands, with Lesperance's guitar very much the dominant instrument, but they are not as riffy nor as gritty as most true hard rock bands - with Hess' love of a huge chorus and AOR-adjacent vocal delivery a key pillar of Harem Scarem's sound. This latest album is very much typical of what I am familiar with from the band - but it does perhaps lean a little more in the AOR direction than previously. This is a very smooth album, then, with the choruses feeling hookier than ever - with many of the songs being based around one. There is also a bit more of a keyboard presence this time, too, with Hess contributing such alongside guests Ray Coburn (Honeymoon Suite) and Brendan Waters.

Aside from these guest musicians, Hess and Lesperance are joined on drums by regular studio collaborator Creighton Doane - although original drummer Darren Smith, who still tends to play live with the band, contributed backing vocals throughout and actually sings one song, too. It is a concise album, too, at just under 40 minutes long - so there is very little fat within the 10 songs featured. One of the strongest cuts opens things up, with the album's title track really setting the tone for the smooth sound and big melodies to come. Percussive drumming and a slow-burning melodic guitar lead create a cinematic opening to the anthemic song - and I really like how things open slowly, building towards an explosive chorus which signals the rest of the band to truly crash in. The first verse is built around this percussive drum pattern from Doane, then, with the guitars moving back and forth between the aforementioned lead and the odd arpeggiated melody - over which Hess sings in his confident, melodic manner. His voice is perhaps a little rougher around the edges than it once was, but his clear, melodic qualities still shine through - and the rougher edges only serve to add a little character. The drums kick in properly for the chorus, which sees some soaring vocal melodies which immediately stick in the brain - whilst subtle gang vocals add a melodic counterpoint. Later verses are more straight ahead, and a melodic guitar solo allows Lesperance to showcase his abilities, but overall this track is about its chorus - and it is one that is sure to become a fan-favourite thanks to its hooks. Better the Devil You Know immediately feels smoother overall - and it showcases that harder lean towards a more overtly AOR sound previously described. There is no such build-up this time, with the song being much more typical with a pulsing verse driven by the bass playing of Andy Curran (Coney Hatch; Soho 69; Envy of None), who guests on this one track, and some melodic guitar playing - over which Hess sounds much smoother than he did on the harder rocking previous song. Like the last track, though, it is the chorus which really shines - and the effort here has a Foreigner-esque touch of class thanks to Hess' smooth vocal delivery and the subtle vocal harmonies throughout. The strident nature of the rhythm section keeps the track nicely grounded, though, and it feels punchy despite the huge melodies. Lesperance's guitar solo is busier this time, though, in contrast to the more deliberate vibe of the rest of the track. Slow Burn picks up the pace somewhat, and this feels like more of a typical harder rock piece - similar of the band's core sound of the past. There are still plenty of smooth melodies, with Hess' soaring chorus melodies and harmonies adding plenty of AOR goodness despite a more urgent place throughout - with Lesperance's guitar and bass playing (he handles the majority of the latter throughout the album) busier and more potent. The verses are filled out by some somewhat punky bass playing, which are countered by Hess' strong vocals - whilst the guitar riffing over the top is very much 1980s hard tock in tone. These elements all fuse together nicely, though, to create an upbeat and infectious song which breaks through the usual AOR mid-paced wall to deliver something a bit more hard-hitting. Lesperance even shreds a bit during his solo - but the hooks of the chorus will keep any AOR loving coming back for more.

Gotta Keep Your Head Up features Smith singing in place of Hess. Smith has sung a few Harem Scarem songs in the past, and also previously sung for guitar legend Jake E. Lee, so he has somewhat established himself as a singer as well as a drummer - and his voice is not all that dissimilar to Hess' in truth, despite a slightly rougher overall tone. He sounds a bit 'heavier' throughout the song, then, but the core Harem Scarem sound is still very much retained, though. Hess adds harmonies throughout, particularly during the chorus, and the track is, again packed full of melodies. Like the last song, though, there are some heavier vibes here - with a crunchy guitar pattern which drives the verses and a weighty drum groove. The chorus is another winner, though, with the vocals of both Smith and Hess really bringing it to life. World on Fire then slows the pace down and acts as the album's only real ballad - with sparing guitar chords and big piano chords setting the tone as the song opens up. The first verse is very much based around this arrangement, then, and it takes until the chorus for the rest of the band to really join. This is the only song on the album which Hess wrote alone, and after hearing it that fact is not a surprise. Lesperance's playing very much takes a backseat here, although he does add some delicate melodies to later verses, with Hess' vocals taking the spotlight - both during the verses and throughout the aching chorus. Musically, the song is quite sparse, then, but this just allows the vocal melodies and Hess' emotion to shine through - although Lesperance does include a short, but potent, guitar solo. In a Bad Way returns to a harder-hitting sound, and Lesperance immediately roars back into the spotlight with a creeping, mid-paced, bluesy riff which forms the basis of much of the song. Whilst the same riff is simplified somewhat for the verses, to allow the vocals to shine, the overall groove it establishes remains - and the track is a good example of Harem Scarem's core sound. This is because there are strong melodic moments, with another memorable chorus and some keyboard additions creating a smooth verse texture, but there are hard rock riffs and grooves to help toughen things up. Whilst this album has been a bit smoother than is perhaps typical, In a Bad Way still very much feels at home here - and the riffing of Lesperance is a big part of why this song is a strong addition to the album. Reliving History is perhaps a bit more typical of this album's core sound, though, with a smoother sound overall and an arrangement which builds towards its chorus. Perhaps what holds this song back, though, is the fact that it sounds quite similar to Better the Devil You Know. Better the Devil You Know is the better song, with a stronger chorus, so Reliving History suffers somewhat given that the former already feels familiar after only a few listens. The verses, melodic guitar approach, and the chorus build are very similar - whilst the chorus itself feels a bit different to create a point of difference. It is not a bad song in and of itself, but this similarity makes it one of the weaker cuts here for me.

