Wayward Sons' 'The Truth Ain't What It Used To Be' - Album Review

Despite being quite a big Little Angels fan, it was not until earlier this year that I finally got around to checking out that band's former frontman's new band. Toby Jepson has been an ever-present face in the British hard rock scene since Little Angels burst into the world in the mid 1980s, and has worked with Fastway, Gun, and even the Dio Disciples around various Little Angels stints and solo activities. I was pleased to get a chance to see Little Angels when they undertook a rare UK tour in 2012, but since the band seemingly called it a day for a good a year later Jepson has largely spent his time working as a solo artist - as well as producing other acts, including big-name bands like Saxon. Wayward Sons are, therefore, Jepson's first real full-time band since Little Angels broke up again - and they have been hard at it on the road since launching in 2017. I am not really sure why I did not jump immediately on board with the band. I remember watching the video for Until the End when it was released, but I remember it leaving me cold at the time. Considering the song is now one of my favourite Wayward Sons tracks I find my earlier views hard to believe, but something about it just turned me off at the time. I think part of the issue could have been that the band were signed to Frontiers Records - a label I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with. They have released a lot of great albums over the years, and have helped a lot of veteran acts out which other labels are no longer interested in, but they have also released a lot of manufactured rubbish that pairs seemingly random groups of musicians together in the studio to record cookie-cutter AOR songs written by one of a handful of their in-house songwriters. Some of these projects have turned out to be enjoyable, such as Revolution Saints, but many sound half-baked and thrown together - which is exactly what they are. I am always therefore suspicious of new bands that Frontiers start to promote, and I think I could have unfairly dismissed Wayward Sons at a time when I was particularly jaded with the label's output. That was to my detriment however, as the band's 2017 debut album Ghosts of Yet to Come is actually really strong. I finally picked up a copy earlier this year and listened to it quite a bit on the run up to seeing the band supporting Black Star Riders in October - which, incidentally, was the day before the release of the band's second album The Truth Ain't What It Used To Be. As I had gotten into the band's debut, I pre-ordered The Truth Ain't What It Used To Be and a shiny signed copy turned up for me not long after the gig. Soundwise, the new album is quite similar to the debut - but does seem to have branched out a little. The debut is more of an in-your-face hard rock album, whereas this one shows more diversity in the songwriting, while still largely maintaining the band's core sound.

The album kicks off with the droning chug of Any Other Way, which sees Jepson singing against a simple guitar backing. It is a fairly low key opening to the album, with Jepson taking centre stage with his guitar rhythms and vocals, although drummer Phil Martini soon joins in with a percussive beat - before the whole band crashes in for a fast-paced, explosive chorus. Wayward Sons' sound generally is quite basic, but still manages to whip up a fair amount of energy - and this track is a great example of that. The chorus is instantly catchy, with Jepson spitting out the lyrics in an almost punky way, while Dave Kemp adds some subtle washings of Hammond organ. The song, like many here, is short and too-the-point, which helps the albums thirteen songs really fly by. As Black as Sin opens in a similar fashion, with a simple guitar rhythm, but lead guitarist Sam Wood soon takes over with a bluesy lead that gives way to a kinetic verse with Jepson's tough guitar rhythms keeping everything moving along with Martini's drumming. Anyone familiar with Little Angels will know of Jepson's ability to craft a catchy chorus, and it is the choruses which are usually the high point of each song here. That is the case with As Black as Sin, as catchy wordless vocal harmonies sit just behind Jepson's lyrics to really enhance the overall mood of the chorus - something which helps it to stand out from the crowd somewhat. After the fast-paced assault of the opening two numbers, Joke's On You slows things down a little to present more of a mid-paced hard rock sound. Kemp's keyboards are given greater prominence here, with ringing piano lines during the song's intro, and a piano-led bridge-section part-way through showcasing his skills. Elsewhere, the song is classic Wayward Sons with an AC/D-esque riff backing the simple verse, before a somewhat anthemic chorus showcases some catchy melodies and big vocal harmonies. Wood also gets the chance to shine with some lovely bluesy leads throughout the piece, especially towards the end, with his tasteful playing helping to elevate the album's lead single further. Little White Lies is another of the album's singles, and it opens with a soaring Wood guitar lead that echoes Queen's Brian May a little, before a Beatles-esque verse takes over with plonking piano notes backing up the rhythm guitars and Nic Wastell's bass. This is a track that showcases the diversity in the songwriting that the band have employed here, as this sounds quite different to the vast majority of the material featured on the debut album. A slightly more poppy overall sound is represented throughout the song, but the band's rock roots are still retained with a stomping chorus and the occasional burst of hard rock lead guitar. Despite his talents, Wood's solos throughout the album are usually fairly short so it is always good to hear him injecting leads outside of his traditional solo sections to keep things interesting.

Feel Good Hit returns to the fast-paced hard rock of the album's opening couple of numbers, with a brash opening guitar riff driving everything from the off and a strange keyboard pulse is present to back it up. This is a song made to be heard live, with a chorus that needs a crowd to be singing along with it and some excellent riffing throughout from Wood. There is a bit more of a modern sound utilised throughout here, with Kemp creating some strange synth soundscapes throughout. His keyboard playing is generally quite traditional, with piano and organ making up the bulk of his repertoire, but here there are synths used throughout that add depth and help to drag the song into the modern day at the same time. Fade Away slows things down again, with Kemp's piano opening the song and providing the early basis for Jepson's vocals. Wayward Sons are not really a band for ballads, but this track is a rare slower song for them and it is nice to hear Kemp really dominating. On the first album his keyboards were pretty much always totally buried in the mix, but on this album he seems to have taken on a greater role in the band - and this track features him in a big way. Despite being a ballad, the song is still quite anthemic with a strong hooky chorus and the occasional burst of bluesy lead guitar from Wood. There are more Queen-esque guitar moments here too, with a solo section that really showcases Wood's love of May. It fits in really well with the song, as it comes just before everything drops out again to leave Kemp and Jepson alone - before one final ramp up to a closing chorus. Have It Your Own Way toughens things up again, and opens up with a staccato guitar pattern that is present throughout most of the song, with Wastell's bass taking on a more prominent role to keep things sounding nice and heavy. In my opinion though the song sacrifices some melody for a heavier feel. It is a song that lacks many of the big melodies found elsewhere, with a grinding heavy groove replacing them. This is not necessarily a bad thing, and again showcases the different vibes that the band experimented with here. The chorus is certainly not as catchy as many of the others, but the bass presence throughout creates a strong atmosphere. Towards the end Wood also seems to begin to attack his guitar with a slide, which is another different sound for the band that helps to keep things interesting. Long Line of Pretenders is more typical of the band's core sound, with a great guitar lead opening everything up before a simple verse takes over with a groovy guitar rhythm. This is one of the strongest tracks on the album in my opinion, as it really showcases the best of the entire band throughout. Jepson's vocal performance is great, with his chorus melodies being packed full of hooks, and Kemp once again gets a prominent role with lots of boogie barroom piano throughout. The guitar playing throughout is top notch too, with lots of lovely leads from Wood. This is the sort of track I want to see more of in the future, with an open production that really lets everyone shine. (If Only) God Was Real is a bit more of a chug, with raw-sounding guitar riffs driving everything forward while Wastell's bass rumbles around beneath to add depth. There are catchier songs here, but it is a track that manages to create a strong energy throughout - with the occasional heavy riffs that crop up really giving things a kick up the backside. The pace ensures that the track does not outstay its welcome, and it still positively contributes to the album despite a lack of any big standout melodies.

