Inglorious' 'V' - Album Review

I have been talking quite a bit on this blog of late about British rock bands. New releases from Absolva and Pythia have both been featured recently, whilst recent concert reviews include pieces on more established acts like Cradle of Filth and Mostly Autumn. With a lot of the music I like coming from abroad, it is always good to remember that the UK still produces a lot of great bands in the rock genre. It may not be the powerhouse that it was in the 1960s and 1970s, but the UK punches above its weight I would think - and one such recent UK act which has seen some success is Inglorious. Having formed back in 2014, later releasing their self-titled debut album in 2016 (which I reviewed here), Inglorious are now just over 10 years old - and I think that it is fair to say that the band's career to date has been eventful. Three albums and plenty of touring filled 2016 to 2019 - and this busy period certainly seemed to take its toll on the band as, by the time 2019's Ride to Nowhere (which I briefly discussed here) rolled around, three of the line-up that recorded it had left in what transpired to be a messy split. The rock world is no stranger to messy splits, but Inglorious' seemed particularly nasty - and frontman Nathan James spent an ill-advised amount of time online publicly airing the band's dirty laundry. I liked Inglorious from the off, but I am on record here thinking that they were somewhat overrated early on - and the split and its fallout actually put me off the band for a while. I eventually got Ride to Nowhere, though, and found it be a record which was starting to justify the hype - and I saw the tour in Exeter later in 2019 by which time a new line-up had been put together. Only James and drummer Phil Beaver remained - and this line-up later wrote and recorded 2021's We Will Ride (which I reviewed here), an album I listened to a lot when it came out. I saw the band live again later in 2021, this time in Plymouth, and the second era of the band seemed to be a fruitful one - with covers album Heroine and live album Live at the Phoenix MMXXI also products of this line-up. Following another tour in 2022, though, the band entered a period of hiatus. It was unclear what led to this break, but thankfully this time any dirty laundry was kept unaired. Following some time away, though, last year James announced that he was working on new Inglorious material - and that founding bassist Colin Parkinson, one of those who had left in the lead up to Ride to Nowhere dropping, would be returning. Parkinson was always one of the band's main songwriters during the sessions for the first three albums - but these new sessions would see him and James collaborate exclusively, with the results being the band's fifth album V which dropped last month. V marks the start of the third era of Inglorious, too, with only James and Parkinson returning from previous iterations of the band. Guitarist Richard Shaw (NG26; Cradle of Filth) and drummer Henry Rogers (Final Conflict; DeeExpus; Touchstone; Mostly Autumn) were announced to be completing the line-up earlier this year - making Inglorious a four-piece for the first time in their history and V the band's first album without Beaver.

As well as being James' main songwriting partner here, Parkinson also seems to have been the main man in the studio. Alongside his usual bass playing, he is also credited with electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, and percussion - as well as producing the album. I would imagine that he is responsible for much of what is heard here, then, with Shaw perhaps coming in for the solos. Engineer Tony Draper is also responsible for some additional keyboards, as he has been in the past, as well as mixing the album. V is very much an Inglorious album in terms of sound, though, despite a few more modern-sounding touches - with the current line-up immediately feeling cohesive. A synthy drone opens the album, with Testify getting going proper once Parkinson's big bass riff kicks in - which is then doubled by the guitar to create a bluesy hard rock feel very typical of the band's past work. Subtle Hammond organ washes are used to add depth, but Inglorious have always been a guitar-led band - and the big riffing which kicks things off is full of character, which is reprised throughout the snaking verses. James has always had a great voice, packed with blues and soul, and he puts on another great performance throughout this album. The verses see him singing in his lower register, with plenty of gritty power, whilst the soaring chorus sees him pushing himself a bit more - opening up his range and delivering some David Coverdale-esque moments. The chorus hooks are memorable, too, and it is one that is sure to get stuck in the brain thanks to some smooth melodies and plenty of wordless vocal refrains. A melodic and high-octane guitar solo comes later in the song, too, as do a couple of slightly poppy vocal bridges which add a twist to the band's usual formula. Eat You Alive opens with James' voice with plenty of effects on it swirling into view, before another fast-paced hard rock riff kicks in - with the track being another bluesy piece in the band's typical style. Whilst the song's main riff is utilised throughout the verses, these verses do not feel as riffy as those from the previous song - with more of a bass groove and noisy guitar effects backing James - whilst the vocal effects from the intro are later repurposed to create a pre-chorus, which gives way to another hooky chorus backed with organ. These vocal-led sections allow for brief breaks in the driving hard rock of the rest of the song - with both the verses and the chorus moving along at a fair pace. The guitar solo section is another faster moment, too, with some shredded leads adding to the song's overall pace and weight. Devil Inside continues the vibe of the opening two numbers to some extent, but the sound utilised throughout is a bit more metallic overall. The guitar tones used this time, alongside some more chugging riffs, feel more old-school metal than bluesy hard rock - and the prominence of Parkinson's bass, which also sounds pretty gritty, only enhances this vibe. I cannot recall an Inglorious song in the past which has sounded quite so metallic - and I like the slight shift in tone. The change is not night and day, but this is certainly not a throwback classic rock piece as is typical for the band - with some strange guitar melodies and synths utilised occasionally over the top of the more slab like guitar and bass riffing. Rogers' drumming is a bit more intense, too, but James sounds as good as ever - injecting some soul over the top of this heavier base.

Say What You Wanna Say returns to something a bit more typical for the band, though, despite a faster pace being retained. The opening riff reminds me of the bluesy hard rock acts of the 1980s such as Badlands, whilst the prominent bass playing and busy drumming help to give the song real depth. Despite this familiarity, though, there are a few tweaks to help keep things fresh. The opening section of each verse sees James delivering the lyrics in a spoken word-esque manner - with some subtle synths and effects on his voice giving these sections a unique feel. They feel a little jarring at first, but they have grown on me - and later parts of the verses are sung more typically. What really gives the song a boost, though, is its chorus - which is a real winner. It is one of the album's hookiest moments - with James' soaring vocal melodies showcasing why he is held in such high regard as a vocalist. Organ and layers of backing vocals help to bulk out the chorus, too, and the song is a good mix of old and new. Believe is the album's only real ballad, with the slow-burning piece welcome following four pretty intense hard rockers. Delicate acoustic guitar melodies open the song, over which James sings in a much more low key and soulful manner than he generally operates in. He injects plenty of emotion into the song, particularly during these stripped back early moments, and things slowly build around him. Bass guitar and percussion are added to the mix as the chorus is approached - which is when the band kick in proper and the track becomes somewhat more hard rocking. The chorus is not as hard rocking as what has come before, but it is still packed full of power compared to the rest of the track - with some intricate guitar melodies backing James' emotional vocals. The band have written strong ballads before, and this is another one. Returning to something more of a modern sound, and something a bit different for the band, Stand goes for a funky alternative rock sound - with Parkinson's bass playing the key driving force throughout. Big guitar chords and Rogers' groovy drumming flesh things out and help the song tick - but the bass playing is what drives this track, with the verses in particular featuring little else. James' vocals also return to that spoken word-type delivery from earlier - albeit with more of a melodic approach. The verses are quite stark compared to the band's usual sound, then, although the chorus is much more typical with more of a guitar presence and James' more high-octane delivery. The grooves and the funky approach really help the song to come alive, though, and it has grown on me quite a bit despite being a bit unsure at first - especially as I can see it working really well live. In Your Eyes is another slightly heavier piece - with the guitar and bass tones of Devil Inside repurposed here. The song does not feel as metallic as that previous song, though, but there is certainly a bit of a heaviness to some of the riffing here - with the bass once again adding plenty of grit thanks to its powerful tone. Snappy verses feature this bass tone heavily, but it is James which steals the show - his playful vocal melodies sticking in the brain easily. Another big chorus really brings the song together, too, with a smoother overall approach thanks to the groove of the drumming offsetting the toughness of elsewhere.

Silent opens slowly, with some delicate acoustic guitar melodies - but any thoughts that the song is going to be another ballad are soon banished when another big bluesy riff kicks in. The track is more dynamic and mid-paced than much of the album, though. The verses are more slow-burning, with soulful vocals and more prominent bass playing - whilst the chorus channels the more epic side of early Whitesnake thanks to James' excellent vocal performance and the wall-of-sound approach taken production-wise. As such, there is plenty of light and shade here. Inglorious do operate in this manner from time to time, but arrangement-wise they are not always the most interesting band. This is one song that plays with the arrangement a bit more, though, with the slower verses, the heavier chorus, and a more cinematic bridge section all coming together to create something melodic and quite varied. Returning to something more typical, End of the Road is another muscular hard rocker - with a bit of a juddering guitar riff driving everything, whilst the bass, yet again, is high in the mix. The pace is a bit slower than many of the other tracks here - but the mid-paced feel allows the riffing to really shine, with the bluesy sound of Badlands once again somewhat referenced. I really like the mix of the strange grooves of the main riff and the more snaking and smoother feel of the song's chorus - which is another real winner thanks to James' big vocal melodies. He has a knack for writing strong choruses and this is another big one - with some really heartfelt and powerful vocals which showcase him at his best. It is a chorus which sticks in the brain from the off. The song also contains what is likely the best guitar solo on the album. My main criticism of this album is the lack of lots of big guitar moments. The riffing is strong throughout, but I would have liked more soloing and lead playing - but the lack of such is likely the result of Shaw probably not being that involved in the album creatively. The solo here is great, though, and it makes the song really stand out as a result. The album then comes to a close with Power of Truth - another more dynamic piece which opens slowly. Again, it gives the impression of being a ballad early on. The acoustic guitar opening does last for quite a while, too, over which James adds his emotional vocals - but soon the song kicks into a much higher gear with one of the album's best riffs and some off-kilter, percussive drumming. It is a song which certainly feels bigger and more epic than many of the others here - which means that it feels like a true album closer. The main riff is great, with the chorus later going for a sweeping, cinematic feel rather than something more overtly hooky. It is a song which grows as a result, but it is a powerful album closer - with the return to the plaintive acoustic intro as the song fades out feeling fitting. Overall, then, and four years on from We Will Ride, Inglorious have returned with a strong new album and a new line-up. Shaw and James seem to have fitted in well, despite their metal and progressive rock backgrounds respectively, whilst James and Parkinson have written a number of strong songs to add to those from the past. My complaint regarding the lack of big lead guitar moments aside, I really like the sound and approach taken here - and there are a number of memorable songs here which will enhance Inglorious' setlist going forward.