A Falling Knife immediately returns to a harder rocking sound - racing out of the blocks with a busy guitar riff which is right out of the 1970s. Following the smooth, slow-build of the previous track - there is a noticeable urgency this time, and Hess allows the rougher edge of his voice to dominate a little here which adds to the song's overall tougher sound. There is little AOR to be featured this time - with Lesperance's big guitar riffing really leaping out of the speakers and Hess pushing himself vocally to match these riffs. Even the chorus is more typically hard rock than AOR and there is none of the band's usual soaring approach here - with fast-paced melodies and a snappier approach working well considering the riffing and the drive of the rhythm section. Occasional organ chords in the background add depth, too, and the song is a late highlight on the album. Understand It All, despite being built around a pretty strident guitar riff, reintroduces plenty of smoothness following the rollocking hard rock of the previous song - whilst also injecting a somewhat funky groove. Whilst Lesperance's opening riff is perhaps what is latched onto initially, it is his bass playing during the verses which really sticks. There is a really infectious rhythm as this song moves along and it makes the track another which sticks in the brain. There are also some interesting guitar melodies during the verses, which expand somewhat as the song moves along, but the bass is generally the focus throughout - and this is even somewhat the case during a typically melodic chorus. There is more of a guitar presence during the chorus, but the bass playing still adds a lot - and Hess' vocal melodies are excellent as always. Lesperance also gets to shine during a lengthy guitar solo section, too, which starts off busy with lots of acrobatics before settling into a more mid-paced mode with some melodic phrasing. The album then comes to a close with Wasted Years, another pacier number which treads that line between AOR and harder rock in a very typical manner for Harem Scarem. The faster pace does mean that it feels pretty energetic, which means that it does lean more towards the harder rock side of things - but there are still plenty of hooks throughout, with even the faster chorus still filled with AOR-esque melodies. The fast pace allows for some crunchy guitar riffing, too, but I would still say that the vocal melodies shine the brightest - with Hess using gritter vocals during the verses and his smoother delivery during the chorus. Throw in another pretty busy guitar solo and the song is another very enjoyable cut - with the closing moments of the solo being especially fast-paced. It really ends the album on an energetic high, then, and given the smoother overall sound of this album this harder rocking end feels like a nice bit of punctuation. As is likely apparent, this is an album which I have been enjoying a lot - and each listen only enhances that view. As much as I have enjoyed the few other albums by the band which I have heard, Chasing Euphoria might be my favourite yet - even compared to the classics from the early 1990s. Nearly every song here is memorable and packed full of hooks - and there is a surprising amount of variety, too. Harem Scarem very much sound like themselves, too, and it is nice to hear a new melodic rock album which is not just trying to ape the legends of the 1970s and 1980s.

The album was released on 25th April 2025 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Chasing Euphoria.

H.E.A.T's 'Welcome to the Future' - Album Review

Given that there is no shortage of new AOR and melodic rock bands these days, largely thanks to Frontiers Records pumping out new releases of varying quality left, right, and centre, to rise to the top of the modern AOR scene a band really needs to stand out. Despite some exceptions, the Frontiers family can often be quite forgettable - so it is not a surprise that one of the best modern AOR bands is not on the Italian label, with Sweden's H.E.A.T being one of the current premier examples of the genre. Despite this, though, it took me a while to get into them. I started listening to them in the early 2010s, and I really enjoyed 2012's Address the Nation when it dropped - but after that I stopped listening to the band for some reason, and did not start again until I saw them opening for The Quireboys in 2018. I had picked up the band's first two albums around the same time as Address the Nation, but they had not received much play time, and in the lead up to that 2018 show I went back and picked up everything I had missed out on - and sat there wondering why I had not bothered to properly keep up with their activities following Address the Nation. I saw them again a few months later, this time opening for Skid Row, and by that point I was a full-on fan. They have since become one of my favourite AOR bands of the modern age and 2020's excellent H.E.A.T II (which I reviewed here) was one of my favourite albums of that year - and it was a constant companion during the pandemic years. I was meant to see H.E.A.T live in 2020, but clearly that did not happen - with the show eventually taking place in 2022. By this point, though, H.E.A.T looked rather different - with original frontman Kenny Leckremo having replaced his original and long-time replacement Erik Grönwall in the aftermath of H.E.A.T II dropping. Leckremo re-introduced himself to the band's fanbase on 2022's Force Majeure (which I reviewed here) - a strong release but one which has not really stuck me with outside of a few standout cuts. H.E.A.T II was so strong that it was always going to be hard for the band to follow it up - and Force Majeure felt like an album where the band were re-establishing themselves with Leckremo and feeling out a route forward. The standout cuts are live staples for a reason, but the deeper tracks are less interesting - so I was interested to see in which direction they would go on their next album. This become clear last month, then, when the band's eighth album, and fourth with Leckremo, Welcome to the Future dropped. If Force Majeure saw the band setting out at a canter following the line-up change, then Welcome to the Future finds the band sprinting. From first hearing the advance singles Disaster and Bad Time for Love, the latter of which I heard for the first time live back in January where the band put on a career-best performance in London, I had a feeling that the upcoming album could be a real winner - and I was right. Welcome to the Future sees the band doubling down on some of the harder-hitting moments of their past - and going for a much tougher overall sound despite losing none of their core melodic heart.