The album's title track gets back to the band's core sound, and is hung around an anthemic, almost punky, chorus that is extremely repetitive but also extremely catchy. In fact there is a bit of a punky feel throughout the whole song, but it is not prominent enough to divert the band far from their usual sound. Jepson's vocals have a slightly more aggressive feel, and Wood actually gets a chance to cut loose here - with a lengthy shredded solo that is quite different from the more restrained blues-based playing he showcases here. The solo reaches almost metal levels of shredding, and it is great hearing him really cutting loose - and the track is the perfect one for him to do so in. Martini's weighty drumming only reinforces the punky, somewhat heavier, feel of the song too - keeping everything moving with his simple beats. Punchline keeps the pacier feel, with punky influences again rearing their heads. That being said, the chorus sounds like something that could have appeared on the band's debut album - and I wonder if the track is one that was left over from those sessions as overall it does sound more like the material on that album. It is a simple, riff-based rocker that revels in creating a pacy energy and a big chorus. There are not many tricks or deviations from the band's core sound here, and that is actually quite refreshing after the direction that some of the tracks here have taken. Sometimes it is nice just to hear a band kick back and do what they do best, and that is exactly what Wayward Sons do with this song. Us Against the World opens slowly, with some droning guitar chords and Jepson's expressive vocals, but is soon stopped from venturing into ballad territory by Martini's hollow-sounding drumming that soon kicks in. It never becomes an out-and-out rocker however, but instead goes for more of a cinematic sound with some prominent keyboard riffing throughout and a lengthy bluesy guitar solo from Wood that has something of an epic feel. The song is probably the 'biggest' that Wayward Sons have ever sounded, and they have clearly written the song in order to be a big album and concert closer. It feels much grander than anything else they have done, with Kemp creating a big soundscape with his keyboards and Wood often layering guitar leads into the meat of the track which help to add further depth. It is the album's true closing moment, but there is a short hidden track in the form of Totally Screwed which racks the punk influence up a few notches after a short silence following Us Against the World. Hidden tracks are a bit of a rarity these days, so it is nice to hear one on a new album. It is not the album's best moment by any means, but it is a fun release of energy for all involved with Jepson's getting all of his political angst out in the track, with his brash guitar rhythms keeping everything moving. It is a fun coda after the album proper ended with the previous track, and a nice little surprise for new listeners. Overall, The Truth Ain't What It Used To Be is a strong second album from Wayward Sons and is one that sees them branching out from the sound established on their debut. It is great to see Jepson in a proper band again, and I imagine the next year or so will be busy for Wayward Sons as they take these new songs on the road.

The album was released on 11th October 2019 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Joke's On You.

Lacuna Coil's 'Black Anima' - Album Review

I have said this a few times on this blog previously, but when I first started listening to rock and metal music in a big way in my mid-teens Italy's Lacuna Coil were one of the first 'heavier' bands that I got into. I started out with bands like Queen and Status Quo, but when I started to transition over to metal Lacuna Coil featured in a big way early on. The Lacuna Coil of the time (around 2007/2008) were commercial heavyweights, with the big-selling albums Comalies from 2002 and Karmacode from 2006 pushing the band from the niche goth scene into the melodic metal mainstream. The nu-metal wave was still just about being ridden, and Lacuna Coil tacked themselves onto the end of that scene. The band's gothic influences kept the band from sounding like everything other nu-metal act out there, but they certainly tapped into the DNA of that genre - and around the time I first saw the band they were all wearing the baggy combat trousers that were part of the nu-metal furniture. It was the gothic element of the band that interested me however, so I soon moved to other acts such as Nightwish and Kamelot as my music taste boomed into something resembling how it is now. I suppose I got a little bored of Lacuna Coil, but I still continued to follow the band from a distance - picking up all of their albums but never really giving any of them the time that they properly deserved. I started to properly take notice of the band again in 2016 however, with the release of their eighth album Delirium (which I reviewed here). The band had been moving away from their nu-metal trappings ever since Karmacode, but Delirium seemed to be the album that saw Lacuna Coil burst out of their previous skin in a big way. While the musical direction taken on Delirium was not exactly a huge departure from the norm, it saw the band at their heaviest and most caustic. Co-frontman Andrea Ferro started to use his harsh vocals a great deal more which contributed to the heavy sound, while some line-up changes in the band left bassist and bandleader Marco Coti Zelati handling all of the bass guitars and keyboards, as well as much of the guitar work on the album. This led to a much conciser sound, and allowed the band to push in a heavier direction - as well as to bring back many of the more overt gothic influences that can be heard on the band's early albums. Delirium seems to have been a success for the band, and that success has prompted Lacuna Coil to double down on that sound on Black Anima - which was released last month. The album is easily the heaviest thing the band have done to date, with a mechanical djent-esque sound in places largely courtesy of new guitarist Diego Cavalotti. Black Anima is Cavalotti's first album with the band, although he performed a couple of guitar solos on Delirium. His influence can be heard throughout the album, and he has clearly already formed a strong bond with Coti Zelati - with the two churning out riff after riff throughout the album. Black Anima is also the band's first album to feature drummer Richard Meiz, who replaced Ryan Blake Folden when the latter left the band earlier this year.

The album opens with the short Anima Nera, a track which feels too short to be a 'proper' song and too long to be considered an intro piece. It is a song that is clearly designed to create an atmosphere however, and it succeeds by mixing pulsing synths and chiming clean guitar melodies together to form an eerie backing for frontwoman Cristina Scabbia's vocals. She sings here in a way unlike anything she has ever done before, delivering the song in a way strangely similar to Die Antwoord's Yolandi Visser, with a staccato piano melody mimicking her every move. It is quite an unsettling piece, and helps to really draw the listener into the album. It also acts as a stark contrast to Sword of Anger, the first 'real' song here that opens with a ferocious barked vocal line from Ferro before Cavaoltti launches into the first of the album's many angular riffs. The song follows the pattern established on many of Delirium's tracks, with Ferro handling the heavy verses before Scabbia takes over for the soaring chorus. This trope has been a big part of gothic/doom metal with clean and harsh vocalists since the 1990s, but it can still be extremely effective when done right. It is certainly done right here, and the song is one of the album's most instantly-memorable pieces as a result. The chorus is extremely catchy, and the song as a whole manages to really whip up a storm throughout - particularly while Ferro is growling. Reckless opens with strange synth sounds, which soon give way to a droning guitar rhythm and a punchy, mid-paced drum pattern from Meiz. This song is less in-your-face than the previous track, and seems to hark back to the band's early days when the gothic atmospherics were more important than chunky riffs or driving rhythms. Scabbia dominates vocally here, taking the lead throughout and showcasing her power. During the verses she sings a little lower than usual, which fits in with the grinding rhythms, while the choruses see her singing in her usual higher register. Ferro adds the occasional growled line throughout, and harmonises with Scabbia occasionally, but on the whole he steps to the side to let his singing partner take centre stage. A short guitar solo from Cavalotti showcases his talents. There are a few solos on the album, but they are just infrequent enough to come as a surprise each time. Lead single Layers of Time is similar to Sword of Anger, and is based around a powerful djent-esque riff that really kicks the album up into the next gear - with Meiz keeping pace with his somewhat punky drumming. The verses are the heaviest moments, with Ferro's harsh vocals spilling out the speakers with raw power - before one of the album's best riffs, which hints at TesseracT, sees Cavalotti and Coti Zelati team up for a muscular pattern to bridge the verse and the chorus. The chorus here is a gothic delight, with some controlled singing from Scabbia - although her best moment here in my opinion is the kinetic bridge section that sees the partial return of the vocal style employed in the opening song.