The album was released on 6th June 2025 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Testify.

The Doobie Brothers - Birmingham Review

With Lynyrd Skynyrd behind me, and the memories of another excellent show burnt into my brain, it was time to look forward to one of my most anticipated shows of the year and the second night of my latest trip to Birmingham - a relatively rare UK appearance from the California-based rockers The Doobie Brothers. I have been lucky over the course of my life that I have been able to see the vast majority of my favourite bands live. There are some that have not existed for years, so I have not been able to see those bands for obvious reasons, but there are others that do not visit the UK all that regularly. Whilst The Doobie Brothers have visited the UK more than a handful of times before, both during their original 1970s heyday and more recently, with the exception of last year they had not performed in the UK since 2017 - when they undertook a brief UK tour around an appearance in London with Steely Dan. Before that, they last toured the UK properly in 2010 in support of the World Gone Crazy album - so UK appearances by the band have been relatively infrequent of late. Given that I only started listening to them properly in 2019, too, there had not been any opportunities to see the band live since. This changed last year, when they replaced Steely Dan as the opening act of the Eagles' run of shows at the Co-op Arena in Manchester. I had seen the Eagles before so, despite also liking Steely Dan, I did not get a ticket for any of the shows - and by the time Steely Dan dropped off the bill to be replaced by The Doobie Brothers the travel and accommodation prices were out of my reach, despite there being a few tickets left at some of the shows. It would have been a great double bill, but I just had to hope that the band would enjoy their return to the UK to schedule some shows of their own - and, thankfully, earlier this year those eventual headline shows were announced. Built around an appearance in Hyde Park with Jeff Lynne's ELO, which ended up being cancelled due to Lynne being ill, the band's tour hit a few key UK cities - and they were booked in large arenas which seemed ambitious given their relatively lack of activity here in recent years. Originally at the Utilita Arena, but moved to the BP Pulse Live a couple of weeks ahead of the show for unknown reasons, as was the case with Lynyrd Skynyrd the previous day and Toto earlier in the year, when I got to the venue I saw that it was set up to be made to look smaller - with the stage much closer to the back than usual. The turnout was somewhat similar to Lynyrd Skynyrd's, too, with quite a few empty seats at the back of the room, but the overall vibe seemed a bit stronger than it had been for Lynyrd Skynyrd - with those in attendance keen to have a good time. There was good reason for this, too, with the band hot on the heels of their latest, excellent, album Walk This Road (which I reviewed here) - and with all three of the band's key singer-songwriters from over the years on stage: Tom Johnston (vocals/guitar), Patrick Simmons (vocals/guitar), and Michael McDonald (vocals/keyboards/mandolin); the crowd knew that they were about to witness a tour-de-force of the band's impressive catalogue.

With no support act and the band hitting the stage at 8pm, everything was done and dusted by about 9:45pm. Given the need to get a train back to Birmingham from the NEC complex after the show, this early finish was welcome - and the band crammed plenty of music into their 100 or so minutes on stage. With the band taking the stage once some jazz which had been filling the venue finished, they immediately launched into their version of the Motown-era piece Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While) - with vocals shared between long-time touring bassist John Cowan, Johnston, and McDonald. Despite being a cover, the song is a Doobie Brothers classic - and the feel-good driving guitar chords from Johnston, boogie piano from McDonald, and the grooves from both Ed Toth (drums) and Marc Quiñones (percussion/vocals) gave the fast-moving song real zip. The shared vocal approach worked well, too, and the harmonies were tight - even if the backing vocals were a bit low in the mix during the first few numbers. Apart from this, though, the sound was generally very good. The percussion was audible, giving the band their trademark groove, whilst the separation between the guitars and the keyboards meant that everyone shined - particularly during the brief solo spots. The band did not jam extensively, but they did change up the arrangements somewhat - and stretched some songs out longer than they were originally. The McDonald-led Here to Love You felt rockier live, with the track turning into a bluesier piano-led piece rather than the synthy yacht rock of the original. This change helped the song to feel more organic and in-keeping with the band's original sound - but perhaps the first big highlight was an extended Dependin' on You, with Simmons taking the lead. The groovy rock of the original remained, but there was plenty of soloing throughout. Simmons, Johnston, and long-time band member John McFee (guitar/violin/harmonica/vocals) all soloed - as did touring saxophonist Marc Russo. Russo really impressed throughout the night, adding saxophone to plenty of songs which did not originally feature the instrument - and his many solos and countermelodies really enhanced the overall evening. Whilst most of the material played was culled from the band's 1970s albums, four songs from the new album were played. I was really pleased to hear so many of the new songs performed, as veteran bands often have a habit of largely ignoring their new albums, and the title track was thrown at the crowd early. The bluesy stomp is a great addition to the band's canon - with McDonald, Johnston, and Simmons all singing. Simmons sang more of the song live, in the absence of Mavis Staples, and this arrangement is likely how the song should have always sounded. The new material, and each reference the band made to the album, received a warm reception from the crowd - so it was nice to see the new material being well received. The biggest cheers were reserved for some of the big favourites, though, with Johnston showcasing he still has a great voice during a rousing version of Rockin' Down the Highway early on.

With three lead singers, each had a few opportunities to shine. Having McDonald back in the band gives Johnston and Simmons a breather at times, and It Keeps You Runnin' was one such example. McDonald still sounds good, even if he cannot reach those high notes anymore and changes some of the vocal melodies to suit his aging voice, with the mid-paced soulful rocker continuing on many of the grooves already laid down. It was nice to see Johnston playing some of these songs which he did not have much to do with in the past, too, and he occasionally even soloed during these late 1970s numbers whilst also helping out with the backing vocals. At times I did wonder if there was a little 'help' going on from a backing vocal perspective, but with six voices on the stage these moments seemed limited. The middle of the set was largely dominated by newer cuts - with Johnston's breezy Call Me and McDonald's Learn to Let Go straddling the evergreen Minute by Minute which received one of the biggest receptions of the night. The song is yacht rock 101 in many ways, and it was one of the highlights of this middle portion of the set - with McDonald sounding close to his prime during the smooth, snaking tune. Perhaps the best of the new songs, though, was Simmons' Angels & Mercy. It is a track which stood out on the album from the off, and live it sounded great, too, with Simmons' busy bluegrass guitar playing and melodic voice driving the track - whilst McFee added a lot of violin and resonator guitar melodies for depth. Simmons' guitar solo and the closing guitar/violin duel was one of the evening's best instrumental sections - and it showcased, along with a few other guitar solos during the evening, what McFee adds to the band. The last third of the set was largely reserved for rockier numbers - with the driving hard rock of Without You seeing the whole band harmonising together to support Johnston. This vibe was continued on throughout their rendition of the old gospel tune Jesus Is Just Alright, with Quiñones' conga playing really adding a lot to the driving shuffle of the piece. The vocal talent of the band really shone through here, too. The only relatively lower key moment during this part of the show was What a Fool Believes, although the piano-led pop tune received a huge reception - with McDonald delivering the lead vocal in his inimitable style. It was then turned over to Johnston to finish off the main set, with the one-two punch of Long Train Runnin' and China Grove a great double salvo. The former in particular was stretched out with plenty of saxophone additions, a harmonica solo from McFee, and lots of guitar soloing. It showed the band at their loose best - whilst the driving riff of China Grove was the closest the band ever got to genuine hard rock. A three-song encore followed, though, with Simmons' country piece Black Water opening this part of the show - with McFee again on violin, McDonald on mandolin, and the whole band harmonising nicely. McDonald and Russo then performed a saxophone-led version of Amazing Grace as an extended intro to the piano-led Takin' It to the Streets - with McDonald sounding excellent vocally and the band adding plenty of harmonies and heft. It was left to Johnston to close things out once again, though, with the final number being Listen to the Music - which had everyone up on their feet and singing along to the band's signature piece. It was a great way to end an excellent evening of music, and the band took their bows to plenty of appreciation from the crowd. The setlist was:

Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While) [Kim Weston cover]

Here to Love You

Dependin' on You

Walk This Road

Rockin' Down the Highway

It Keeps You Runnin'

Call Me

Minute by Minute

Learn to Let Go

Angels & Mercy

Without You

Jesus Is Just Alright [The Art Reynolds Singers cover]

What a Fool Believes [Kenny Loggins cover]

Long Train Runnin'

China Grove

-

Black Water

Amazing Grace [Traditional Christian hymn]/Takin' It to the Streets

Listen to the Music

Given that I had been a big Doobie Brothers fan since 2019, they had become something of a bucket list band for me. I had hoped to one day see them live, but I was growing less confident of doing so - so I was really pleased when this current tour was announced earlier in the year. The band put on a great show filled with most of their famous songs - alongside a nice selection of songs from their new album. They were tight, sounded strong vocally, and bantered a bit with the crowd which is always nice to see - and I was pleased to finally get the chance to hear many of these songs live and add the band to the vast list of those that I have been lucky enough to see live over the years.