Despite great performances from all, this album belongs to Leckremo. I had, wrongly, assumed he was more of a smoother singer, perhaps lacking some of Grönwall's grit, but this album proves otherwise - and a recent tour as one of the singers of Avantasia also showcased his heavier side. This album really rocks, then, and sees the band largely operating in a high-octane manner and conjuring up plenty of energy. The aforementioned singles kick things off, ensuring that the album opens with a powerful one-two punch of hard-hitting AOR energy. The fast-paced Disaster, though, still showcases plenty of melodic rock majesty - with a sparkling synth intro from Jona Tee taking the listener back to the 1980s before the rest of the band crash in and the song rockets off. Tee's keyboard playing is still very much a focus throughout this album despite the harder-edged sound opted for - and the interplay between it and Dave Dalone's guitar is a big part of what makes this album exciting. Dalone's guitar playing throughout this song is busy and tough-sounding - with an early section seeing the synths drop away to focus on the riffing briefly to reveal a more metallic edge to the band's sound. The faster pace of the bulk of the song is reserved for the instrumental sections and an anthemic chorus - filled with gang vocals and a fists-in-the-air vibe - whilst the verses are a bit more restrained, going for more of a mid-paced feel that retains plenty of crunch. Dalone's guitar solo is filled with memorable phrases, too, with a good mixture of shredded runs and more melodic leads - and the song overall is a great opening statement. Bad Time for Love opens with a brief tease of its chorus, before Leckremo immediately launches into the first verse. There is no standing on ceremony here, with the more mid-paced and overtly AOR track reining in some of the metallic edge of the previous cut - although it is no less exciting. The song is a real soaring anthem, showcasing a great vocal range from Leckremo - with a smoother approach opted for during the verses before he really cuts loose during the chorus. The chorus could be the album's best thanks to the hooky melodies and the weight from the rhythm section behind him - whilst Tee's synths create a more cinematic edge throughout. It is the sort of song that is likely to become a live staple over the years to come - and it actually harks back to the band's first couple of albums somewhat whilst upping the heaviness a little thanks to Dalone's guitar crunch.

Running to You was another pre-release single, and it is another strong effort - meaning that the album's opening trilogy really hits the mark. It sits somewhat between the previous two songs vibe-wise - as it is more upbeat than the previous song but not as tough as the opening number. There is an infectious pace throughout, though, and it feels pretty hard-hitting as a result. Dalone's guitar riffing bulks out the verses nicely, and I like how Tee's keyboards initially take a backseat before becoming busier as the verses progress. As is typical for H.E.A.T, too, the chorus is a winner. It might not be as strong as Bad Time for Love's, but the faster pace means that the snappy hooks really lodge in the brain - and it is another that sticks after only a couple of listens. H.E.A.T have been writing songs like this for years but the formula does not feel old - and the short run time of both this number and the previous one means there is little fat to discard. Call My Name opens in a slower manner, with some aching guitar leads sitting atop a bed of warm synths. Leckremo then starts to sing over this sparse backing, creating a bit of a cinematic intro, and it seems as if the song is going to be a ballad - but instead the track morphs into a smooth, mid-paced AOR treat which reins in some of the toughness which has been seen up to this point to create something which reminds me of Inside Information-era Foreigner. The guitar playing is less in-your-face here, with the aching leads and subtle rhythms dominating, whilst the keyboards swirl around to create a main point of focus - and the bass playing of Jimmy Jay acts as a prominent grounding. The song is quite a bit more synth-driven than is typical, then, but it works well here - particularly following three tougher and more high-octane pieces. The smooth and laid back chorus hits in a different manner than the others here, but it is one that has grown on me a lot - and the song showcases that side of Leckremo which I, wrongly, assumed was his bread and butter given his older vocal performances. In Disguise is the first of two songs here written by Jay - whose songwriting contributions tend to showcase a more widescreen and majestic side of the band. I think his second contribution here is the stronger of the two - but In Disguise showcases his style nicely, and it builds somewhat on the vibe of the previous song. Dalone's guitar is used more sparingly here, with his stop-start riffing during the verses allowing the bass and keyboards to create a smooth sound - only for the riffing to then punctuate each of Leckremo's vocal lines. It is unsurprising that the bass really drives everything, but flashy synth hooks and a fluid, slow-burning guitar solo add to the song's sweeping nature perfectly - whilst the the percussive chorus, with round-the-kit drumming from Don Crash, features layers of harmony vocals and some slow-burning melodies.

The End returns to a more hard rocking feel following a couple of more reined-in pieces - although it is not explosive as how the album opened. The pulsing synths throughout are some of the most overtly AOR keyboard moments on the album - but there is still plenty of guitar weight here thanks to some buzzing riffing during the mid-paced verses and some snappy leads utilised elsewhere. The chorus is a bit different, too, with stop-start drumming and riffing allowing the pulsing synths and Leckremo's vocals to shine - before it culminates in some of Dalone's smoothest lead playing behind Leckremo's vamping. It is a bit of a different sort of song for the band, then, despite some classic AOR tropes being on display. Rock Bottom ups the muscle again further - and the track is a powerful mid-paced hard rocker which displays a much bluesier overall approach. Dalone's guitar drives everything, despite a few flashy synth flourishes throughout, so there is a much more traditional classic hard rock vibe here - with a knotty riff which continues to resurface throughout the verses, whilst the occasional shredded lead is also utilised. Leckremo sounds powerful, too, his voice showcasing some real grit during these bluesy verses - before the whole band back him during a foot-stomping chorus which is full of hooky wordless vocal melodies and more big riffing. Children of the Storm is Jay's second writing contribution - so again it showcases his typical style. Opening with cinematic synths, the track then gets going proper with a fairly urgent-sounding verse - which sees Leckremo singing with power against a pulsing synth and bass backing. Again, the guitars are a bit more in the background here to allow the grounding bass and shimmering keyboards to shine - but there are some excellent controlled guitar leads during parts of the song, and there is a crunchy backing to the chorus to add some additional weight. Despite the song being pretty pacy, it does not feel as crunchy as the other more rocking numbers here - which is often a feature of Jay's songwriting. He often adds a point of difference with his contributions which I like - and this tune is no different despite another strong chorus very much channelling the core H.E.A.T sound. Losing Game returns to something much riffier - with Dalone stepping out from the shadows to lay down some more bluesy riffs, although this time the synths are just as prominent. The battle for supremacy between the guitars and the synths helps to make this track one of the highlights of the latter part of the album - and it is a song which takes a few unexpected twists. I really like how the chorus is actually not all that high-octane. It does not explode out of the speakers, but instead it just builds on the grooves of the rest of the song - with Leckremo opting for a smoother approach, so again there are Foreigner vibes thanks to the subtle vocal harmonies and synths which persist. A synth solo also helps to add to this vibe - and the song is a great mix of tough riffing and warmth which works well.