Apocalypse opens slower, with Scabbia's wordless vocal melodies and a big keyboard arrangement - before a slow-moving riff takes over. There are shades of albums like Karmacode here, with Coti Zelati's bass really driving the verses as the guitars take something of a backseat to allow the rhythms to shine. The track feels like a showcase for Coti Zelati in fact, with his bass and keyboards really forming the backbone of everything - and providing the perfect backing for Scabbia's crooning. She dominates vocally again, with Ferro injecting the occasional line of clean singing and harmony throughout. The song is largely devoid of harsh vocals, which is another reason why albums like Karmacode are recalled somewhat here. Ferro abandoned his harsh vocal style for a good number of years, instead opting to sing in the strange crooning style he employs here. The thing the drags the track into the modern day however is Cavalotti's short, emotional guitar solo. Solos were a rarity on Lacuna Coil albums until recently, so it is great to hear another one here. Now or Never has a strong gothic influence throughout, and it opens with a string section to fully reinforce this feeling. Meiz's fast footwork drives the opening heavy section while the strings swirl around, before the atmospherics largely drop out to be replaced by a fairly straightforward driving verse with a Trivium-esque riff and Ferro's harsh vocals. These moments have less of a gothic feel, but the rest of the song is enveloped by strings - especially the moments when Scabbia sings. There is a bit of a strange section towards the end however, which sees both Scabbia and Ferro shouting metalcore style over a chugging riff before Cavalotti launches into a short, but explosive, solo. It is a song that has feet in many camps, but just about manages to hang together in the moment thanks to a strong atmosphere. Under the Surface at first appears like it is going to slow the pace down somewhat, with a a droning sluggish start - but in fact the song becomes one of the album's most energetic pieces. Ferro and Scabbia share the vocals out a little more fairly here - although it is Scabbia that shines the most. Ferro's harsh vocals here are probably the heaviest he has ever sounded, but Scabbia's melodies here are excellent. The song's more straight ahead metal sound allows her to really shine, and the melodies can be much catchier as a result. The chorus here is a real heads down rocker moment, with her powerful voice delivering the main melodies while Ferro barks in between each line. The djent influence is largely absent here, and as a result the song feels fast-paced and energetic, without the mechanical feel that some of the other tracks have.

Veneficium is the album's longest song at just over six minutes in length, and it opens with a symphonic metal-inspired choral section with latin vocals - before a mid-paced muscular riff kicks in to add some extra backing to the Epica-esque drama. The gothic influences are also extremely prevalent here, with a prominent string section employed throughout and the pace in general lessened to allow the atmosphere to build. Ferro has never been the strongest of clean singers in my opinion, but his hoarse delivery is actually very effective and really helps contribute to the overall atmosphere - and he still unleashes the occasional growl when one is required. His voice mixes well with Scabbia's, who hits some pretty impressive high notes throughout the song, and the pairing takes me back to 2001's Unleashed Memories - an album which featured lots of slower gothic tracks such as this. It also includes Cavalotti's best guitar solo on the album in my opinion, with his perfect note choices and phrasing really fitting in well with the song's overall mood. The End is all I Can See feels like a heavier version of the album's opening song, with spooky chiming guitar melodies, a rumbling bassline, and precise drums. The atmosphere from Anima Nera is certainly present here, although is presented in a different way with Scabbia singing in her usual manner and Ferro helping her out with his rough croon. Considering how heavy much of the album is, this track feels calm in comparison. Black Anima does not have a true ballad, but this is probably the most laid back piece here - which goes to show how intense the album in general is as this song is still pretty dense. More of an emphasis is put on the keyboards here, with Coti Zelati once again showcasing his skills as an arranger with some excellent layers of atmosphere and strong gothic synth leads. Save Me ups the pace again after the slower previous number, but never reaches the heaviness of much of the rest of the album. Again, there are strong Karmacode vibes here with Scabbia dominating vocally and a strong focus on simpler rhythms and catchy melodies. Ferro is largely relegated to a background role here, and adds vocal harmonies throughout, which really lets Scabbia shine. She was always the main focus of the band, but since Ferro's greater presence on recent albums and the power of his harsh vocals has been fully realised he has sometimes been stealing her thunder! Save Me is a song that reminds us all, if we needed reminding, why Scabbia is often considered one of the greatest female metal singers of all time - with a powerful and melodic performance that showcases different sides of her voice. The album comes to a close with the title track, another somewhat atmospheric piece that feels like a cross between a 'proper' song and an outro. Meiz's slow drum beat keeps everything together, while Scabbia and Ferro croon together as piece grows towards moments of heaviness - all while strange spoken word sections cut through the mix. It is a fitting end to a diverse, atmospheric, and heavy album; and an end that seems to draw the preceding 45 minutes together nicely. Overall, Black Anima is another strong album from the Italian band. It picks up where Delirium left off three years ago, and builds on the heavier sound that album established. It continues a remarkable stylistic rebirth for a band that at one point seemed to have dated themselves with an out-of-date scene, and showcases them as a heavy, and creative act once again.

The album was released on 11th October 2019 via Century Media Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Layers of Time.

Ghost - Nottingham Review

While I like to consider myself something of an expert when it comes to rock and metal, I am certainly not infallible. A good example of me be wrong about a band were my early opinions about The Quireboys. I was rude about the band for a number of years, until they blew me away when I was 'forced to sit through' a set of theirs when they supported Saxon in Nottingham in 2013. I was forced to eat a big plateful of humble pie that day, and The Quireboys have become one of my very favourite bands - with 18 gigs of theirs already to my name. The same, although in less dramatic a fashion, can also be said for Ghost. I was never particularly rude about the band, but I just never bought into all the hype or got into their music. I remember first hearing about the band not long after the release of their debut album Opus Eponymous in 2010, but the song I heard at the time did nothing for me. I periodically heard other Ghost songs, usually around the time that a new album was being released and a new single was floating around and being promoted heavily on Youtube. I heard these songs, but again they did very little for me. I always thought that the band seemed interesting, especially how bandleader Tobias Forge managed to keep his identity a secret for so long in this age of instant information, but their music just seemed to me like a second-tier Doors/Blue Öyster Cult mash-up that was retro for its own sake and devoid of any real tunes. This remained my view until last year, when something persuaded me to listen to Rats when the single was released. For whatever reason, that song instantly grabbed me and from that point on everything seemed to really fall into place. I bought Prequelle when it was released, and then went back and picked up the rest of the band's albums - all of which I now love. I do not mind admitting that I was wrong about Ghost, and I am just glad that I finally took the plunge. Sometimes it just takes one song to make everything click, and Rats was that tune. I do not know if it was the heavier feel of the track, but something about it took hold instantly and I have been hooked ever since. In some ways I am disappointed that I missed the band's early tours in small venues, but in other ways I am glad that my first experience of Ghost live was at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena a couple of days ago with a few thousand other fans. Ghost are a big band now, with Prequelle having broke new ground for them, and arenas seem to be their current home. While the Motorpoint Arena was not sold out, it was still packed out with a large crowd making the effort to see what Cardinal Copia and his group of Nameless Ghouls were going to serve up.

There were two support acts on the bill with Ghost however, which were of extremely varying quality. The soundchecks were clearly running behind as the second of the two acts were still sorting out their gear as the crowd trooped in, which left the opening act Tribulation a short amount of time to get ready - and they still went on nearly half an hour late! The Swedish four-piece did not let this affect them however and they proceeded to play around half an hour of their patented retro-style black metal that is injected with a strong dose of classic rock swagger. I had seen the band twice previously, supporting both Paradise Lost and Arch Enemy, and have always enjoyed them despite them not wholly being my thing. Extreme metal of any kind is not usually my bag, but Tribulation have an extremely unique sound that makes them stand out. On the surface they are a death/doom/black metal act, with Johannes Andersson's (vocals/bass guitar) growled vocals creating a dark, heavy sound while the two guitarists lay down riff after riff. It is here that things get different however, as the guitar tones are much fuzzier than you would usually expect from black metal, and some of the riffs sound like something you would hear on an old-school blues rock album than on a black metal one. The drums are hollow-sounding too, and they help to reinforce the band's old-school sound. No-one sounds like Tribulation, and it is that that makes them interesting. I still struggle with their sound, but each time I have seen them I have enjoyed them. This showing in Nottingham was the best that I have heard them, and large portions of the crowd seemed to get into them as their set progressed too. It is always great to see original bands making waves, so I feel that this tour will be great exposure for Tribulation and I hope that they do well as a result of it.