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Birmingham Review

With trips to Torquay and Tavistock last week, July had already been fairly busy for live music - and that was before a trip up to Birmingham over the past couple of days which took in two concerts from long-standing, legendary bands from the US classic rock scene. Tomorrow's review will cover my first ever concert by The Doobie Brothers, hot on the heels of their latest album dropping, but today's piece focuses instead on the southern rock genre - with one of the founders of the sound and one of its best current exponents joining forces for an excellent show at the city's Utilita Arena. When discussing southern rock, perhaps there is no greater band that is synonymous with the sound than Florida's Lynyrd Skynyrd. Whilst The Allman Brothers Band may have been the first band to be called southern rock, they always covered more ground with their jazz and blues backgrounds - whereas Lynyrd Skynyrd solidified the true southern rock sound and the genre only exploded following their popularity throughout the 1970s. All of the southern rock bands to follow owed something to Lynyrd Skynyrd and they remain the genre's kings even today. The Lynyrd Skynyrd of today, though, is very different from the band of the 1970s. Everyone knows the tragic story of the 1977 plane crash, which took the lives of both frontman Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines, but the band's history has been laced with tragedy over the years - to the point now where no-one from the classic era remains. Founding guitarist Gary Rossington had been keeping the band going since their 1987 reunion tour, to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the plane crash, originally with other classic members who have all since died along way, until he himself died in 2023. I had assumed that the band would end following Rossington's passing, given that he was the only true link back to the 1970s band line-ups, but current frontman since 1987 Johnny Van Zant and guitarist since 1996 Rickey Medlocke, a southern rock legend in his own right thanks to his work with Blackfoot, have kept the band going - continuing to pay tribute to the many former band members who have since died. Medlocke has links back to the 1970s, having been in early versions of Lynyrd Skynyrd before their 1973 debut album was released, so there remains some legitimacy - and many of the current musicians in the band have been around for a number of years at this point. I had told myself that I was no longer interested in seeing Lynyrd Skynyrd live following Rossington's death, but when their latest UK tour was announced earlier in the year it did not take me too long to change my mind. It helped that Blackberry Smoke, a band I like a lot, were going to be opening for them - but I still also knew that the show would be a good one. It had been six years since I had last seen the band live, too, following a 2019 show with Status Quo - and it would be my third time seeing them overall. The Birmingham show made the most sense - so I headed up the UK's second city on Wednesday afternoon, ready for a night of southern rock.

I have been to the Utilita Arena quite a lot recently, having seen both Ghost and Iron Maiden already there this year. I think that it is fair to say, though, that both of those bands drew much larger crowds than Lynyrd Skynyrd - with the venue set up to make it look quite a bit smaller than it generally is, and even with those changes there were still quite a few empty seats towards the back. Still, a number likely in the low thousands were also up for a night of southern rock - and most were in place by 7:30pm when Blackberry Smoke kicked off their hour-long set. This was my fifth time seeing Blackberry Smoke live, and the country-tinged southern rockers always really deliver live - even if I sometimes find their albums to be a bit hit and miss. I was looking froward to seeing them again, and they did not disappoint - delivering an 11-song set which elicited a decent reaction from the crowd. Opening with the country strains of Workin' for a Workin' Man, the band seemed to want to hit the ground running. In general, it was a pretty up-tempo set - with plenty of riffing from the band's three guitarists and the keyboard playing of Brandon Still was high in the mix to allow his piano and organ to shine. Perhaps wanting to cram as much music as they could into their hour slot, the band did not jam as much as they often do. Frontman Charlie Starr still delivered plenty of melodic guitar solos, with fellow guitarist Benji Shanks also laying down some tasteful slide licks, but generally there seemed to be an urgency to the band's set - with the short yet rocking Hammer and the Nail, the feel-good Good One Comin' On, and the relatively more plaintive Pretty Little Lie all coming thick and fast early on. Despite this, though, Starr still made sure to talk to the crowd fairly regularly, coming across as his usual jovial self, and the fun side of the band was later shown through the funky Hey Delilah, which included some big vocal harmonies, and the slightly brasher Let It Burn. These songs all flew by, despite some soloing, but the band did allow themselves to stretch out during the set's centrepiece track Sleeping Dogs. This song often acts as a mid-set wig out, and I have seen the band segue into various different tracks during it. This time, they included a portion of the traditional folk song Midnight Special, made famous by Creedence Clearwater Revival, before rounding back to Sleeping Dogs' raucous chorus. There were clearly a few in who were fans of the band, but most around me did not seem that familiar with them. Blackberry Smoke certainly received a warm reception, though, and the lengthy workout around Sleeping Dogs likely helped. By this point there was not a huge amount of time left, but a couple more quicker numbers were run through before the band's signature ballad One Horse Town was the only real slower moment of the set. It elicited a little bit of a sing-a-long with those in the know - before the band's ever-present closing number Ain't Much Left of Me was wheeled out to bring the hour to an end. It opened with as snippet of Little Feat's Willin' before a portion of Led Zeppelin's When the Levee Breaks was also included during it - meaning that the set ended on a relatively lengthy jam with some rootsy energy. The setlist was:

Workin' for a Workin' Man

Hammer and the Nail

Good One Comin' On

Pretty Little Lie

Hey Delilah

Let It Burn

Sleeping Dogs/Midnight Special [Traditional American folk song]

Old Scarecrow

Run Away from It All

One Horse Town

Willin' [Little Feat cover]/Ain't Much Left of Me/When the Levee Breaks [Led Zeppelin cover]

Following a 30 minute changeover, the lights went down a short film detailing the early history of Lynyrd Skynyrd was played on the big screen. The band filed on as this played, and once it concluded they launched into their perennial set-opener Workin' for MCA. The mid-paced and riffy rocker has always been a great way to kick off a show - and from the off the band sounded tight and powerful. The first couple of numbers were perhaps a little boomy sound-wise, but these initial niggles were soon brushed off - and the mix was generally clear to allow the nuances of the band's sound to shine. Medlocke and Mark Matejka (guitar/vocals) traded solos during the barrelling rocker, showcasing their guitar firepower, whilst latest guitar recruit Damon Johnson, whom I had previously seen in both Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders, largely stuck to rhythm early on. Johnny remains a powerful and commanding frontman, too, and he has lost none of his voice in his near 40 year stint filling in for his departed brother. The band had 90 minutes to play with, and what essentially followed, with one exception, was a fan-favourite and hit-filled setlist. My main complaint with Lynyrd Skynyrd in recent years is their unwillingness to really shake up the setlist - but I understand why they do not. Whilst I might care about the band's more recent work, 90% of those in attendance likely did not - and this was very much a set to please the masses. This was clear when three songs from 1977's Street Survivors were played as something as a suite, with the boogie blues of What's Your Name, complete with lots of barroom piano from keyboard player Peter Keys, the more plaintive and slightly progressive That Smell, and the upbeat bluegrass/rock mash-up of I Know a Little all going down well. That Smell always showcases the slightly more complex side of the band's songwriting - whilst Matejka in particular impressed during the high-octane leads of I Know a Little. Another highlight early on was a great rendition of the shuffling Saturday Night Special, a groovy tune which is another which showcases that the band have always been great musicians. Southern rock often has a feel-good and simplistic feel, but Lynyrd Skynyrd have always had interesting and intricate arrangements - with the chugging riff and off-kilter chorus of Saturday Night Special a good example of such. Perhaps the real highlight for die-hard fans, though, was a mid-set inclusion of the deeper cut Cry for the Bad Man. This is not a song that has been played all that often in more recent years, so I really enjoyed hearing the moody semi-ballad - which Johnny owned vocally. Despite the time constraints, too, Johnny made plenty of effort to speak to the crowd - but I felt that he was not getting the reception he would have liked. I sometimes find crowds at all-seated classic rock shows a bit unresponsive - which was a shame in this case as the band's music deserves energy. This did not knock them back, though, with Medlocke taking the lead on The Needle and the Spoon being another highlight - before Tuesday's Gone was dedicated by Rossington. Johnson started to solo a bit more as the set progressed, with this one and Simple Man featuring him a bit more. He seems to fit nicely in the band, complimenting Medlocke and Matejka nicely, and he also led the way during the riffy Gimme Three Steps. The main set was coming to an end by this point, but an extended workout during Call Me the Breeze and the ever-present Sweet Home Alabama ensured that the crowd were on their feet by the end. Following a brief break, the band came back out for the obligatory rendition of Free Bird - but the lengthy track always really comes alive on stage. Johnny always sings it well, and Johnson's slide guitar playing captured Rossington's spirit nicely. It was left to Medlocke to close things out, though, and his gargantuan solo brought the curtain down on another excellent set from the legendary band. The setlist was:

Workin' for MCA

What's Your Name

That Small

I Know a Little

Saturday Night Special

Down South Jukin'

Gimme Back My Bullets

Cry for the Bad Man

The Needle and the Spoon

Tuesday's Gone

Simple Man

Gimme Three Steps

Call Me the Breeze [J.J. Cale cover]

Sweet Home Alabama

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Free Bird

Despite having no members left from the band's 1970s classic era, Lynyrd Skynyrd remain a fantastic live act and their Birmingham show this past Wednesday was very enjoyable. There has been a long lineage through the years which keeps the band feeling legitimate - with many of those on stage having been a part of the band for a long time at this point. Clearly there is still an appetite for the band live, even if the turnout and the crowd itself was a little on the disappointing side (touring at the same time as The Doobie Brothers likely will not have helped), and hearing those classic songs live again after a few years was a lot of fun.