Paradise Lost is a bit more of a typical AOR number - with sparkling synths throughout and an anthemic feel which is helped by Survivor-esque keyboard stabs and enough guitars to add weight but not enough to create a metallic edge. The issue I have with the song, though, is that the chorus just sounds so familiar. The vocal melodies and keyboard patterns are very much AOR 101. H.E.A.T certainly lean into the tropes at times, but generally they keep them interesting - whereas this chorus is a bit predictable and given how the song builds up I was hoping for something a bit stronger. The song is not a bad effort, but given the strengths elsewhere it is one of the weaker cuts here for me. Tear It Down (R.N.R.R) opens slowly, with some clean guitar melodies, but the song soon morphs into another pretty tough mid-paced rocker - with big guitar chords being held behind Leckremo's verse vocals whilst a synth melody dances away in the background. Despite these synths, though, the song overall is one of the tougher efforts here. The guitars are very prominent throughout, and Jay's bass is also pretty high in the mix, whilst some organ is utilised at times to add depth - which contrasts nicely with the synths. The chorus is also one of the heavier moments here, with an almost Accept-like stomp at times thanks to Crash's drumming and the grittier approach to vocal melodies from Leckremo. It is a bit of a different song for the band, then, but a shredded guitar solo and plenty of anthemic hooks keep it grounded - and I like these heavier experiments from the band. The album then comes to a close with We Will Not Forget - a mid-paced anthemic rocker with Thin Lizzy-esque guitar melodies which builds towards its chorus. The opening moments are quite bombastic, with the aforementioned guitar melodies creating a high-octane folk feel, and this is later reprised during a strident chorus - but the verses are more slow-burning with pulsing synths and some gentler vocals from Leckremo as the rhythm section create a tight groove. Despite its strong hooks, it was not a song which stood out to me at first - but over repeated listens it has done, largely thanks to Dalone's varied guitar playing throughout, including a lengthy solo, and the chorus which is a bit of a sleeper. It ends the album well and, in truth, there is very little here which does not hit the spot in one way or another. Following the band regrouping on the last album, Welcome to the Future sees the current line-up are assured of their direction going forward. It is an exciting album with plenty of faster-paced pieces - but there is still plenty of anthemic and more restrained moments to ensure variety over the 45 minutes or so of music here. H.E.A.T rarely disappoint and this album certainly does not - and I can see this being one of the year's best melodic rock releases.

The album was released on 25th April 2025 via earMusic. Below is the band's promotional video for Disaster.

Michael Monroe - Bristol Review

The last couple of weeks have felt like a bit of a slog, even for a seasoned gig-goer like me. I do not regret it, of course, as each of the six gigs I have been to during the past three weeks has been great - but the many hours spent on trains and in hotels has started to catch up with me, and being such a bit-part player at work for an extended period is never ideal. I am actually looking forward to a quiet couple of weeks before a busy week in June which will see me catching Savatage live for the first time - but it is now time to reflect on the last of what May had to offer and, Bruce Springsteen aside, it was likely the best of the month. The reason for yesterday's trip to Bristol was to catch Michael Monroe live on his latest UK tour - on board the Thekla which is a venue that always seems to generate a great atmosphere. I had seen Monroe and his band live a few times over the years, but last night was my first time seeing them headline. I had been wanting to get to one of his headline shows ever since I first got into him back in 2011, but his tours always seem to clash with other plans or just fall at inconvenient times. I got into him in advance of seeing him at the 2011 iteration of the High Voltage Festival in London - and since then I have also seen him opening for Alice Cooper, Guns N' Roses, and Black Star Riders. Even as a support act, Monroe always delivers. He has been doing his thing for years at this point, with Hanoi Rocks having formed back in 1979 and Monroe being active in music ever since. Whilst Hanoi Rocks have their place in music history, particularly for their influence on the hair metal movement of the 1980s, I would argue that Monroe's best work has come more recently - particularly since re-launching his solo career proper with his current band after Hanoi Rocks broke up for good in 2009. With guitarist Steve Conte, bassist Sami Yaffi, and drummer Karl Rockfist having been on board since this rebirth - it is only the second guitarist slot which has changed, although Rich Jones has filled it since 2014. Monroe's current band has been together for 11 years at this point, then, and is responsible for his last three albums - although the two which came before are also seen as part of the set, and make up a five-album run which is as good as anything he has done in the past. In truth, I tend to prefer his solo work to those classic Hanoi Rocks albums from the 1980s - and the sole Demolition 23. album from 1994 is also a bit of a lost classic of the genre. I was pleased, then, when the dates for his latest UK tour were announced and there was a Bristol show I could make easily. I had considered seeing him in London last year as it would have tied into other plans, but I ended up deciding not to - so I was lucky that this more extensive tour was announced. The Thekla was a good choice for him, too. I have never been to a bad gig there, and the quirky nature of the venue suited the upbeat and relentless energy of Monroe and his band. I had not been there for about a year, so it was good to return, and it was also great to see a strong turnout on a Wednesday night for the glam/punk icon.