The same cannot be said for the American three-piece All Them Witches, who proceeded to bore me to tears for around 45 minutes not long after Tribulation's genre-defying set finished. I had read positive things online about All Them Witches, so I was interested to check them out, but they turned out to be one of the most boring live bands I have ever seen. Their sound is best-described as extremely stripped-back bluesy rock, with a very rudimentary sound and some of the most unappealing vocals I have heard outside of extreme metal. There were very occasional moments of genius, such as when guitarist Ben McLeod launched into a slide solo during one number, but these moments were extremely rare. Most of the band's songs really plodded along, with fuzzy basslines and monotonous drumming pounding out the speakers with absolutely no appealing qualities whatsoever. I do not think that I was alone in feeling this way however, as between the band's songs the clapping and cheering was extremely sparse and quiet. Most of the people around me just looked bored throughout All Them Witches' set, and stood around looking at their mates with confused looks on their faces. It was the sort of music that only people who drink in artisan coffee shops think is edgy or interesting, and even Jack White would have taken a razor to the original master tapes due to them being too sparse and obtuse. It was definitely one of the worst support slots I have ever seen, especially in such a big venue - and it makes you realise that sometimes headline bands will just settle for any old rubbish as long as they turn up on time and do not cause any trouble.

I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief when All Them Witches finished, and luckily it was not long before Ghost took to stage. As the lights dimmed, a curtain dropped to reveal the seven Nameless Ghouls (three guitarists, two keyboardists, a bassist, and a drummer) all positioned on the grand staircase that made up the band's stage set. They played the short instrumental piece Ashes in this manner, before exploding into Rats in a dramatic fashion - as Forge appeared at the top of the stage in his Cardinal Copia outfit and proceeded to rip through the song with his trademark humour and passion. Everyone went wild for the song, and when Forge held out the microphone for the audience to sing the chorus they obliged - loudly! What followed was nearly two hours of the band's best songs, all immaculately played by the band - with Forge acting as the Master of Ceremonies injecting humour as and when required. The sound throughout was pretty clear, although it could have been a bit louder, with the three guitars and two keyboards adding real weight to everything. The current band members' identities are still unknown, so they sadly cannot be name-checked here, but everyone up there on the stage really did their bit. Early highlights for me were the shredding Faith, with the two main guitarists nailing the tricky intro, and the new Mary on a Cross which could well be the band's catchiest track yet. Despite Forge being the centre of attention, he still allowed his band a chance to shine. The short instrumental piece Devil Church was stretched out to include solos from both the main guitarists, while another instrumental in Miasma allowed everyone to shine. During the latter, the third guitarist ducked off stage and came back dressed in the Papa Nihil outfit to perform the song's saxophone solo - which everyone enjoyed and had a good laugh at at the same time. Forge took most of the attention however, with his multiple costume changes throughout keeping everyone on their toes, and his innuendo-filled inter-song banter putting grins on faces. This would have all been for nothing however if he was not up to scratch vocally, but he was. He sounded great when exposed during slower pieces like Ghuleh/Zombie Queen, and heavier pieces like the twin-guitar rock of Spirit showcased his powerful delivery. His voice might be strange, but it fits the band's sound perfectly. The setlist was largely hit after hit, with the only misstep in my opinion being the somewhat lumbering Satan Prayer which is the sort of meandering piece that put me off the band in the first place. Everything else that was played was a huge tune however, with the cinematic Year Zero and the driving old-school metal of Mummy Dust particularly whipping up the crowd late on - with the latter including a keytar solo from one of the Ghouls. By this point the evening was almost at an end, and it was left to Kiss the Go-Goat and the anthemic Dance Macabre to finish the evening off. The cheers were huge by this point, and instead of leaving the stage and coming back on Forge asked if the crowd wanted to hear one more and led the band straight into Square Hammer which sent everyone in overdrive. It was the perfect end to the night, with the whole crowd singing the big chorus back at Forge and the band - and they all took their bows to rapturous applause afterwards. The setlist was:

Ashes
Rats
Absolution
Faith
Mary on a Cross
Devil Church
Cirice
Miasma
Ghuleh/Zombie Queen
Helvetesfönster

Spirit

From the Pinnacle to the Pit

Ritual

Satan Prayer

Year Zero

Spöksonat

He Is

Mummy Dust

Kiss the Go-Goat

Dance Macabre

Square Hammer

I had expected to enjoy the show, but I do not think I was quite prepared for how good Ghost were going to be. This show in Nottingham is certainly going to be one of the gigs of the year, and I am so glad that I finally got the chance to see the band live after passing up so many opportunities to do so previously. Ghost are a band that I am going to be listening to for years to come I imagine, and I cannot wait to see which direction they take on their next album.

Lacuna Coil - Bristol Review

Lacuna Coil are one of those bands that I listened to a lot around 2007/2008 when I was just starting to properly get into heavy music. They were one of the first 'goth' bands that I listened to, although around the time I was heavily into them they had tagged themselves on to the end of the nu-metal scene - with albums such as 2002's Comalies and 2006's Karmacode having turned the band into big hitters. I saw the band around this time too, in 2008 I think, when they supported Bullet for My Valentine at the Plymouth Pavilions. I do not remember much about the show in general, but I remember enjoying Lacuna Coil's set despite the dodgy sound that the venue is known for. Not too long after this however I had somewhat moved on from Lacuna Coil, as my obsession with bands like Nightwish and Kamelot really started to open my mind to all kinds of melodic metal bands. I always kept up with Lacuna Coil, although sometimes from a distance, but I never got properly back into the band until 2016 with the release of Delirium. I had bought all of the band's intervening albums - but none of them had really grabbed me all that much. Delirium did however, and it was the album that made me a big Lacuna Coil fan again. Since then I have gone back and gained an appreciation for their albums that I 'missed out on' at the time, and enjoyed the band's transition away from their nu-metal sound towards a heavier, denser sound in retrospect. It was therefore time for me to see the band again, and a tour with the Swiss folk metal giants Eluveitie seemed like the perfect opportunity. Eluveitie are another band that I have started to appreciate in a big way in the last couple of years also - so the pairing could not have been more appropriate. A few UK shows were slotted into a larger European trek, with Lacuna Coil and Eluveitie switching between the headliner and special guest slots depending on their pull in each respective area. The UK shows were billed as Lacuna Coil headline shows, with Eluveitie as the special guests. In truth however, the evening felt like more of a co-headline show, with Eluveitie enjoying a healthy amount of time on stage - but Lacuna Coil did play for longer by probably 15 or 20 minutes. The bill was obviously an enticing one for many, as all of the UK shows sold out well ahead of the tour. The show I opted for was at the SWX in Bristol, which seems to be becoming a regular stop for metal bands on their tours - which is great to see. It was an early show, with the doors opening at 6pm, and I managed to snag a spot on the raised platform to the right of the stage which - to me at least - seems to be one of the best vantage points in the venue.

Being an early show, the gathering crowd did not have long to wait before the first band of the night, Infected Rain, took to the stage. The Moldovan five-piece were certainly an energetic band, and they made a good impression throughout their short set with their enthusiasm and the powerful stage presence of frontwoman Lena Scissorhands. Soundwise, Infected Rain were a bit of a mix of styles. There was certainly a big chunk of nu-metal in their sound, but there was also some melodic death metal to be found - which gave the band a heavy and angular sound. While the band were certainly fun, some parts of their sound just felt a little old fashioned. In my opinion, nu-metal in general has aged about as well as milk so some of their songs sounded a little too Kerrang! TV circa 2006 for my liking. Some of their songs however sounded more like the path that Arch Enemy have been treading more recently - so those numbers certainly stuck with me more. The band were a guitarist down, and are for the duration of the UK tour, so roped in members from both Lacuna Coil and Eluveitie to play on certain songs which was nice to see. It is always good seeing bands helping each other out, and it shows that there must be a good amount of camaraderie between all three acts - which is always good on a lengthy tour! I think this also helped some of the crowd to get into what Infected Rain were doing, and by the end of their set large portions of the crowd seemed to have come around to what the band were about. I enjoyed parts of the band's set, and while I cannot see myself going out and picking up any of their albums it was nice to see someone flying the flag for Moldovan metal.