The Doobie Brothers' 'Walk This Road' - Album Review

Over the past few years, the California-based rockers The Doobie Brothers have risen up the ranks and have become one of my favourite bands. They were a band I was familiar with in name-only for years, and had even picked up a few of their LPs cheaply, but in 2019 I saw a documentary about yacht rock which prompted me to finally give them a go. Given the nature of the documentary it focused on the Michael McDonald era of the band, but I think the first album I heard was 1973's The Captain and Me. I was basically hooked from the off, and the band's third album remains a real favourite - but I love the vast majority of what they have put out over the years, with much of the stuff released since their peak being enjoyable. Sadly, though, in more recent years, the band have not been as focused on releasing new music. They have remained a busy touring act over the years, but they clearly lost interest in writing new material for a while. This all changed in 2021, though, when the band released Liberté (which I reviewed here) - which was their first album of original material in 11 years, following 2010's World Gone Crazy. Given that my love of the band was still quite fresh at that point, Liberté seemed like a real event. It capped off my Doobie Brothers fandom, giving me something new to digest having had my fill of the band's excellent catalogue over the previous couple of years. I listened to Liberté a lot as a result, and I even included it in my Albums of the Year list in 2021. It is still an album which I play quite regularly, even though it is no classic, but I found it to be a feel-good album which dropped just things were getting better following the pandemic - so I associate it with that positive time. I was just happy to have something new from the band - and I hoped that it would not be the last that we heard from them. Thankfully, then, four years on from Liberté, The Doobie Brothers have struck again - having released Walk This Road last month. The key difference between Liberté and Walk This Road is that the latter is the first to feature McDonald as a full-time members of the band since 1980's One Step Closer. He has contributed to a few other albums as a guest, including the country-tinged re-recordings release Southbound from 2014, but Walk This Road is the first album he has contributed to properly in over 40 years. It is the first album that all three of the band's main singer-songwriters: Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, and McDonald; have properly contributed to since 1976's Takin' It to the Streets - and even on that album Johnston already had one foot out of the door so his contributions were limited. It is also the first time that all four of the current official members of the band, including instrumentalist John McFee, have made an album together. As such, Walk This Road is quite a historic release - and it seems to have received quite a lot of attention as a result. Format-wise, though, Walk This Road is similar to Liberté. Once again, John Shanks has produced the album - and he contributed to it significantly from both a songwriting and performance perspective. Each song was essentially written by one of the band members with Shanks - with each singer then supported by some of the other band members and a vast cast of notable session players, including names like bassist Pino Palladino, keyboard player Jeff Babko, and drummer Victor Indrizzo.

As such, not all of the band members are featured on every song. McFee, for example, only plays on four songs - but The Doobie Brothers sound is very much intact as was the case on the previous album. Despite Shanks seemingly responsible for the dumbing down of Bon Jovi over the years, he seems to work well with The Doobie Brothers - and my previous concerns over his involvement waned once I heard Liberté. With McDonald back, there is a bit more of the band's yacht rock side on show this time - but each element of their classic sound is very much represented here, with Johnston, Simmons, and McDonald all bringing their unique talents to the album. Of the 10 songs here, each singer essentially leads on three songs - with the opening title track featuring all three sharing the lead vocal duties. A shuffling drum groove and McFee's slide guitar opens up the McDonald-penned piece - and the groovy piece really harks back to the rockier of his previous contributions to the band mixed with the band's earlier drive. His voice might be a bit deeper than it once was, but he remains a strong and soulful singer - and he drives the first verse with his smoky vocals and boogie piano playing. A simple chorus is filled with the band's typical harmonies, horn swells, and more of McFee's excellent slide playing - before Johnston sings the second verse, sounding as strong as ever. McFee may not feature heavily throughout this album, but his slide playing during this song is great - and he throws in a bit of a solo following the second chorus. Strangely, though, gospel singer Mavis Staples also adds her voice to the song, singing the third verse. She sounds great, particularly as a foil to McDonald - but it means that Simmons' role feels diminished and he does not contribute as much as the other two. The song is great overall, though, and I can see it becoming a real hit with the fanbase thanks to its hooks and grooves. If Simmons did not make his mark during the first track, then his fast-paced country rocker Angel & Mercy showcases him at his best. His busy guitar lines and husky voice brings the smooth rocker to life - whilst McDonald adds his trademark backing vocals and Hammond organ throughout. This is another track with a lot of contributions from McFee - from his opening violin melodies, through some bluesy harmonica, to some mandolin additions. His various instruments ensure that the country-esque side of the band is on show - alongside Simmons' bluegrass guitar style which really drives everything. Simmons' later guitar solo is excellent, and packed full of melody, and the closing instrumental section which sees Simmons and McFee trading guitar and violin melodies back and forth is full of organic energy. The first Johnston-penned track here is Call Me - which is a laid back rocker which is typical of his style. Electric and acoustic guitar chords create a big sound, whilst occasional bluesy leads add colour - and the slightly brash vocal style of Johnston adds an edge. Like the opening song, too, there is a horn section employed on this piece - with regular touring saxophone player Marc Russo included this time. Apart from the guitar chug, the horn embellishments, and the occasional organ swell from Babko, there is little to complicate the arrangement - and the song feels like a Johnston classic from the 1970s. It is an organic rocker with a decent energy and a smooth vibe - with a snappy chorus providing a strong hook and Johnston laying down a tasty guitar solo.

Despite writing the title track, Learn to Let Go feels like McDonald really settling into his classic sound. This is very much him at his yacht rock best, with the song based around a tight drum groove which recalls the style of the late Jeff Porcaro and a mix of subtle electric piano drive and swirling synths. Simmons' electric guitar provides a subtle picked melody, but this is very much a keyboard-driven piece - whilst the bass playing of session king Sean Hurley adds a lot of depth. McDonald's voice oozes soul here. He might not be able to reach the highs of the past, but his deeper tones remain - and he still possesses all of the class on which he built his reputation. His vocal melodies are classic McDonald - with the chorus packed full of smooth hooks and harmony vocal counterpoints, embellished by Johnston. Simmons lays down a laid back and melodic guitar solo, too, and the track is very much a reminder of 1978's Minute by Minute in style. State of Grace is Simmons' second contribution, and his love of country music is very much on show here - with the track being an acoustic-based ballad. Gentle acoustic guitars and his distinctive voice drive the track, whilst a shuffling drum groove and plenty of keyboards fill in all the gaps. Melodic nuggets are thrown in by McFee - with his pedal steel getting quite a workout on this track. His playing is not as cutting as it was during the title track, but the pedal steel is used in a more atmospheric manner than his previous slide guitar efforts - gently rising through the warm keyboard and acoustic guitar bed. There are certainly stronger songs here, but a Simmons ballad is to be expected on each Doobie Brothers release - and this is a good example of such, with the atmospheric feel also showcasing the band's late 1970s sound at the same time. Here to Stay shines the spotlight back on Johnston, with the track being pretty similar overall to Call Me - insofar as it is an organic rocker with more of a strong guitar presence, thanks to some harmony guitar leads, and more of a straight ahead harder rock drum beat. The opening vocal harmonies, which see Johnston, Simmons, and McDonald join forces, showcase the remaining vocal power of the band - but this song is Johnston at his best overall, with his powerful voice rising above the more cutting guitars and the organic keyboards which back him up. The greater focus on keyboards and vocal harmonies, though, give this song a more cinematic feel than is often the case with Johnston's songwriting - and the song feels pretty big overall. This works well in my opinion - but Johnston still finds room for a melodic guitar solo. The Kind That Lasts is another McDonald piece - with the track being another slightly more rocking number compared to his more famous yacht rock style. There are shades of pieces like It Keeps You Runnin' throughout the track, but it is more organic and bluesy overall - with Shanks adding some subtle slide guitar and spiky blues riffing this time, whilst McDonald drives everything with his barroom piano playing and organ embellishments. McDonald has sometimes excelled at this type of song, though, and this is another pretty strong effort - with some excellent guitar playing throughout from Shanks and lots of varied keyboard playing from McDonald himself. There are strong rock grooves which keep the song feeling fresh - whilst McDonald's vocals are full of character despite him feeling bluesier than usual here.