Before Monroe took to the stage, though, the growing crowd was treated to a powerful set from CJ Wildheart and his band. I have been a Wildhearts fan for a while, but it was not until last year when I started to take notice of CJ as solo artist - and it was his announcement of a gig in Plymouth which prompted me to check him out properly. I enjoyed the albums of his I heard and the gig was excellent - so I was looking forward to catching him live again despite not having gotten around to picking up his latest album Slots. Half of the new album featured throughout his 45 minute set, but the fact that I did not know the songs did not matter - as they, as is the case with much of CJ's catalogue, were the sort of songs which stick with you quickly. He is not a writer of complex and especially layered material, but that is not what his fans want, and his knack for a big riff and a hooky chorus has not dulled over the years. Three tracks from the latest album opened things up, with the angsty Beg kicking things off - whilst the single The Baddest Girl in the World particularly stood out thanks to its big chorus and pop-punk energy. CJ and his band had very little room to move on the stage, with drummer Craig Mackay's drumkit sat to the side facing the band - with Mackay himself looking at danger at toppling backwards off the stage at points. CJ's usual sardonic humour regarding the situation, and touring more generally, was very much in place, though, and there were plenty of CJ and Wildhearts shirts on display in the crowd - meaning that he had to do little to evoke a decent reaction. Despite this, though, the atmosphere definitely rose as his set went on. The new songs certainly went down well, but detours through his previous bands The Jellys and Honeycrack certainly delighted the older fans in the room. The anthemic Go Away from the latter was a mid-set highlight - although I also really enjoyed the slightly more low key You Got the Best Part of Me from Slots which was a slight moment of respite in what was generally a high-energy set. With limited time to play with, there was little standing on ceremony, too, and perhaps knowing that The Wildhearts is what he is most known for he opted to close his set with three anthems from that band - and two of them were more 'well known' than the songs from the band's canon he tends to play as a solo artist. As a support act you sometimes need to give the people what they want, though, with Stormy in the North, Karma in the South hitting the spot before the fan-favourite I Wanna Go Where the People Go saw CJ trading vocals with guitarist Dean McCreadie. An anthemic O.C.D closed things out - and I think it is fair to say that CJ's set was great. I am looking forward to seeing live again later in the year with Ricky Warwick. The setlist was:

Beg

Another Big Mistake

The Baddest Girl in the World

Lemonade Girl [The Jellys material]

Go Away [Honeycrack material]

Coma

You Got the Best Part of Me

Sitting at Home [Honeycrack material]

Stormy in the North, Karma in the South [The Wildhearts material]

I Wanna Go Where the People Go [The Wildhearts material]

O.C.D [The Wildhearts material]

Following what seemed like a pretty speedy changeover considering how much gear needed to be cleared from the stage, the lights went down and Monroe and his band took over - and for the next 90 minutes they really rocked the boat. It is almost as if Monroe agrees with me that his recent material is some of his best work, as newer cuts really dominated the first two-thirds of the set - with older numbers from his previous bands and some covers coming later on. He did turn the clock back as things got underway, though, opening with the evergreen Dead, Jail or Rock 'n' Roll from one of his older solo albums. The song is usually used to close out his shows, but it worked really well an opener - with Jones peeling off the big riff to huge cheers, and the large crowd later shouted the chorus back at the band. It was also one of the songs which featured quite a lot of harmonica playing from Monroe. His bluesy additions to some of the songs, alongside the occasional burst of saxophone, always ensure a touch of class is entrenched in the scrappy punk of his core sound - but generally he leapt around the stage and interacted with the crowd, despite the band all appearing quite cramped on the stage. The recent favourites came thick and fast early on, then, with anthems like I Live Too Fast to Die Young, TNT Diet, and a particularly rip-roaring Last Train to Tokyo set the crowd alight during the early part of the set. There was quite a lot of focus on 2013's Horns and Halos, with five songs culled from it, but there was generally a good mix of material throughout - and when Yaffa laid into the iconic bass intro of Motorvatin' the old-schoolers in the crowd went wild. Vibe-wise, this was one of the best atmospheres of the year so far. It helped that the band sounded clear, with every nuance cutting through, but each song was greeted like an old friend - and everyone around me sang along to every word. Even the occasional slower number like Man with No Eyes and Stained Glass Heart did not dampen the mood. These little moments of respite were welcome, and showcased a different side of Monroe's songwriting - showing that not everything he does is three-chord punk. There was plenty of hard-driving rock to be enjoyed, though, with Old King's Road and the bouncy Trick of the Wrist, complete with saxophone, also being highlights. It was left to his current era anthem Ballad of the Lower East Side to round out the two-thirds of the set largely dedicated to solo material - and the singing from the crowd was louder than ever, whilst Conte laid down a melodic guitar solo. Hanoi Rocks and Demolition 23. songs followed, with the semi-ballad Don't You Ever Leave Me providing another brief break - but it was the duo of Nothin's Alright and Hammersmith Palais which really hit the spot for me. There was a humorous moment during the former as Conte's guitar briefly stopped working and he proceeded to sing his guitar part whilst the issue was being fixed - this is a band that just rolls with the punches. More saxophone was then included throughout Malibu Beach Nightmare before the main set came to a close with Hanoi Rocks' rendition of Up Around the Bend. Huge cheers brought them back out for a couple more following a brief change of clothes, though, and Monroe sat behind the drums for the first number - a rendition of the punk classic Blitzkrieg Bop, which the rest of the band sung whilst he bashed away. A lengthy version of another punk classic I Wanna Be Loved closed the whole night out, though, with lots of jamming, big guitar solos, and lots of banter. It was a suitably trashy end to the night - and the cheers as the show came to an end were loud. The setlist was:

Dead, Jail or Rock 'n' Roll

I Live Too Fast to Die Young

TNT Diet

Eighteen Angels

Last Train to Tokyo

Motorvatin' [Hanoi Rocks material]

Young Drunks & Old Alcoholics

Man with No Eyes

Soul Surrender

Stained Glass Heart

Old King's Road

Trick of the Wrist

'78

Ballad of the Lower East Side

Don't You Ever Leave Me [Hanoi Rocks material]

Nothin's Alright [Demolition 23. material]

Hammersmith Palais [Demolition 23. material]

Malibu Beach Nightmare [Hanoi Rocks material]

Up Around the Bend [Creedence Clearwater Revival cover]

-

Blitzkrieg Bop [Ramones cover]

I Wanna Be Loved [The Heartbreakers cover]

Seeing Monroe and his band last night will likely end up being one of 2025's most memorable gigs. I am glad that I finally got to see him as a headline act following missing out on so many previous tours - and he also showcased that great vibes can still be created by bands who largely focus on newer material. Everyone enjoyed the classics of course, but the newer material, which dominated, was received just as well. Monroe's energy and stage presence has not faded at all over the years - and he remains one of the great frontmen of an era that produced so many.