Another benefit of the show being an early one was the quick changeovers, so it barely seemed that any time had passed before Eluveitie took to the stage for their hour or so of music. I had seen the band a couple of times before, but since the last time I have become quite a big fan of them so I was really looking forward to catching them again. I have also been listening to their most recent album Ategnatos quite a bit since its release earlier in the year - so I was more than up for the show. The material from Ategnatos dominated the set, with the title track getting things underway in style with Nicole Ansperger (violin) and Matteo Sisti (whistles/bagpipes) laying down intricate folky melodies while the band's founder Chrigel Glanzmann (vocals/mandola/whistles) led the charge with his ferocious vocal delivery. The band's sound is an extremely rich and powerful one, and it always manages to come across well live despite the challenge it must be to the mix the nine-piece band! There did seem to be some technical issues though, with both Rafael Salzmann (guitar) and Kay Brem (bass guitar) having to leave the stage early on to get things fixed. Brem in fact seemed to be having issues throughout the whole set, and spent large portions of it off stage, which was a shame to see. He did not even come back out at the end to partake in the band's end-of-set photograph - so I do hope all is well with him. Issues aside, the band were fantastic. An early highlight for me was the melodic Deathwalker, which opened with Michalina Malisz's hurdy gurdy melodies before Glanzmann and Fabienne Erni (vocals/celtic harp) owned the stadium-worthy chorus. While Glanzmann dominated vocally, Erni still had a few chances to show off - such as during the poppy Ambiramus and the folk metal stomp of Breathe. She has a wonderful voice, and seems to have settled into the band really well over the past couple of years. Even songs from before her time with the band, such as the gorgeous ballad The Call of the Mountains, she owned - with that song being sung in the band's native language of Swiss German at the request of the crowd. Of the two main bands, I thought that Eluveitie seemed to receive a slightly better reception. They are certainly a unique band, and it seemed that throughout their set they really managed to connect with the sold out SWX. Towards the end of their set the crowd seemed really into it, with the explosive Rebirth, containing shredded solos from both Salzmann and Jonas Wolf (guitar), really getting everyone going before the band's signature track Inis Mona had the crowd bouncing and singing along. It was a shame that it had to end when it did, as I - and others I am sure - would have loved to hear a few more songs! The setlist was:

Ategnatos
King
The Call of the Mountains
Deathwalker
Worship
Artio
Ambiramus
Havoc
Breathe
Rebirth
Inis Mona

Lacuna Coil had to work hard to top Eluveitie's powerful set. Despite trying hard to do so, I am not quite sure that they managed it - although the Italian five-piece still put on a strong showing. It had been eleven years since I had seen the band last, and much of the material played came from the albums that had been released since that 2008 show, with the bulk of the songs coming from Delirium and the newly-released Black Anima. Blood, Tears, Dust got the evening underway, with Andrea Ferro (vocals) barking the harsh vocals with real venom, while the gorgeous voice of Cristina Scabbia (vocals) made the chorus shimmer. Focusing on the more recent material was a wise move in my opinion, as Lacuna Coil have become a much heavier band in recent years. New(ish) guitarist Diego Cavalotti has really given the band the kick that they needed, and his angular tech metal riffing brought the new tracks to life. The few older songs that were played sounded tame in comparison, although it was fun hearing Our Truth live again as I used to listen to Karmacode a lot as a teenager. The newer material has also seen Ferro come into his own as a singer, as he sticks to harsh vocals for the vast majority of the time. He was never much of a clean singer, which is why hearing him growl his way through songs like Layers of Time and The House of Shame much more satisfying than his strange crooning during tracks like Swamped. Scabbia has always been the band's main draw in any case, and her voice is as good now as it ever was. Gorgeous slower tracks like Downfall are made that little bit better by her performance, and she spiced up the heavy, fast-paced Sword of Anger with a biting chorus that jumped out of the song's mechanical riffing with ease. Considering that the venue was sold out, I did think that the crowd's reaction to Lacuna Coil could have been better. While it may be true that there were more Eluveitie fans in the house, and it did seem that way considering how both bands were reacted to, Lacuna Coil deserved better than the polite applause and muted cheers that they largely seemed to receive. Much of the main set received this treatment, although their closing number Enjoy the Silence did seem to get everyone going a bit more - and prompted a bit of a sing along towards the end. The band did not seem too phased however, and came back out for a four-song encore despite the cheers for one not exactly taking the roof off. The encore was better received however, with the band's silly Christmas tune Naughty Christmas going down well, before two old favourites in Heaven's a Lie and Swamped whipping up some no doubt nostalgic energy. By this point everyone seemed to have woken up a little, sadly a little too late, but it did mean that the evening's final song Nothing Stands in Our Way was met with enthusiasm with the crowd singing along as requested by Scabbia. It helped to inject bit more energy into the end of the night, and ensured that the evening ended on a high. The setlist was:

Blood, Tears, Dust
Trip the Darkness
Our Truth
Layers of Time
My Demons
Downfall
Reckless
Veneficium
Cybersleep
The House of Shame
Sword of Anger
Enjoy the Silence [Depeche Mode cover]
-
Naughty Christmas
Heaven's a Lie
Swamped
Nothing Stands in Our Way

Despite a strong showing from Lacuna Coil, who really seemed to have to work hard to elicit any kind of response from the crowd, the evening for me belonged to Eluveitie. They seemed to create a lot more excitement during their set, and their perfect brand of folk metal was presented really well live. I would not be surprised if I was not the only person to have this view either, and I hope that next time the band return to the UK it will be as a headliner so we can all get to witness a longer set from the Swiss band.

The Darkness' 'Easter is Cancelled' - Album Review

As far as British glam rock revival acts go, there are none more genuine and yet so self-aware as The Darkness. While Cats in Space seem to be making a bit of a bid for this crown in recent years, The Darkness in my mind still deserve the title - simply due to splash they made back in 2003 with the release of their debut album Permission to Land. I was not quite old enough at the time to appreciate just how much of a success the album was, but it came at a time when old-fashioned British rock was experiencing something of a slump and reminded everyone just how great the genre can be. It was not a particularly original album, but shoved influences from bands like Queen, Thin Lizzy, and AC/DC into a blender to create a retro, yet extremely catchy, hard rock sound. I think however that the almost-instant success of Permission to Land, which was helped by some popular singles, has almost been millstone around the band's neck ever since. The Darkness were catapulted into mega stardom and immediately started to live the sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll lifestyle that saw the band come to an end in 2006 with the falling out of brothers Justin and Dan Hawkins - the band's two main members. An extremely over-the-top album One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back was released in 2005 however, which in my opinion topped Permission to Land but that is a view not widely shared, but for a few years it seemed that The Darkness were destined to be a short-lived yet very successful flash in the pan. After a few years apart however the band reformed in 2011 and have been very active ever since. A third album, Hot Cakes, was released in 2012 which saw the band's original line-up together again for the first time since Permission to Land, but since then the band's line-up has fluctuated somewhat with a couple of drummers coming and going. The line-up has been stable however since 2015, when Rufus Tiger Taylor filled the drum stool after a few years touring with his father in Queen. He made his debut with the band on 2017's Pinewood Smile (which I reviewed here), a decent album but not one that I have revisited too often since the few months after its release. For me, the band's best post-reunion album so far is 2015's Last of Our Kind (which I reviewed here), with Pinewood Smile sounding a little rushed and raw in comparison to its predecessors. That is not an accusation that can be made of Easter is Cancelled, the band's newly-released sixth studio album however. While not a big departure from their usual sound, Easter is Cancelled does on the whole sound a lot more involved than much of the band's work, and is certainly the most diverse and interesting album since One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back for me. The songs just seem to have more depth to them overall, with the more diverse arrangements and additional instrumentation making for a varied and interesting listen.