New Orleans is Johnston's last contribution, but the track is another classic of his style. All of his contributions to this album are upbeat and pretty rocking - and this track is no different, despite McDonald adding some accordion at times and Babko's prominent piano playing. Johnston's guitar playing still drives the song, though, and he unleashes a few leads throughout - including a couple of pretty incendiary bluesy solos later on. There are moments where it sounds like this song is about to slow down, and turn into something swampier, but these moments are short lived - with the piece overall being another rocker with a strong drum groove and plenty of guitar firepower given the context of the album. Credit also needs to go to Sharlotte Gibson for her soulful counterpoint and harmony vocals during the closing moments of the song - where she backs Johnston nicely and adds plenty of power of her own. McDonald's last contribution to the album is Speed of Pain, another classic yacht rocker which is driven by his keyboard playing and soulful vocals. Whilst this song has grown on me quite a bit, and the chorus is masterful thanks to some organ additions and vocal melodies which are a bit different from the norm, I do not really like the programmed drums here. Indrizzo, who does a great job throughout the album, plays on part of the song - but early on the programmed drums are off-putting as they sound fake and tinny. I just wish real drums had been used throughout - and when the song gets going it sounds much better as a result. There are also some great instrumental moments which feature piano melodies and plenty of other keyboards for depth - so this, plus the emotional chorus, makes the song a strong effort. It just loses a point due to those twee programmed drums. The album then comes to a close with Simmons' Lahaina, a song which has been floating around online since 2023 - as it was released as a single to raise money for the victims of the Hawaii wildfires of the same year. Hawaii resident Mick Fleetwood (John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers; Fleetwood Mac) drums on the song in place of Indrizzo - whilst Hawaii-based musicians Jake Shimabukuro and Henry Kapono add ukulele and backing vocals respectively. Overall, the song is a typical Simmons smoother track - with lots of busy acoustic guitars, a slightly cinematic arrangement thanks to some dense vocal and keyboard layers, and an emotional bent. Simmons sounds great here, his voice perfectly suited to the piece, whilst McDonald adds plenty of backing vocals as well as a keyboard-led instrumental mid-section. McFee adds some resonator guitar melodies towards the end of the piece, too, and the album ends on an emotional and plaintive note - with Simmons' voice and the keyboard playing of McDonald seeing things close out smoothly. Despite its relatively short length, which I generally welcome in an era of overlong albums, Walk This Road is packed with variety thanks to the three songwriting and vocal styles of the core band members. All of the sides of The Doobie Brothers are represented here, from rockier pieces, through country and bluegrass, to the smoother yacht rock vibes of the late 1970s - with the authenticity which the band has always showcased very much on display. I liked Liberté a lot, but this album feels stronger - and it is easily their best album since 1989's Cycles, showcasing that the band have a late-career highlight on their hands with this latest release.

The album was released on 6th June 2025 via Rhino Entertainment Company. Below is the band's promotional video for Angels & Mercy.

Mostly Autumn - Tavistock Review

Given the sheer amount of music that I enjoy, it is hard to pin down my true favourite band. I tend to either say Mostly Autumn or Marillion if someone asks but, given that last night I saw them live for the 49th time, I think that the former really has to be the correct answer. They were the first proper band I saw live back in 2006 - and they essentially kick-started my true love of rock music and the gig-going lifestyle that I now lead. In more recent years I have not seen the band live as often as I used to, largely as they just do not play anywhere near as many shows as they once did, but I have still seen them live at least once a year since 2006 - with the exception, for obvious reasons, of 2020. I have always been lucky that one of the venues which they return to every year is The Wharf in Tavistock. This was the venue where I first saw them back in 2006 - and they have played there essentially every year ever since. Occasionally they used to play in Penzance and Exeter either instead of or as well as in Tavistock - but Tavistock has really become their South West venue of choice and they have generally been well-received there, with their crowds in recent years having swelled again following a few years where they seemed to drop off a little. Last night's show was also particularly interesting as it was the first time I had seen the band since they released their latest album Seawater (which I reviewed here) earlier in the year. It is always great to see which songs from a new album will make the setlist - and I was really hoping for quite a setlist shake up. Last year's shows featured a strong transitional set, bringing back a few old favourites which had not been played live for a number of years and seeing some of the newer ones which had featured regularly over the past few years given rests. In some ways, prior to last year, the band's set had not changed that significantly since White Rainbow (which I reviewed here) was released back in 2019. Many of the songs played from the 2019 album did not stay in the set for that long, particularly given that the band lost a whole year of touring, and by the time the 2021 dates rolled around Graveyard Star (which I reviewed here) was out. The Graveyard Star material suffered a similar fate, with early shows following the album's release featuring a healthy number of new songs before a number of them fell by the wayside. It is a shame that both White Rainbow and Graveyard Star suffered this fate - meaning that 2017's Sight of Day (which I reviewed here) was the band's last album that really seemed to feature heavily live. The 2017 album was even played in full at select shows - so it was a real shame that many of the great songs from both White Rainbow and Graveyard Star only featured live a handful of times or were never played live at all. Given that Seawater is another excellent album from the band, I was hoping that lots of the songs would feature live - and some of the setlists I had seen from shows earlier in the year gave me hope of such. I was really ready for a trip to Tavistock, then, which took place on a very hot evening. The venue was pretty warm throughout the show, then, particularly given the healthy turnout - and perhaps not helped by the admittedly excellent curry I had eaten beforehand.

Thankfully, once the lights went down and the sounds of nature filled the PA, it was clear that my wish was going to be granted. The band opted to open with the lengthy Let's Take a Walk, Seawater's opening track, and the joyous tune really set the tone for the night to follow. The slow-build of the song's opening was played over the PA as the band took to the stage, with Bryan Josh (vocals/guitar) singing the opening lyrics alone against this backing - with the rest of the band crashing in in a big way once a big drum fill heralded the change of pace. I really like how the song worked as an opener. The initial slow-burn helped to set a calm tone - and once the band launched into the folky hard rocker proper the typical Mostly Autumn sound was apparent, with frontwoman Olivia Sparnenn-Josh laying down plenty of vocal harmonies and multi-instrumentalist Angela Gordon adding some flute to a later section. What followed was a further 19 songs over the course of two sets which could well have made up my favourite Mostly Autumn setlist for a few years. In total, eight songs from Seawater were featured (seven from the main album and one from the special edition), a few old favourites were reinstated, and a handful of songs which needed a rest were dropped. It was a set which brought the best out of everyone, too, with Gordon in particular playing a lot of flute - and Josh seemed to sing more than usual which was welcome. My only real criticism of the night was that Sparnenn-Josh was quite low in the mix at times, which was apparent during second number Winter Dreaming, but this did improve somewhat as the set progressed. Regardless, the organic hard rock of Winter Dreaming sounded great live, with Iain Jennings (keyboards) laying down a big Hammond organ solo during it - before this harder rocking vibe was continued via Deep in Borrowdale. This was a song which had not featured for a few years, so it was great to hear it live again. It was one that used to feature a lot, so I was glad when it was dropped - but having not heard it much in recent times it was a treat to hear it again. Josh's driving riff and gritty vocals filled the room - whilst Sparnenn-Josh's big chorus shone, as did the folky mid-section with some playful flute melodies. Keeping the folky theme going, the plaintive intro to Western Skies also featured more flute, before Jennings' symphonic keyboards transformed the song into the cinematic rocker that it is. Gordon was also featured heavily during the folky Why Do We Remember All the Rain - a song which is a real hark back to the band's early days. Her whistle melodies and the acoustic guitar of Chris Johnson (vocals/guitar) set a warm tone throughout - with Sparnenn-Josh singing delicately as the song unfolded. The closing instrumental section was full of organic bombast, too, and this then gave way to the epic Future Is a Child - possibly my favourite song from the new album. The mix of the downbeat verses and the up-tempo chorus made for a spectacle - before Gordon once again added some gorgeous flute melodies to lead into one of Josh's best guitar solos of the night. It is the band's modern take on Evergreen, and it deserves to be in the set for years to come. Johnson's Silver Glass and a reinvigorated The Night Sky then brought the first set to a close - with the closing flute/guitar solo section of the Pink Floyd-esque latter being another overall highlight.

Following a break, during which it was good to get some fresh air, the band returned to the stage and the familiar drum machine and synths of Distant Train filled the venue. The classic instrumental piece had been absent from the set for quite a few years, so it was great to hear it live again, with more excellent flute and some symphonic keyboards from Jennings. Transitioning into Answer the Question then brought back memories of Mostly Autumn gigs past - with the chugging rocker seeing both Josh and Sparnenn-Josh singing before Jennings closed things out with an excellent piano-led section. This duo was an old-school opening to the show's second half, but the next four songs all came from Seawater - so it was great to be hit by so much new material at once. This suite of new songs covered a lot of ground, too, from the melancholic, atmospheric rock of My Home to the soaring power ballad If Only for a Day which was a real showcase for the vocal power of Sparnenn-Josh. Perhaps the overall highlight of this segment of the show, though, was the excellent When We Ran. Slightly shorter live than on the album, due to the opening section not being played, the synth-driven rocker worked really well - and it already feels like a piece which is at home in the set. Josh's reflective lyrics and the gorgeous vocal harmonies of Sparnenn-Josh brought the song to life - and it is one of the songs on the new album which continues to grow on me. It turned out to be a real barnstormer of a live track with lots more Josh soloing and another closing folky instrumental section. The rest of the set was largely made of regulars from the past few years - but they were all songs that I do not mind sticking around. The main songs which I thought needed a rest have generally been dropped - with some of my personal favourites remaining. The emotional Back in These Arms, Graveyard Star's only representative in the set, worked well following the ballad If Only for a Day - whilst the poppy rock of Into the Stars was a brief moment of upbeat respite following a number of quite emotionally-charged pieces. I will always enjoy hearing Johnson's excellent Changing Lives, too, with the alt-rocker giving the set a different flavour briefly - and the closing section featured a fair bit of singing from the crowd. As has often been the case in recent years, too, it was left to the gargantuan White Rainbow to close out the set - with the multi-part piece still impressing as a live number. From the swirling keyboards of the song's intro, Josh's organic initial vocal-led section, the more symphonic section which introduces Sparnenn-Josh, and finally the acoustic-led, upbeat closing section, the piece represents everything which is great about Mostly Autumn - and the band left the stage following it closing to large cheers. It was 11pm by this point, but a curfew at The Wharf has never been strictly enforced - so the band came back out for two further songs. The ever-present Heroes Never Die kicked off the encore section, with Josh's vocals and guitar solo as heartfelt as always, before Sparnenn-Josh took over for the big ballad Tonight - another song which has been welcomed back over the past year or so. Josh introduced the band during the song, too, and it brought another fantastic evening of live music in Tavistock to a close. The setlist was:

Let's Take a Walk

Winter Dreaming

Deep in Borrowdale

Western Skies

Why Do We Remember All the Rain

Future Is a Child

Silver Glass

The Night Sky

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Distant Train

Answer the Question

My Home

Be Something

When We Ran

If Only for a Day

Back in These Arms

Into the Stars

Changing Lives

White Rainbow

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Heroes Never Die

Tonight

I was really hoping for a big setlist shake up at this show, and I got it. It was great to hear so many of the new songs live for the first time - and there were also a few old treats included again which I had not heard for a while. I always enjoy a Mostly Autumn show, whatever they choose to play, but the setlist felt really well-structured and fresh last night - with Seawater certainly an album ripe for plundering live. Despite the heat in the room I think that the band and the crowd had a great time - and I am already looking forward to seeing the band live again, which will be my 50th Mostly Autumn show.

Cradle of Filth - Torquay Review

I think it is fair to say that, over the past few months, I have significantly changed my view on the British extreme metal legends Cradle of Filth. Ever since I became aware of the band in my teens, I have generally disliked them. A couple of their more overtly melodic songs aside, I always struggled with the band's abrasive sound and, particularly, the idiosyncratic vocals of founder and frontman Dani Filth. I also struggled with the way in which the band were often held in high regard by some of those at the stranger, using the term euphemistically, end of the metal scene - whom I have never really interacted with. I remember catching a short portion of the band's set at one of the iterations of Bloodstock Open Air, too, and lasted only a few minutes before deciding that they really were not for me. I am not sure exactly what prompted me to re-evaluate my views on the band, then, but I think them announcing a fairly local show to me in Torquay certainly helped. It was not a show that I bought a ticket for immediately, but seeing a band like Cradle of Filth in a place like Torquay certainly seemed like an interesting prospect. As I have detailed on this blog in more recent times, too, I have been making more of an effort with extreme metal over the past couple of years. Whilst much of this has been related to death metal, and Cradle of Filth were generally more associated with the black metal scene early on, I did wonder if it was time to give the band a proper go - so I picked up the band's latest album The Screaming of the Valkyries (which I reviewed here) not long after it was released earlier in the year. I was pleasantly surprised with the album, which I have been enjoying quite a lot of late, and it prompted me to look back to the past. Whilst I have not heard every Cradle of Filth album, I have probably heard around half of them now - and I have found more to like, whilst bouncing off some of it. The band's sound has changed quite a bit over the years - and I have latched onto the band's more melodic work whilst bouncing off the more intense and extreme albums. In truth, I am not sure that I have found an album yet that I have liked as much as The Screaming of the Valkyries - but some of the more melodic classics from the past, including 2004's Nymphetamine and 2006's Thornography, have also struck a chord. Following this catalogue exploration, I decided to get a ticket for the aforementioned Torquay show - as I could stay overnight in Torquay without needing to use annual leave due to being able to get an early train back the next morning. The plan worked well, despite the Travelodge being a bit of a walk from the venue, but it is nice to know that Torquay can be a solo option should the need arise again. The venue of choice for the band was The Foundry - a place I had only been to once before. I saw the Kris Barras Band deliver a powerful hometown show there last year - and I was impressed with the venue that night. It is a good sized venue for a place like Torquay - but it still has an intimacy to it. It has a large balcony, too, which was where I stood previously - and I opted to stand on the balcony again this time, which afforded a great view of the stage and of the crowd below. Following the walk from the hotel down to the seafront, I soon joined the queue which was already forming - and was inside the venue around half an hour later.

The only frustrating thing about the evening was the hour long gap between the doors opening and the music starting. Quite a few seemed to be getting restless during this time, and I was quite bored up on the balcony, but at around 8pm the lights went down and the Brazilian-based metal act Nervosa took to the stage. I was familiar with Nervosa in name-only, largely due to the band Crypta having been formed by some former Nervosa members, but for the next 45 minutes I largely found myself enjoying what was coming from the stage. Fronted by Prika Amaral (vocals/guitars), who proved to be a captivating frontwoman, Nervosa's sound straddled the line between thrash and death metal. Amaral utilised harsh vocals throughout, but they were quite thrashy, too, with the band's overall sound being heavy, fast-paced, and not too extreme. There was lots of busy and intricate riffing throughout the night, with Amaral and Helena Kotina (guitar) trading riffs and solos throughout. I was particularly impressed throughout with Kotina. Amaral laid down some memorable leads, but Kotina handled most of the leads and solos - and her solos in particular really shone. Her playing really helped to add some melody and fire into the band's set and, despite Amaral being a powerful frontwoman, I did feel that Nervosa may have felt a little one-dimensional without Kotina's shredding. This is not meant as a criticism despite it sounding like one - it is more to highlight that I thought the lead guitar elements within the band's music were what helped Nervosa to stand out. Having read a little about the band's history since seeing them, it does seem that they are a band that have gone through a rather large number of line-up changes. Hopefully Kotina sticks around - but I thought that the band as a whole was tight, with birthday girl Emmelie Herwegh (bass guitar), despite her instrument not initially working, and Gabriela Abud (drums) also impressing. A few of the songs played felt quite anthemic, too, with big choruses, which also showcased that thrash is a big part of the band's sound. There was some interaction with the crowd during these bigger choruses, too, and I felt that generally the band received a strong reception from the large crowd. I certainly enjoyed my time with Nervosa last night - and I intend to give the band a proper listen in due course.

Following the long wait for Nervosa's set, the gap between them and Cradle of Filth felt very quick in comparison - and it did not seem too long before the lights went down again and some classical music filled the room. The six members of the band took to the stage as the gothic sounds poured out of the speakers - and they soon launched into To Live Deliciously, one of the singles from the new album. I thought that the sound mix took a couple of songs to balance out, as the guitars were quite quiet at first, but thankfully Filth's voice was always pretty audible above everything else. His voice is certainly a barrier for some, and he sounded even weirder live than on the albums, but I was generally impressed with him. I did feel that some of his higher-pitched shrieks could sound on the silly side, but his growls and semi-spoken word delivery sounded powerful - and I felt that he was a great frontman throughout, constantly prowling the stage and delivering lots of strange banter between the songs. Once the sound levelled out, too, I felt that the rest of the band impressed, too. The guitar interplay between Ashok and Donny Burbage was high-octane and powerful - with both taking plenty of solos throughout the evening. Generally the newer material was that which impressed me the most, such as an early rendition of the anthemic She Is a Fire - but there were also older songs which I enjoyed, including the more keyboard-heavy The Forest Whispers My Name. This song prominently featured Zoë Marie Federoff (vocals/keyboards), too, thanks to her dramatic spoken word mid-section. She also provided the band's gothic depth throughout thanks to her all-enveloping keyboard playing - but I think it was vocally where she generally shone. She added lots of operatic backing vocals to the songs, and harmonised with Filth at times - whilst other songs saw her take the lead more from a vocal perspective. Two other newer numbers in Malignant Perfection and Heartbreak and Seance also impressed early on - but it was likely the famous power ballad Nymphetamine Fix which really drew me in. This was one of the few Cradle of Filth songs I liked before my recent exploration of their catalogue - and it sounded strong live, with Federoff doing her best Liv Kristine impression during her portions of the song. It was one of the few moments in the set, too, which saw the crowd calm down somewhat. The amount of moshing and crowd surfing was impressive - but I was glad to be on the balcony! The ballad saw more singing along instead, though, but the old favourite Born in a Burial Gown saw the mosh pits open back up again. Another big highlight for me then was the thrashy White Hellebore, with more excellent vocals from Federoff. The track is likely my favourite from the new album, so I was glad that it was played, and following the song the band took a step off stage whilst two old instrumentals played over the PA. I assume this was the band's equivalent of the traditional encore break, but it felt a little strange - before three old favourites were wheeled out to round out the band's 80 or so minute set. It was the closing track Her Ghost in the Fog which I enjoyed this most, as this was another I liked back in the day. It was a powerful end to an enjoyable set - one that I am glad I attended. The setlist was:

To Live Deliciously

The Forest Whispers My Name

She Is a Fire

Malignant Perfection

The Principle of Evil Made Flesh

Heartbreak and Seance

Nymphetamine Fix

Born in a Burial Gown

White Hellebore

Creatures That Kissed in Cold Mirrors/The Monstrous Sabbat (Summoning the Coven)

Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids

Death Magick for Adepts

Her Ghost in the Fog

Blooding the Hounds of Hell

Whilst I am still no die-hard Cradle of Filth fan, I certainly like the band a lot more than I did earlier in the year - and I glad that I have now seen them live. They are a legendary band that always seemed like a gap in my knowledge - and I enjoyed the show despite not being au-fait with all of the band's material. The focus on newer and more melodic music was welcome - but the classics still sounded good, with the band's current line-up being a powerful force.