Tortured Demon - Plymouth Review

It has been great getting to The Junction here in Plymouth a few times over the past couple of months. The city has long had a dearth of decent live music venues, but the glorified pub on Mutley Plain certainly punches above its weight - and there are worse places to have a short walk away. I always tell myself that I am going to visit the venue more, just to check out some complete unknowns, but it never quite seems to happen - as my gigging calendar always fills up with trips away and, with working full time, some rest time is, sadly, a necessity. Despite only getting back from a trip to London to catch the excellent Blue Öyster Cult earlier yesterday afternoon, a few hours later I was walking up to The Junction - which was quite a contrast to the packed-out London Palladium of Sunday night. Over the past couple of months, I have already made that walk twice - to catch both The Fallen State and Marisa and the Moths both put on strong showings to decent-sized and appreciative crowds. Last night's visitors were all the more heavy, though, with the Manchester-based thrash/metalcore act Tortured Demon returning for round two following a successful Plymouth debut last November. Tortured Demon are an example of a band I discovered because of The Junction - and it was the announcement of their November show there last year which brought them to my attention. I decided to check them out and liked what I heard - so I was soon the owner of both 2021's In Desperation's Grip and 2023's Rise of the Lifeless, which are both very strong and assured releases given the age of the musicians involved. The latter in particular is very strong and this band have real potential to make waves within the British metal scene should their current trajectory continue. Their November show in Plymouth last year was also memorable due to its strong atmosphere. The turnout was pretty healthy and the energy in the room was intense. The moshing was endless throughout the evening, with microphone stands and monitors constantly getting knocked over, and even the band seemed a little shocked at how hard many in the crowd were going - despite likely playing to bigger crowds elsewhere on their tour. It is unclear whether the band's debut full headline tour was a success or not - but one must assume so to an extent as, despite seemingly having a bit of a quieter year this year to presumably work on album number three, a short tour was announced over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend which included a return to Plymouth. The must have enjoyed themselves here so much last time that they decided to return - and I was more than happy to make the short walk up the road to catch them live again. The band were also promising a different setlist this time, including more material from In Desperation's Grip given that the sessions to create the album are five years old at this point - which is crazy considering that Jacob Parkinson (vocals/guitar) is still only 19!

Before Tortured Demon's set, though, the crowd was treated to support slots from two fairly local bands. The turnout was not quite as a good as last time, and it actually diminished as the night went on - suggesting that some where there just for the support acts. This was a shame, but there was still a reasonable and active crowd which stuck around until the end - and considering that the show was on a Monday it was probably a relative success. Opening the show were the Exeter-based hardcore band Apathy UK. I call Apathy UK a hardcore act, but in reality their sound was all over the place. They looked like a hardcore band, though, and included some hardcore material in their set, particularly towards the end, but they also had a bit more of an extreme metal side - with the occasional progressive and sludgy tendency. In fact, the set seemed like sets from two different bands stitched together. The first few songs were lengthier, featuring lots of bit stuck together with more technical riffing, lengthy guitar solos, and the occasional more atmospheric moment. There was generally a sludgy, more dissonant sound during this part of the set - although the vocals were generally strong and throaty throughout. Some of the songs really meandered, though, and could have done with some editing - but there were strong moments which shone through, with the odd riff and guitar solo showing real promise. The second half of the set was much punchier, though, with hardcore riffing and shorter pieces which felt more aggressive and less progressive. These songs were perhaps less interesting arrangement-wise, but they felt more assured in terms of groove and delivery - and I would suggest that the band shone a little more as a whole during these punchier numbers. As such, then, Apathy UK seem to be a band unsure of where they want to go. The contrasting styles was very apparent and it would be wise for them to pick a lane and stay in it. There is certainly some talent there, though.

Up next were Yeovil's Unburier - a technical death metal band I saw last year opening for Crypta. I really enjoyed their set last year, but this time I did not find them to be as compelling. It looks like the band have recently had a drummer change and, as a result, they did not seem as tight this time. I am sure that new drummer Kim Hughes will lock in properly in due course, and he did not especially seem to be lacking so I am not putting it all on him - I just felt that overall the machine-like precision I remember from last time was not there this time. It takes a while for line-up changes to bed in, even for the existing members, so the band is likely still feeling their way through the change - particularly given how complex their material is. I was looking forward to seeing the band again, but sadly they just did not have the same effect as last time. I remember the live sound mix being particularly good last time, too, which helped - so overall this performance was just a bit lacking compared to what came before. The riffing and soloing was still as impressive, but it just did not hit me as powerfully as it did last time. I also noted that Unburier received less of a strong reaction than Apathy UK - and perhaps the drop in energy levels was part of my issue with the set. The crowd went wild for Apathy UK, who perhaps received the strongest reaction of the evening in truth, but toned it down for Unburier. In fairness, the band's more progressive vibe merits a less intense reaction - but it was nevertheless noticeable. One thing I did notice from a positive perspective, though, was just how great a bass player Stan Mitchell is. His playing was higher in the mix this time and his riffing and occasional more melodic line was really obvious. He had no problem at all keeping up with the two guitarists - and in a genre where bass is often buried and perhaps lacks definition, it was great to see some great progressive playing from Mitchell. His fretless bass had a great tone, too, which helped.