The more diverse songwriting style rears its head from the off, with lead single Rock and Roll Deserves to Die mixing soft and hard rocking sections throughout. Much of the song is far from the bombastic rock that The Darkness are known for, with a folky intro that gives way to an acoustic-based verse. Justin Hawkins has a very diverse voice in my opinion, and is at home singing gentle passages as much as he is hitting his famous falsetto high notes. His verse delivery is extremely controlled, with a lovely shimmering quality that fits in well with acoustic guitar whimsical-isms; before he and his brother strap on their electric guitars for a meaty riff that makes up a portion of the song's chorus - which definitely channels their love of early Queen. Justin Hawkins can still hit some ridiculously high notes, and that is demonstrated throughout the track - with the whole band harmonising well with him. The song constantly switches back and forth between the calmer sections and the all-out rock parts - although tends to stick to a heavier gear as the song moves towards the end as the speed increases. There is lots of great classic rock-style guitar soloing going on towards the end - which ensures the song ends with a bang. Acoustic guitars are a big feature of the album, and while not every song has specific acoustic-dominated sections, they seem to be ever-present in the mix which adds depth throughout. How Can I Lose Your Love is a good example of this. The song is more of a rocker, but the chorus is allowed to sit back on a delicate acoustic pattern while the band, gently, crashes around it and Justin Hawkins delivers some great AOR-esque vocal melodies. Another thing that is clear from this song is that the band have gone for a clearer production style this time around. Pinewood Smile was a very raw-sounding album, but this one sounds much bigger - with more keyboards etc. used throughout to bulk up the sound. In fact there are occasional shades of One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back throughout, and I feel that this track in particular would have fitted nicely on that album. It is an extremely bombastic piece, with some driving hard rock riffs and plenty of vocal gymnastics - with the soaring chorus being the icing on the cake. Live 'til I Die is a bit more of a laid back piece, with Dan Hawkins laying down a chugging guitar pattern throughout and Justin Hawkins singing the lyrics in his off-hand, tongue-in-cheek style. It is not as bombastic as the opening couple of numbers, but still is packed full of the band's signature style. The chorus again features some melodic falsetto vocals, and the occasional burst of Thin Lizzy-esque twin lead guitar shows that the band are still happy to wear their influences on their sleeves.

Taylor's strident, round-the-kit drumming opens Heart Explodes before he is joined by the two guitarists who lay down a heroic classic rock motif. From the intro you would be forgiven for thinking that the song is going to be a straight up rocker, but like many of the songs here it keeps you guessing. The acoustic guitars are a big part of the song again, with the chorus taking on a real folky flavour with some busy acoustic guitar melodies for Justin Hawkins to croon atop. Some moments of the song recall the hard rock of the intro, including a very Queen-inspired guitar solo section that sees either Justin or Dan Hawkins channelling their inner Brian May with some thin licks, but much of the song is more laid back which helps it to fit in with the overall feel of the album. Deck Chair is a short, strange song that sees Justin Hawkins singing in an almost-classical style, with a simple acoustic guitar and keyboard backing. It sounds like nothing that has ever appeared on a Darkness album before, and instead sounds more like something that a 1950s crooner might sing - albeit with some extremely silly lyrics. There is a strange, effects-heavy guitar solo part way through which does remind you that you are listening to a rock album - but mostly this song acts as a bit of a mid-album change of pace. The album's title track is up next and immediately grabs your attention with a fast-paced heavy guitar riff and some driving drumming from Taylor. It is one of the most in-your-face tracks on the album, with less of the diversity featured throughout the rest of the material. In many ways the song sounds more like something that could have appeared on Pinewood Smile, although the production is lusher and there is a bit more depth. That being said, after a few tracks that play a little more with structure than average, it is a lot of fun to hear the band really letting rip. Justin Hawkins unleashes lots of hitch-pitched vocal screams throughout the song, and him and Dan really team up nicely throughout for lots of meaty riffs and guitar leads. Up next is Heavy Metal Lover, which is one of my favourite songs here. It is filled with Justin Hawkins trademark tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and is based around a crunchy AC/DC-esque riff which kicks in every so often to keep things moving. That being said however, there are still quite a few gentler moments here, with tender verses mixing well with fast-paced punky sections which I imagine are supposed to represent 'heavy metal' - although it is somewhat tame. It is all clearly done in jest however, and it works well to create a strange song that is made up of lots of distinct sections. I love the song's chorus, which starts off with a fairly simple chug; before moving into a bluesy, Aerosmith riff-led section with some Axl Rose-esque vocals. All in all it is a whole lot of fun, and should really become a staple of the band's setlists going forward.

In Another Life is a more whimsical piece that opens with some breezy acoustic guitar strumming and some gorgeous bluesy guitar leads. It is the album's ballad, but it still finds time for grandness as everything builds towards another winning chorus that sees huge vocal harmonies give everything a massive boost - before fading back into some more of the bluesy playing from the intro. The Darkness have written some excellent ballads over the years, but I feel that this one might be one of their very best. I just love the chorus, as the vocal melodies are so infectious and later renditions of it also feature some more of that Queen-esque guitar style. Choke On It opens with what sounds like old Morse Code, but soon opens up with a chugging guitar pattern and simple drum beat. Much of the grandness found throughout the album is stripped back here and instead is replaced by a more in-your-face hard rock sound that at times recalls Black Shuck from the band's debut album. It is that sort of riff-based rocker anyway, with a guitar-heavy sound and a screaming hard rock chorus. With a title like Choke On It I certainly did not expect subtly, and that is certainly not something that you could accuse the song of being. There is a strange bit towards the end however were Justin Hawkins starts singing in what sounds like a Scouse accent - but I am not sure why! The Darkness have always been a quirky band, and I assume that this is just another of their little jokes. The album is a compact one at under 40 minutes in length, and it comes to a close with We are the Guitar Men which sounds a bit like a companion piece to Rock and Roll Deserves to Die - meaning that the album closes as it opens. The acoustic guitar-led sections are back in a big way here, and the grandness also returns - with Queen-esque choirs and a few synth leads and patterns throughout. It never ramps up as much as the album's opening song however, but instead focuses on creating a big sound by layering lots of instruments and vibes on top of each other. It works really well however, and does a great job of exposing the more progressive side of the band's songwriting. There is also a lengthy guitar solo, which is unsurprising given the song's title, which is another strong moment of excess in a song packed full of grandeur and soaring goodness. Overall, Easter is Cancelled is another strong album from The Darkness - and in my opinion it may be their best since their 2011 reunion. I have enjoyed their three previous efforts, but I felt that the band have never quite managed to match their early heights. This album comes the closest however, and I feel that this is a collection of songs I am going to be listening to a lot over the coming months.

The album was released on 4th October 2019 via Canary Dwarf Limited/Cooking Vinyl Limited. Below is the band's promotion video for Rock and Roll Deserves to Die.

Bare Knuckle Messiah's 'That Which Preys on the Dead' - Album Review

While many of the album reviews featured on this blog are from bands who have been around for a long time and have created a large discography, I always particularly enjoy reviewing debut albums from newly-formed acts. As much as I keep up with the rock and metal scenes, reviewing bands' debut albums seems to be a relatively rare activity for me - so I always jump at the chance to do so when one drops. The subject of this particular piece is Bare Knuckle Messiahs, a four-piece Welsh metal band who were launched at the very back end of 2017. Although being a newly-formed band, three of Bare Knuckle Messiahs' members actually have history with each other, as all three were members of the Welsh hair metal act Tigertailz during the mid-1990s. The driving force behind the band is singer and guitarist Kim Hooker who fronted Tigertailz between 1988 and 1996, and then again between 2005 and 2012. While he was not the band's original singer, Hooker is probably Tigertailz' best-known frontman - even going so far as to appearing on the cover on their 1990 album Bezerk. It is the album that followed Bezerk however that is the basis for Bare Knuckle Messiahs however, as by 1995 Tigertailz were quite a different band. With hair metal far less popular than it had been when they started, Tigertailz took their sound in a much heavier direction and, after some line-up changes, released the Wazbones album. Hooker and the late bassist Pepsi Tate remained from the earlier Tigertailz line-ups, with guitarist Cy Danahar and drummer Andy Skinner rounding out the line-up. Wazbones was easily the toughest and heaviest that Tigertailz had ever sounded, but a year later the band had gone their separate ways - and since their 2005 reunion they have returned to their hair metal roots. Since Hooker left Tigertailz in 2012, he has been largely out of the scene. The announcement of Bare Knuckle Messiahs marks his return to the metal world, but instead of returning to hair metal he has decided to revive most of the Wazbones line-up of Tigertailz and continue down the heavier route that that album forged. Danahar and Skinner have joined Hooker in this new venture, with bassist JJ, who is veteran of the Welsh rock scene, rounding out the band. The band's debut album, That Which Preys on the Dead, which was released last month, has been in the making for a while and I am sure the band are happy to finally get it out there for the fans. I recently also saw the band's first ever show, as they support Y&T at a gig in Cardiff at the beginning of the month - debuting some of these new songs along with some old Tigertailz numbers. Soundwise, That Which Preys on the Dead seems to continue where Wazbones left off 24 years ago, albeit with an altogether more modern sound and production style. It is a fairly heavy album, but one that is also packed full of strong melodies and catchy riffing.