Pythia's 'V - Part 1: Unhallowed' - EP Review

The fact that my last two reviews on this blog, including this one, cover symphonic metal bands proves my recently made point - which is that I have started to listen to the genre again much more in recent times. A few of the big hitters stuck with me, but I did lose interest in the genre, alongside similar genres like power metal, for a while, and I have enjoyed revisiting some of those bands I used to listen to a bit more regularly. One such band is the UK-based symphonic metal act Pythia. In fairness, the band have been fairly quiet in recent years, so there has been little to drawn me in - but I do not think that, until earlier this year, I had even listened to any of the band's albums since I covered their last album, The Solace of Ancient Earth (which I reviewed here), back in 2019. I certainly enjoyed The Solace of Ancient Earth, although perhaps not as much as some of what had come before, and it relaunched the band following a rather major line-up overhaul - showcasing that the then new-look Pythia could still cut the mustard. Since releasing their fourth album, though, Pythia have been pretty quiet. They undertook a few shows in 2019 to support the album - but in more recent times they have only played a handful of shows, with the pandemic also likely not helping matters. I would imagine that Pythia are essentially a glorified hobby for those involved; which is not to belittle the band's efforts, more to acknowledge the unfortunate reality that many smaller bands find themselves in; and symphonic/power metal bands from the UK have often struggled to take hold. The genres are just not that well loved here for whatever reason, with most of the genre's big hitters generally relegated to one UK show per tour at one of the smaller London venues - and bands from the UK which try and make it in the symphonic and power metal worlds generally do not succeed. That being said, though, Pythia really should be more well known. Earlier this year, following the announcement of their latest release, I went back and relistened to all of their albums for the first time in many years - and really enjoyed what I heard. Their debut album, Beneath the Veiled Embrace from 2009, should really be seen as something of a minor classic of the genre - and the three which followed, including the aforementioned The Solace of Ancient Earth, are all very enjoyable. Only guitarist Ross White and drummer Marc Dyos remain from the band's early days now, though, but the current Pythia line-up has been in place for a number of years at this point - having debuted on The Solace of Ancient Earth. Given the band's many line-up changes in the past, and the general turnover of members that bands of Pythia's size tend to experience, it is surprising, but welcome, to find the same line-up in place in 2025 - and the current six-piece is therefore responsible for the latest EP V - Part 1: Unhallowed. Rather than release a fifth album, it seems, Pythia have decided to release their new material in chunks - assuming that, given the EP's title, at least one more part is to follow. EPs are often welcome, bite-sized additions to catalogues - and V - Part 1: Unhallowed finds Pythia feeling assured and together following their first outing as line-up six years ago. The band's classic and very traditional take on symphonic metal is very much intact - with frontwoman Sophie Dorman showcasing both some classical tendencies and plenty of melodic power.

Guitarist Jamie Hunt, bassist Ash Porter, and keyboard player Marcus Matusiak complete the line-up - with all six musicians pulling together on the EP's five songs to create a memorable 25 or so minutes of music. Pythia are not exactly breaking the mould with this EP, but as an example of memorable and often guitar-heavy symphonic metal there is a lot to like here. Kicking off with Unhallowed, choral vocals slowly fade into view - setting a gothic tone. As if to reinforce the band's somewhat heavier take on typical symphonic metal, though, a big guitar riff soon kicks in - which morphs into a lengthy and melodic lead guitar section, with precise leads providing an early hook before a shredded passage transitions between the intro and the song proper. Matusiak's keyboards still play a big part throughout, filling out the verses and providing some subtle melodies during a later pre-chorus, but these songs are generally very guitar driven - with the crunch from White and Hunt propelling the verses and the busy drumming of Dyos reinforcing the band's tougher approach. The song gallops along at power metal-esque speed, then, with the pre-chorus slowing things down somewhat to allow the aforementioned synth hook and a shredded guitar motif to shine - but both the verses and the chorus are largely fast-paced, with Dorman showing remarkable clarity of voice despite the speed. A later instrumental section kicks off with a power metal keyboard solo, before a shredded guitar solo takes over - reinforcing Pythia's general approach to busier instrumentation than is often the case in the genre. Path of Decay also opens somewhat slowly, with some haunting clean guitar melodies and shimmering keyboards setting an early tone - but it is not long before the rest of the band crash in, and another melodic guitar lead takes over to create a hook over a tougher backing. Compared to the opening track, though, Path of Decay is a bit more mid-paced overall. Dyos lays into his double bass drums a lot less here, despite some busy fills, with somewhat groovy riffing instead creating the song's character. The verses in particular allow the guitar riffing to shine, with Dorman singing in a slightly lower register over a mix of doomy chords and chugging riffs - before she transitions to something more akin to her usual delivery for a more bombastic chorus which is packed with busier drumming and ever-present guitar leads. There is more crunch during the guitar solo section, too, which is based around a simple riff and drum pattern - but this allows the shredded leads to really shine. A Curse in the Blood slows the pace down further, building on some of the doomier moments of the previous track - emphasising the band's heavier approach. There is no slow build this time, with a crunchy riff kicking in from the off, creating a lumbering sound which works well. The gothic side of the genre is showcased here, and the arrangement is allowed to be dynamic - with more spacious verses featuring chiming guitar melodies, more prominent bass, and percussive drumming. Despite this, though, the song never feels like a ballad - and there are similarities to early Within Temptation at times, despite a crunchier and flashier sound overall. Dorman's voice is always full of character, too, and the slower pace allows her to showcase a bit of emotion in the verses - before her classical-adjacent delivery spices up the heavier chorus.

Returning to a faster pace and a much more bombastic sound, Muses of the Night feels like Pythia at their most epic - and this is apparent right from the off thanks to some fast-paced riffing and shredded guitar leads. There is little of the tougher restraint that the band can often show, and this song feels a hark back to their early days - when Pythia were really attempting to produce something bombastic on a budget. They have always excelled at such a sound, though, and Muses of the Night is no different. The plentiful guitar leads throughout keep the song exciting, whilst Dyos really lays into his double bass drums and Matusiak creates plenty of symphonic textures with his keyboards. The guitars impress throughout with their crunch and dexterity, but really this is a song to showcase Dorman. The speed does not seem to affect her, and she is able to lay down plenty of hooky and clear melodies despite the overall pace - and she also utilises her most pseudo-operatic delivery on the EP during the chorus, which sees her hold a note for a long time against a galloping backing and shredded guitar lead only to later deliver another higher pitched line. The song is true symphonic metal bombast combined with old-school metal riffing and drumming - and this part of what I have always liked about Pythia. The EP then comes to a close with Bright Flame - which opens with Dyos' drumming, as he lays down a percussive, mid-paced beat, around which the song then builds. Reining in some of the bombast of the last song, the track returns to a crunchier mid-paced sound - with guitars and Dorman's voice soon joining the initial drum pattern. This groove is returned to throughout the song, but the arrangement is a bit more varied overall - with parts of the verses featuring piano melodies filling the gaps between guitar chords, whilst other sections feel more guitar-driven and groovy. Parts of this song are some of the most keyboard-heavy moments on the EP as a whole, which goes to show how guitar-focused Pythia tend to be compared to many other symphonic metal acts. This keyboard prominence helps the song to stand out, though, and Dorman's voice shines against this arrangement - despite her more than holding her own during the heavier sections. A later folky guitar melody heralds a bit of a change of pace, too, leading to a vocal bridge before a wah-drenched guitar solo takes over. The mix of crunch and a more dynamic arrangement is a welcome addition to the EP, despite the band's core sound still being apparent, and Bright Flame ensures that things end on a grounded and groovy note. Overall, then, V - Part 1: Unhallowed represents Pythia doing what they do best. It may not move the needle significantly on the band's overall sound, but following a six year gap between releases it is just great to hear Pythia still sounding vital and exciting - building on their past work. I hope that there are more songs from these sessions to follow in a future EP - and I would also like to catch them live in the near future, as it has been many years since I saw them opening for Sonata Arctica back in 2013.

The EP was released on 23rd May 2025 via Golden Axe Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Unhallowed.