Tortured Demon then took to the stage following what seemed like quite a long changeover, and looking back the changeovers between each band did not seem as slick as they surprisingly often are at The Junction, and were greeted by a decent but noticeably depleted crowd. There was still plenty of moshing and movement from those left, though, which ensured a decent atmosphere - and the band still seemed happy with the reception, particularly noting that it was a Monday night. With six songs coming from each album, alongside last year's stand-alone single, the 13-song set was a powerful one that filled just over an hour. Newer material tended to bookend the night, with the middle reserved for older cuts. It was great to hear some different tracks this time compared to last time - but the opening duo of Conflict of Interest and Virtual Death are familiar live staples by this point. Both have strong choruses, which Jacob nailed with his strong harsh vocals - whilst his brother Joe Parkinson (drums) really let it rip behind his large drumkit. Tortured Demon seem to have recently undergone a line-up change of their own, with new bassist Joel Bayley now on board, but they were as tight as they were before. The band do seem to have had a lot of line-up changes already, though, which is expected when starting out but it would be good to see things settle down as they progress - as multiple line-up changes can often be disruptive and stall any building momentum. Rory Marsland-Smith (guitar) is well entrenched in the band at this point, though, with the recent single Nothing Left to Say showcasing what he brings to the table - with his melodic sensibilities often the counter to Jacob's more intense shredding. Given that more older material was played, though, Jacob soloed more than he did last time - with the lengthy The Invasion and the big gang vocals of Cold Blood being some highlights from the first album to get an airing. Jacob noted that he was around 14 when most of these songs were written, so it amazing how far this band have come at such a young age. There is a huge amount of potential here to be capitalised on - and I am really looking forward to hearing their third album and the direction it takes. Whilst I think the band have improved since their debut, though, it was still great to hear some of those songs live - with A Knee to the Face of Corruption and the debut's title track really showcasing that early promise and standing up to the newer cuts. I perhaps enjoyed the last few moments of the set the most, though, with the anthemic Global Threat and the more progressive The Damage Is Done showcasing the best of Tortured Demon so far. The melodic and fists-in-the-air vibes of the second album's title track rounded everything out - and those who stuck it out certainly went home happy. The setlist was:

Conflict of Interest

Virtual Death

Nothing Left to Say

Disfavour

The Invasion

Cold Blood

Oppressed

My Terror

A Knee to the Face of Corruption

Global Threat

In Desperation's Grip

The Damage Is Done

An Empire Condemned

Rise of the Lifeless

Whilst last November's show might have been better in terms of turnout and atmosphere, I think that last night was better in terms of performance. The varied setlist was welcome and the band seemed really tight - with a better overall sound mix helping the riffing, soloing, and vocals all to shine. Whilst the band do not have too many other shows planned this year, album number three should be being worked on - and I am hoping that they will return to Plymouth again when it drops.

Blue Öyster Cult - London Review

This month has been absolutely crazy in terms of gigs - and there are still two more to go before May finishes. Despite what many seem to think, on the surface at least, live music in the UK is thriving - and I think that I am on course to break my previous record in terms of gigs attended this year. The next few months are somewhat slower, but I still have quite a bit planned, but up to this point things have been crazy - with February and May being particularly hectic. This is demonstrated in the fact that, last night, I went to my 24th gig of 2025 so far - and I returned to London only a week or so after last leaving. I have been up and back to Manchester since then, too, and will be heading to Bristol on Wednesday. I am actually looking forward to a handful of quiet weekends before a fairly busy week in June which takes me to London and Birmingham kicks off - but I am sure that by then I will be well-rested and ready to tackle yet more live music. Turning back to last night, though, the reason for the bank holiday trip to London was to catch the rock legends Blue Öyster Cult at the London Palladium - which kicked off a relatively brief European tour. I had seen the band once before, but that was in 2019 - and it was at the gig which I became a proper fan. I had been a casual Blue Öyster Cult fan for a few years at that point, and decided to catch the band on their 2019 UK tour to 'tick them off' so to speak - but the I enjoyed the show far more than I was expecting to, and I have become a much bigger fan since. I had tickets to see them with Deep Purple a few years ago, too, but that tour was delayed due to the pandemic - and by the time the tour actually happened the dates were not convenient for me and I got my ticket refunded. It is a shame, as that double bill would have likely been excellent, but it was inevitable that I would end up missing out on some things during that period - especially given that basically everyone was touring at the same time in 2021 and 2022. As such, then, prior to last night I had only seen the band live once before - so when they announced this lone London date last year I picked up a ticket immediately. Whilst Blue Öyster Cult have been semi-regular visitors to the UK over the years, they are not a band with a clockwork European touring schedule - and as is the case with so many bands of a similar vintage a 'next time' is never a guarantee. Like so many bands from the 1970s, too, Blue Öyster Cult seem to have undergone something of a resurgence of late - at least here. When I last saw them, I remember seeing tour shirts being worn from UK tours from the 2000s where the band were playing very small venues - but I saw them pack out the Eventim Apollo. The Palladium is smaller than the Apollo, and the Apollo show was part of a proper UK tour, but the Palladium is a prestigious venue that perhaps the band wanted to play - and if the show was not sold out then it was very close to being so. The upcoming European tour is not that long, either, and I do get the impression that the band are very slowly winding things down given their age. That being said, though, they did actually play a show at the pretty small Islington Assembly Hall the night before the Palladium show under their original name Soft White Underbelly - as something of a tour warm-up. I am not sure why I did not go to both shows, but for London-based Blue Öyster Cult fans the double-bill was a real treat - and with two different setlists played a lot of the band's lengthy catalogue was on show over the weekend.