Anyone wishing for more Wazbones will immediately be drawn in my album's opening song Spit in Your Eye, which is a hard-hitting modern metal track with a catchy, poppy chorus. It actually opens with a retro, Van Halen-esque lead guitar pattern from Danahar, with Skinner's driving double bass drumming, but soon explodes into a groove-based pacey rocker with Hooker's tough vocals hanging everything together. Many of the tracks here are pretty snappy - the album is under 45 minutes long after all - but that really helps them to stick. Spit in Your Eye is one of the album's best however in my opinion, and this is partly down to the chorus which sounds like it could have been on Wazbones 24 years ago. Hooker actually sounds a bit like his old self during the chorus, with some higher harmonies, but throughout the rest of the song he sounds heavier and meaner, which certainly fits in with the album's overall feel. After the pummelling, explosive speed of Spit in Your Eye, If Your Face Is Your Fortune slows things down a little to more of a strident mid-pace and recalls modern Motörhead a little - albeit with Hooker's more snarling vocal style. There are no real slow songs here, with the album maintaining a heavy and pacier feel throughout. Tracks like If Your Face Is Your Fortune showcase more of a groove-based sound however, with JJ's bass pinning everything together, but the heaviness still remains. The song's chorus is much punkier than the one found in the previous track, which adds some urgency despite the slower pace, and helps to maintain the attitude already established despite the album being barely over six minutes old! My Image in Thee opens slowly, with JJ's pulsing bassline and a simple drum pattern from Skinner, but soon goes for a somewhat more epic sound with wordless vocal chants and stadium-worthy power chords. While the production sounds modern and heavy, there is certainly a big 1980s hard rock influence here. The bass-heavy sound has quite an anthemic feel, and the big vocal hooks really draw the listener in. Hooker actually sounds a little like Savatage's Jon Oliva throughout the song, with his creepy vocal delivery, which only goes further to enhance the 1980s stadium rock feel of the piece. The album's title track is up next, and it opens with a fairly creepy-sounding atmospheric guitar line that sets the tone for the track before a simple drum beat kicks in and the rhythm guitars start a monotonous chug. Danahar adds squealing leads throughout the track at opportune moments, but overall the song is one that sticks to a tough mid-pace, with Hooker's rhythm guitars and JJ's bass keeping everything on track - and an Alice Cooper-esque chorus adding some poppy snarl which still maintains the spooky atmosphere. Keyboards are not usually regularly throughout the album, but there are synths used sparingly here, including a twinkling melody during the song's pre-chorus section that adds to the overall mood.

With a title like We Know It's Cool (To Break the Rules) you might be expecting more of a hair metal anthem, but instead the song reminds me somewhat of Mechanical Animals-era Marilyn Manson with its strident glam metal stomp and punky aesthetics. I remember in early interviews with Hooker about the project he noted that Marilyn Manson had been an influence to an extent, so I was not surprised to hear a track like this on the album. The song certainly comes from the more accessible end of Manson's sound, so if you imagine any of his big singles from the Mechanical Animals era then you will not be too far off. The style suits the band however, with Danahar's choppy guitar riffs and tortured solos keeping everything moving while Hooker barks the lyrics - with the punky chorus again being a highlight. Blood Brothers is the album's lead single, and a video was shot for it which can be seen below. It is not the poppiest track here, but it is a good representation of the band's whole sound, with plenty of heaviness throughout and plenty of strong hooks to sink your teeth into. This is another song that revels in its strong mid-paced groove, with Skinner's busy drumming keeping everything moving despite the slower pace and JJ's bass often cutting through the mix to add certain pulsing vibe - especially during the vitriolic chorus which Hooker delivers with appropriate venom. The stadium rock elements of My Face in Thee surface again here occasionally too however, with a powerful wordless vocal section that is sure to take hold if it is ever played live - as sadly it was not debuted at the Cardiff gig a couple of weeks ago! An Eye for an Eye opens with another powerful JJ bassline with plenty of fuzz, which again recalls Manson somewhat, before the song opens up into a creepy, atmospheric crawl with more chugging guitar rhythms and occasional bursts of cold synths. This is one of the most modern-sounding songs on the album, with lots of electronics and the occasional percussion loop thrown in - with the verses in particular sounding a mile away from classic Tigertailz! JJ really dominates the song, and it is his bass that really keeps everything moving during the piece. With the bass so often being buried on modern metal albums, it is great to listen to an album that places its bass at the forefront of the mix most of the time. JJ and Hooker form a formidable rhythm team, with the two often teaming up for tight, interlocking grooves, which leaves Danahar free to add colour where necessary. His solo in the track is more traditional-sounding than many of his efforts, which is ironic given the song's modern leanings, with neo-classical phrasing and melodies that add some light melody to the piece.

I Need to Feel Your Pain ups the pace again, with some choppy Skinner drumming keeping everything moving while Hooker employs an Alice in Chains-esque vocal style with drawling harmonies. In fact there is quite a large Alice in Chains vibe running throughout the whole song. While the Seattle band are known for being part of the grunge movement, I think many people often forget how heavy the band can be. There is certainly enough evidence there to call Alice in Chains a metal band, and Bare Knuckle Messiahs seem to be channelling that part of the band's sound here, with the aforementioned big harmonies and heavy, grungy riffing. I think that Skinner's drumming also contributes to that vibe, as his off-kilter playing helps to beef up the track. The riffs here are fairly basic, but the drumming behind them makes the track overall feel much more energetic - something that Sean Kinney sometimes does for Alice in Chains. Brutal Kiss is another more mid-paced piece, with a creepy crawling guitar melody and a hollow-sounding drum beat. There are a few tracks throughout the album that employ a more atmospheric sound, and I feel that this one is probably the most effective when it comes to mixing in spooky sounds and aesthetics. There are lots of swirling synths used throughout the song, particularly during the verses, and these coupled with the guitar melodies and Hooker's vocals leads to a great overall sound. While the band really excel at heavier tracks, I think that they also have a knack for writing great mid-paced Alice Cooper-esque tracks such as this. These songs act as changes of pace, in the way that ballads do on many rock albums, but without loosing the overall feel of the album. I do not feel that the ballad would fit on the album, so the slower, creepier tracks used here help to keep things fresh and varied. The album comes to a close with Smash It Up, a track that bookends the album nicely with Spit in Your Eye - and again feels like something that could have appeared on Wazbones. There is a bit of a 1980s influence here, with a simple, shout-along chorus dominating the song and simple buzzsaw riffing recalling early W.A.S.P. at times. In fact the W.A.S.P. comparisons are fairly apt, and I can imagine that this is the sort of thing Blackie Lawless would have written today if he had not released The Crimson Idol album and taken his band in a darker, more serious direction. When I saw Bare Knuckle Messiahs a couple of weeks ago they opened with this track, and it really got the show going with a bang. It is a powerful song, and it closes out the album in pummelling metal style. Overall, That Which Preys on the Dead is a strong debut album from a new band who are clearly mean business. It is great to hear new material from Hooker after a fairly long break, and I hope the band can find some success as I would love to hear where they go next musically.

The album was released on 4th October 2019 via Diafol Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Blood Brothers.