Moonlight Haze's 'Beyond' - Album Review

I have noted on this blog quite recently that my coverage of power and symphonic metal seems to have increased somewhat again. Power metal was one of my favourite genres in my teens, but over the years I started to drift away from it somewhat. I kept up with my true favourites, but I think that the over-the-top nature of some power metal, alongside what can often be a bit too much cheese, started to wear me out - with some of the more bombastic acts I used to listen to falling by the wayside. I have started to appreciate this sort of music a bit more again, though, and a strong dose of fun can sometimes be an antidote to the heavier music I often find myself consuming - as well to an increasingly uncertain world in general. It is perhaps fitting, then, that one of my favourite albums so far this year is Avantasia's Here Be Dragons (which I reviewed here) - and the show I saw the band perform in London back in March was another overall highlight of the year to date. Following a couple of weaker albums, in my opinion, Here Be Dragons felt like Tobias Sammet finding his mojo again - and writing songs first, rather than focusing on bombast and spectacle. Write good enough songs and the spectacle will surely follow - and Avantasia's 'comeback' somewhat mirrors my own re-embracing of power metal. I mention Avantasia as the band I am covering today I started listening to because of them - as the frontwoman of the Italian symphonic metal act Moonlight Haze, Chiara Tricario, has been a touring vocalist with Avantasia for the past few years. I would be lying, though, if I said that Avantasia truly introduced me to Tricario, as I also knew that she was the original singer of Temperance - but I am generally familiar with Temperance's more recent work on which she does not feature. Moonlight Haze was the band that Tricario and drummer Giulio Capone formed in 2018 after they both left Temperance - and this year saw the release of their fourth album Beyond. Both Tricario and Capone were songwriters on those early Temperance albums, so it is unsurprising that Moonlight Haze is essentially their band. Whilst the line-up has remained stable since 2018, Tricario and Capone essentially drive the band in terms of songwriting - with Capone also acting as the band's keyboard player. Whilst Temperance have generally always felt like a power metal band with some symphonic flourishes, Moonlight Haze feel closer to symphonic metal. They are not as bombastic nor as grand as the big hitters in the genre, and their power metal influences are still very much present, but there is a smoothness and orchestral feel to Moonlight Haze which sets them apart from Temperance - at least on Beyond. I have not heard any of the band's previous three albums so I cannot compare Beyond to them - but my impression of the band is that they like to write accessible material. This is a pretty short album, as are all of the band's albums, which means it is an album for any occasion - and it sounds lush thanks to Sascha Paeth's production. This is Paeth's first time working with the band, again likely due to the Avantasia connection, and working with such a named producer seems like a step up for Moonlight Haze.

As mentioned, Moonlight Haze's line-up has remained the same since they formed - with guitarists Marco Falanga and Alberto Melinato and bassist Alessandro Jacobi joining Tricario and Capone. This is a much more guitar-focused album than is sometimes the case with symphonic metal, so there are plenty of riffs and solos here, but the opening title track is essentially a piano-led piece which nicely sets a more serene scene. Rolling, classically-influenced piano opens the album, then, over which Tricario starts to sing ethereal wordless vocals - showcasing her range early on with a mixture of delicate and more powerful vocalisations. She soon starts to sing proper, her breathy approach mixing nicely with the busy and rumbling piano melodies. As I will describe shortly, she is a bit different from most symphonic metal singers - but she has a pleasing tone and a powerful delivery, which is exemplified during these early stages of the album. Subtle vocal harmonies add depth, but essentially this opening piece is purely her voice and Capone's piano - and it works well as an intro despite the rest of the album being much heavier. This heaviness is apparent as soon as Tame the Storm kicks in, as the guitar-driven piece showcases the core Moonlight Haze sound proper - with chugging mid-paced guitar stabs early on, and a faster-paced verse which kicks in once Tricario starts to singing. Her voice is grittier than many symphonic metal singers. She can still deliver some pseudo-classical moments when needed, as it showcased during a bombastic pre-chorus, but generally she rocks out a lot more - and her gritty voice really brings the snappy and riffy verses to life. The chorus is similar gritty, too, but the guitars let the chords hang a bit more here, to allow the strings to shine through, whilst the vocal melodies feel a bit more anthemic overall. A latter shredded guitar solo, which ends with some excellent neo-classical runs, showcases the band's more guitar-heavy sound, too, and there are also plenty of riffs and little technical guitar moments throughout the song which differ from the gothic chugs which often fill symphonic metal albums. The first heavy track here is a snappy and memorable piece, then, and it showcases the best of the band in my opinion. Crystallized is similar, but the track is more of a mid-paced anthem overall - reining in some of the power metal bombast of the previous song and going for more of a typical symphonic metal sound. The opening guitar riff is hooky and memorable, though, with a synth hook doubling it for effect, whilst the verses are a bit more typical of symphonic metal with a strong bass presence, plenty of strings, and occasional guitar accents. Tricario retains her gritty approach for parts of the song, but generally she sings this one in a smoother manner - showcasing her impressive range. The chorus, which is filled with sweeter-sounding vocal melodies which really stick in the brain, is very hooky and it is one of the album's most memorable moments in my opinion - especially when later renditions of it re-use the song's opening riff to create a powerful mix of vocals and guitars.

Chase the Light opens with a short rendition of the song's chorus, which Tricario giving it her all against a synth backing, before the rest of the band kick in - laying down a chunky guitar riff which is again backed by some flashy synths. Much like the last song, this is another pretty mid-paced piece overall - but the song feels a bit tougher. The guitars are pretty crunchy here, which give the song a heavier feel overall - whilst Jacobi's bass also really stands out during the verses in particular. Tricario's gritty vocal delivery is also put to good use here - particularly during the soaring chorus. It is another chorus which really sticks in the brain, even if it has a very typical symphonic metal feel - and it contrasts nicely with the verses which are delivered in more of a smooth manner. A lengthy guitar solo section is impressive, too. It opens with some chaotic shredding, before a more controlled, bluesy section takes over. Would You Dare? returns to some of the faster-paced crunch of Tame the Storm, presenting a guitar-heavy sound from the off - with plenty of punchy drumming and more of Tricario's heavier vocal style. There is little of her smoother approach here, with the song necessitating the rougher side of her delivery - which really shines throughout, particularly during the snappy and fast-paced chorus. The combination of her voice and the crunchy guitars gives the song a heavier overall feel - but there are still plenty of hooks here, with the chorus in particular standing out. There are occasional harsh vocals here, too, but I am not sure who performs them - although some of the higher-pitched screams sound like Tricario really pushing herself vocally. The brief harsh vocal usage works well - particularly when it heralds the introduction of the song's big guitar solo which is another flurry of notes. L'eco Del Silenzio slows things down and acts as the album's ballad, with big acoustic guitar chords opening things up - over which Tricario soon starts to sing alongside the addition of some strings and subtle percussion. Parts of the song are sung in Italian, a language which always seems to work well for ballads, with the romantic language sounding strong against the background of acoustic guitars and dense strings - with Capone adding some piano melodies here and there, too. The piano takes over in a more significant way later on in the song, with a lengthy piano-led instrumental section letting Capone showcase his skills in a more obvious manner - before Tricario starts to sing again. D.N.A. (Do Not Apologize) returns to the band's core heavier sound, with probably the album's biggest riff kicking things off. It is nice to hear a symphonic metal album with more prominent riffs, as so often the guitar is relegated to the background, but that is not generally the case here - with D.N.A. (Do Not Apologize) sounding meaty throughout thanks to the driving riffing of Falanga and Melinato. The strings and orchestrations remain, adding depth, but they do not dominate - with the riffing and the tough vocals of Tricario really shining throughout. She sings in her heavier style throughout this song - with the fists-in-the-air chorus really showcasing the best of this side of her. It is a gritty song overall, then, and it is easy to latch onto thanks to these hooks and the vocal power on display - whilst a folky instrumental section later adds some further melody.

Untold opens with some programmed beats and some phased guitar riffing, and the track continues on this more modern vibe throughout. Sparkling synths and slightly gated drumming give the song a bit of a different sound overall - but the strings still remain to add a grandness. Despite the presence of the synths and the bigger beats, the guitar riffing still tends to dominate - giving the song a heavier overall feel. Tricario sings the song in a poppier manner which suits the slightly different approach taken throughout - although she does toughen up a bit for the chorus. For some reason, though, I find the song's chorus a bit jarring. I can see that the band have tried to go for an upbeat feel, with big hooks, but the overly-upbeat vibe somewhat clashes with the rest of the song for me. The song has a pop vibe, but the chorus feels a bit too Amaranthe-esque for Moonlight Haze - and the contrast in styles feels a bit off in my opinion. Time to Go returns to something more typical for the band, with a crunchy and fast-paced guitar riff opening things up - with the song on the whole going for a heavy, mid-paced feel. There are faster moments, with the chorus picking up the pace and employing some double bass drumming, which mirror that opening riff - but much of the song is more mid-paced and cinemati, with crunching guitar riffing throughout, occasional bursts of harsh vocals, and widescreen synths and strings. Tricario also gets to showcase her vocal range here - with some operatic moments during the song's pre-chorus, whilst other sections see her gritty delivery contributing to the overall heaviness nicely. A heavy instrumental section later on sees some of the toughest riffing and drumming on the album overall - but the symphonics remain to add some colour before a big guitar solo takes over. The album then comes to a close with Awakening - a mid-paced rocker with a more typical symphonic metal feel. The opening riff is more synth-backed than is often the case here, whilst the guitars generally drop away a bit more here during the verses - with the bass taking the lead a bit more and symphonics filling in all of the gaps. Tricario also sings in a more classically-inspired manner throughout. The sweeter side of her voice is very much on show here - and she adds an ethereal side to the song to suit the big strings elsewhere and the more restrained guitar crunch. There is little of the grit of the band's core sound here - with the track feeling like a true symphonic metal piece without any of the band's power metal side. There is still a big guitar solo, though, which does channel that side somewhat, but instead this is a smoother song overall - with strong hooks during a melodic chorus - which ends the album in fine fashion. Overall, then, Beyond is a strong album which I have been enjoying over the past month or so. It is nothing especially new, but the tougher overall approach is welcome and the band do not sound like a clone of any of the genre's big hitters - which can often be the case in symphonic metal. There is certainly a core sound here despite the album feeling familiar given the age of the genre at this point - and there is a lot to like here for those who prefer their symphonic metal a little heavier.

The album was released on 23rd May 2025 via Scarlet Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Tame the Storm.