This was my third visit to the Palladium and, despite its legendary status, it is not somewhere that I am a huge fan of. I enjoyed sitting in the Stalls on my first visit - but sitting the the Golden Circle is not as much fun, largely as there is so little legroom. My seat last night was much better than the one I had in the front row of the Golden Circle when I saw Lindsey Buckingham in 2022, though, where I felt very uncomfortable - but it was still hard to sit in the seat last night, and I am not even especially tall. Notwithstanding this, though, the view from my seat was excellent - and the sound throughout the night was also largely very clear. Before Blue Öyster Cult's set, though, the large crowd was treated to half an hour from blues rockers When Rivers Meet - a band that are certainly rising stars here in the UK at the moment. Both times I have seen Blue Öyster Cult live now they have had bluesy bands supporting them, which seems odd to me, but I enjoyed When Rivers Meet's time on stage even if their very organic and retro slide-driven blues is not really my thing. I had seen them before, when Grace Bond (vocals/mandolin) and Aaron Bond (vocals/guitar) supported King King as a duo a few years ago, but since then they seem to have risen up the ranks somewhat - and they are pretty popular here now. My views on their set last night were very similar to how I felt when I saw them previously - which is that they are very good at what they do but after a while all the songs start to sound very similar. They sounded more powerful and less overly retro with a full band behind them, though, but the ever-present slide and a very soulful approach to vocal melodies does mean that their overall sound is quite limiting. Grace is certainly a great singer, and she really strutted around the stage with ease, and Aaron can deliver some excellent slide riffs - but I just wish that there was a bit more variety in what they do. The use of slide mandolin was interesting, though, with Grace adding some melodic leads over the grungy guitar riffing on occasion, and some of the choruses were pretty hooky - but the overall stomping grooves started to wear thin after a while, at least for me. This is a band that is doing well for themselves, though, so they are clearly striking a chord with some. It is great to see a new UK band doing well, and I am sure that their newly-released album will be a success, but they are not really for me - even if I am glad to have now seen them in a full-band setting so that I could properly experience their sound.

It was not long to wait before the lights went down again and the five current members Blue Öyster Cult took to the stage. There was little standing on ceremony throughout, and for the next couple of hours the veteran band delivered a career-spanning set which included a number of crowd-favourites, newer numbers, and the odd deeper cut - with each track received a strong reception from the large crowd. Opening with the boogie blues of Dr. Music, the set got off to a rocking start. The one complaint I had with the sound was that Eric Bloom's (vocals/guitar/keyboards/percussion) voice was a bit low in the mix at times - but otherwise the sound was raw and powerful. In truth, Bloom's voice is not what it was - even compared to 2019. His scratchy vocals have always been a big part of the band's sound, but he sounded a little weak throughout the show - which I had expected to be fair. He is 80 now, so he did the best he could, and on some songs he sounded better than others - and in truth it was just great seeing him up there in seemingly good health and having a great time. Buck Dharma's (vocals/guitar) voice has fared a little better, and generally sounded strong - and he stepped up to the microphone for Before the Kiss, a Redcap which came in second. When Career of Evil followed it up, though, I was a little concerned that I was about to see the exact same setlist as in 2019. Blue Öyster Cult are generally very good at mixing things up night to night, though, so after the identical opening three numbers the show diverted off in a number of different directions - and I actually ended up hearing a lot of different songs this time. Some early highlights included Golden Age of Leather, with the whole band harmonising well during the a cappella intro, and the tough That Was Me from the band's latest proper album. Bloom actually sounded pretty powerful throughout the riffy garage rock anthem - and the set was well-paced to allow him and Dharma around the same amount of vocal time each.

The first real anthem of the night then came in the form of Burnin' for You, with the duelling lead guitars of Dharma and Richie Castellano (vocals/guitar/keyboards) bringing a huge cheer from the receptive crowd - before the quirky chorus was sung back at the band with real gusto. In fact, a couple more of Dharma's 1980s poppy singles where wheeled out at this show, with both Shooting Shark and Dancin' in the Ruins being dusted off - with the latter in particular seeing plenty of movement even up in the cheap seats. Bloom made sure to make his presence felt, though, during the riffy E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) and Castellano also got in on the act during the oldie Hot Rails to Hell. As was the case during the 2019 show, Castellano impressed. He handled most of the keyboards during the show, but also regularly stepped out with his guitar - and he took a few solos during the night to support Dharma. He is a great singer and writer, too, as Tainted Blood later showcased - which he owned vocally and also delivered a big guitar solo during. Perhaps the overall highlight of the show, though, was a relatively rare outing of Astronomy. The song is a fan-favourite but is not played live all that often these days - so the proggy piece was welcomed with open arms, and it became a real workout for Dharma towards the end as he delivered a searing guitar solo. The final two songs of the main set are ever-presents of any Blue Öyster Cult set, though, with the rumbling hard rock of Godzilla and the melancholic anthem (Don't Fear) The Reaper receiving, unsurprisingly, some of the biggest cheers of the night - with the latter being introduced with a lengthy guitar solo from Dharma. The band took their bows after it, but thunderous clapping and cheers brought them back for three more songs - and the first song of the encore saw them really dip into the vaults for a rare outing of the poppy and strange Teen Archer. The garage rock vibes of Harvester of Eyes then saw the band back on more familiar territory, though, with Bloom delivering a strong vocal, before everything came to a close with a lengthy version of Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll - with Bloom again singing and plenty of soloing from both Dharma and Castellano. It was a powerful end to two varied hours of music - and the large crowd certainly went away happy. The setlist was:

Dr. Music

Before the Kiss, a Redcap

Career of Evil

Golden Age of Leather

That Was Me

Burnin' for You

Cagey Cretins

Shooting Shark

E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)

Hot Rails to Hell

Dancin' in the Ruins

Astronomy

Tainted Blood

Flaming Telepaths

Godzilla

Guitar Solo

(Don't Fear) The Reaper

-

Teen Archer

Harvester of Eyes

Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll

Despite Bloom showing his age, which is to be expected and, in fairness, he is still a great character and presence on stage, Blue Öyster Cult really delivered last night at the Palladium. The show in 2019 might have been a bit better overall in terms of power and performance - but the setlist last night was excellent and it was great hearing so many different songs live. It was a real mix of vibes throughout and the band delivered in a historic venue. It is hard to know if there will be other chances to see Blue Öyster Cult live or not - but of not then I am glad that I got to see them twice.