Marillion - Bath Review

It is always great to have plenty of opportunities to see one of your favourite bands. I often manage to see bands like Mostly Autumn and The Quireboys multiple times a year but, until recently, Marillion shows were more scarce. Historically, it seemed that Marillion's UK shows were usually reserved to promoting a new album - but since 2016 the band has now toured the country three times as well as including a number of special one-off shows and a couple of their bi-annual conventions. As a result, UK fans has been in heaven - and I personally have managed to catch the band three times since 2016. Shows in London in both 2016 and 2017 (the latter being their special appearance at the Royal Albert Hall) were followed by one in Birmingham last year - and all three were excellent for different reasons. I am not exactly sure why the band have really upped their UK touring game of late, but it partly might be down to the success of 2016's Fuck Everyone and Run, an album that broke into the Official Album Charts and seems to generally have been well-received by the band's famously picky fanbase. I personally love Fuck Everyone and Run, and have really made the most of the band's multiple live outings since its release. Despite a fairly lengthy run of shows occurring last year, towards the end of 2018 Marillion announced their third of the above three tours - and it was to be the longest yet. It also promised to be a special tour, as they announced that they would be joined on all of the dates by a string quartet and a couple of other classically-trained musicians playing the French horn and the flute. The six musicians featured were the same that joined the band at a few shows throughout 2017, including at the Royal Albert Hall, but this time they would accompany the band throughout their entire set - with a setlist chosen specifically to make use of their talents. I thought that the additional musicians added a lot to the band's sound at the Royal Albert Hall, so was really looking forward to seeing their talents expanded and given a great role. As a memento/accompaniment to the tour, the band have also released a new album With Friends from the Orchestra which features a few songs from their back catalogue re-recorded with the additional musicians adding their embellishments. An opportunity to see Marillion live should never be passed up, and I opted for the Bath show as that was the most local. I had never seen a gig in Bath previously, although I used to visit the city a fair amount as a child. I had not been in a good number of years however, so it was good to return despite the city being extremely packed with Saturday shoppers and the prices of everything rivalling the poshest parts of London! The gig was at the Forum, which was a largish old-fashioned theatre-style venue which was well-suited to the show. Despite being sat towards the back of the stalls, I had a great view of the action throughout the evening, and the sound was largely crystal clear at all times.

Before Marillion's lengthy set, the gathering crowd was treated to a short set from acoustic singer-songwriter Harry Pane. He was joined on stage by a double bass player, but the songs were largely based around Pane's intricate guitar playing and his strong voice. I am not usually a fan of singer-songwriters such as Pane, but his performance and good humour made him stand out from the crowd. I often find that songwriters of his nature simply strum a few chords with some rather insipid lyrics atop them, but Pane's guitar playing was always interesting and his lyrics seemed extremely heartfelt and that made him interesting to listen to. I think it was wise of him to hit the crowd with an excellent rendition of Fleetwood Mac's Big Love early on in the set, as he showed he more than had the talents to tackle the notoriously tricky track. From then on the crowd were into what he was doing, and each of his following originals received a healthy amount of applause. I found myself enjoying much of what Pane was doing, which given my usual dislike of the acoustic singer-songwriter genre was surprising. That just goes to show that there are good examples of every type of music, and Pane deservedly received a big cheer as he finished his 30 minute set.

There was not much gear to clear after Pane's set, so it was not too long before the houselights went down and the eleven musicians that made up Marillion and their entourage for this tour trooped onto the stage and immediately launched into the epic Gaza with a swirling light show helping to set the scene early. In my opinion, Gaza is one of the band's best epics, and right from the off it was clear that it was going to really hit the spot. The string section played the opening melody while Steve Hogarth (vocals/guitar/keyboards/hammered dulcimer/percussion) sung the early lyrics lounged at the side of the stage. Parts of the song are heavy by the band's standards, and as Steve Rothery (guitar) launched into one of the early riffs the power of the band really hit and for the next fifteen or so minutes everyone was transfixed. The strings added real depth, and by the time Rothery launched into his lengthy solo towards the end of the song everyone was well and truly on board. What followed was another two or so hours of some of the band's best material, presented in a grander way than usual, that highlighted many of the band's strong albums. A few 'shorter' pieces followed, with poppier melodies of Afraid of Sunlight letting the band emerge from the darkness of Gaza, before Seasons End took us back to the beginning of the Hogarth-era of the band. It has always been a favourite of mine, and this live version with the strings was very special. The song started off slowly, with Hogarth singing accompanied by the strings, but it ramps up as it progresses with another soaring Rothery solo. Rothery was in particularly strong form throughout the evening, with many of the songs on containing moments where he could cut loose and showcase some of his trademark emotional playing. He was a little more restrained during Estonia and The Hollow Man however, which were more opportunities for Hogarth to shine vocally - especially during the former's heart-wrenching chorus which saw him also adding additional depth with some strummed guitar chords. Another epic in The New Kings followed, which is my favourite of the three lengthy multi-part pieces on Fuck Everyone and Run. It is a very rich track, so the string section really added to the song - and it made it the best live version of it I have heard yet. The darker mid-section in particular shone with their additions, and the strident ending rock section saw Hogarth in particularly potent form spitting out the lyrics with the venom required.

The song was one of the evening's highlights, as actually was the rarely-played The Sky Above the Rain which opened with Mark Kelly's (keyboards/vocals) delicate piano melodies and slowly built around him and Hogarth's subtle delivery. It has never been one of my favourite Marillion tracks, but it came over really well and the string section really added to it. Despite the song's length, it is a fairly simple song by the band's standards with Kelly's piano always dominating, while Rothery adds colour here and there with a few spacey leads. Despite the relatively low number of songs played by this point, the length of some of the meant that the main set was almost over. It was left to The Great Escape, a song that has been featured regularly over recent years, to finish things off. It is a dark, powerful number which again was greatly added to by the classical musicians, and saw Hogarth delivering the song with his usual emotional display - while Pete Trewavas (bass guitar/vocals) helped him out with some sublime harmonies. It proved to be a strong set closer, and the band left the stage to deafening cheers from all in attendance. There was of course going to be more, and a three-song encore followed - split into two sections. The first portion opened with Fantastic Place, with Hogarth sat behind his keyboard to add some additional piano melodies while Rothery's delicate leads really complimented his mumbled vocal lines perfectly. With the preceding handful of songs being fairly downbeat, the show was then given a bit of a kick up the backside with the uptempo rock of Separated Out - a rarely-played track from the Anoraknphobia album. It has a relatively punky edge, and Hogarth took the opportunity to jump around the stage belting out the lyrics while Trewavas' bass drove everything. Part way through the song the string section broke into a portion of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir which was fun, before returning to the script to finish off the brash rocker with aplomb. It would have been a great round off to the evening, but the band had one more ace up their sleeves with This Strange Engine. The song is another lengthy epic, and one that really brought the best out of everyone on the stage. Hogarth dominated the early portions, with the autobiographical lyrics flowing from him, before a lengthy instrumental section allowed some others to shine. Kelly laid down a lengthy keyboard part way through the song, which recalled some of his busy work on the band's very early albums, before the piece was essentially closed out by a lengthy and soaring guitar solo from Rothery. The song, and the band, unsurprisingly received a standing ovation as they took their bows and I think everyone in attendance was clear about the sheer scale of what they had just witnessed. The setlist was:

Gaza

Afraid of Sunlight

Seasons End

Estonia

The Hollow Man

The New Kings - Part I: Fuck Everyone and Run

The New Kings - Part II: Russia's Locked Doors

The New Kings - Part III: A Scary Sky

The New Kings - Part IV: Why is Nothing Ever True?

The Sky Above the Rain

The Great Escape

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Fantastic Place

Separated Out/Kashmir [Led Zeppelin cover]

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This Strange Engine

With this show in Bath I have now managed to see four excellent Marillion shows in as many years. The band are certainly on fire at the moment, and seem to be enjoying something of a resurgence in popularity which is allowing them to do this fairly lengthy tours again in theatre-type venues. All of the shows I have seen have been special for different reasons, and the Bath one was no different. I imagine that next year will see the band start to work on some new material to follow up Fuck Everyone and Run with, but I am already looking forward to the next tour - whenever that may be.