Dare - Nuneaton Review

With my last trip away from the South West via train ending in a 24 hour delay thanks to Storm Eunice, I was looking forward to getting back to hassle-free gigging. I was also looking forward to a long weekend away in the Midlands - something which I have not done all that regularly of late. I had purchased a ticket for Ricky Warwick's Nottingham show around a year ago, but I wanted to find something else locally to do the day before - and really make a weekend of it. Travelling up and back to Nottingham in consecutive days always makes for a tiring weekend, so finding something else to do in the Midlands always makes the trip more enjoyable. I was struggling to find something else, however, until I noticed that the British melodic rockers Dare were playing at the Queens Hall in Nuneaton the day before. Nuneaton, despite going through it on the train many times, is not somewhere that I had ever been to until yesterday. It is one of those slightly anonymous Midlands commuter towns - close to Birmingham, Coventry, and Leicester - so as such I had had no reason to visit previously. The Queens Hall, however, has always been quite a busy venue. I had often seen gigs advertised there, but had never really considered it as a sensible gig destination. I did have tickets to see both FM and Black Star Riders at the venue over the past couple of years, but both fell foul to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday's Dare show was the first Queens Hall show I had tickets for that went ahead, so I made the trip up from Plymouth to see what Nuneaton had to offer. Whilst certainly not the most exciting place, it is probably at the better end of anonymous Midlands commuter towns. Being a Saturday, there was a market on - which meant that I managed to pick up a few records - and the small hotel that I stayed at turned out to be very pleasant. It was only a short walk from the Queens Hall, too, so was a perfect place to stay. Turning to Dare, it was my first time seeing the band since a show with FM in Reading in 2019. Whilst it was my fourth time seeing the band overall, it was my first Dare headline show. I first saw the band in 2016, supporting Europe, and then I saw them twice with FM in something of a co-headline arrangement in both 2018 and 2019. All being well I will be seeing the band twice again this year, at the Cambridge Rock Festival in June and in Bristol in October, but I was not going to turn down an opportunity to see them again in Nuneaton - especially as I was going to be in Nottingham the next day anyway. The Queens Hall turned out to be a decent little venue, too. The sound throughout the night was very clear, and the stage was a good size and height considering the size of the room. The show attracted a healthy crowd too, with the venue seeming pretty full throughout the evening. This ensured that there was a great atmosphere, and the band seemed to enjoy the welcome that they received.

Before Dare took to the stage, however, the growing crowd was treated to half an hour of music from Troy Redfern. The blues guitarist seems to be supporting everyone at the moment, and I saw him opening for The Quireboys back in January. I enjoyed that set in Birmingham, but I have to say that this time I felt a bit underwhelmed. Unlike in Birmingham, Redfern was playing without a bassist - and only had Finn McAuley (drums) in tow. As such, Redfern's whole set was focused around his resonator slide guitar-based material - which meant that the big riffy rockers that he had played in Birmingham were not included. He played a couple of resonator-based songs last time, but this time the whole set was made up of them. I like that sound once in a while, but after hearing a few songs in that style the set started to sound very samey. Redfern is known as a slide player, but there are only so many song variations that can be played when the slide is dominating. Personally, I would have preferred to hear another set similar to the one that I saw a couple of months ago - with big blues rockers mixed in with dirty resonator slide tracks. Perhaps his bassist was unavailable for this show, which necessitated the change in vibe, but either way his set was not really for me this time. He even persisted in playing Voodoo Child (Slight Return) to close out his set, but with a slide on the resonator. It was certainly an interesting take on the song, but for me it did not really work. Apart from the main riff, the rest of the song sounded exactly the same as the rest of the set - which was a shame. Having enjoyed Redfern's set in Birmingham in January, I was somewhat disappointed with his efforts last night. He is a skilled slide player, but for me his best material features him really rocking out - which is just not possible on a resonator. It was a strange choice to only focus on that side of his playing, and I hope that if I catch him again in the future he straps on his Les Paul.

It was Dare that everyone was there to see, however, and half an hour after Redfern's set the lights went down and the five-piece trooped onto the stage. With a new album, Road to Eden, due out in a couple of weeks, the band took one last opportunity to really showcase the material from 2016's excellent Sacred Ground. This meant that the setlist overall was quite similar to the shows that I saw in 2018 and 2019, but elongated to suit a headline performance. This was not a problem for me, however, as the Sacred Ground material works well live, and the mix of older tracks played showcased some of the band's classics. They did play one new song, however, with the rocking single Born in the Storm kicking things off. The song has been out for a while at this point, so much so that it was greeted like an old friend by everyone in attendance. There were clearly a lot of die-hard Dare fans in the crowd, but this only enhanced the vibe of the night - and Born in the Storm's harder rock feel ensured that the energy levels were high from the off. Five songs from Sacred Ground followed, with the smooth Home kicking off this suite. Dare's more recent material, Born in the Storm aside, is generally much mellower than their older songs - but they really suit frontman Darren Wharton's husky voice and the melodic guitar playing of Vinny Burns. Wharton was in fine voice throughout, and Burns had plenty of opportunities to solo throughout. An early highlight for me was the catchy Days of Summer, which has always been one of my favourite Dare songs. Marc Roberts' keyboards created a strong base for the track, while Burns' aching leads and Wharton's sultry vocal melodies carried it. The gorgeous I'll Hear You Pray was another highlight, too, and it is a song that really showcases where Dare are at these days. It sounds like Road to Eden may be something of a return to their harder rock roots, but for many years now Dare have excelled in crafting smooth, emotional, soft rock tracks - usually with soaring choruses. I'll Hear You Pray sums up that style perfectly, as did the slightly older Sea of Roses which came not too long after.

A couple more newer tracks were then played, including the creeping Where Darkness Ends which was dedicated to the people of Ukraine. The song is one of the darkest that the band have written, so it did stand out somewhat in the context of the set. It provided a mid-set change of pace, however, and the track was well-received by the large crowd. The final third of the main set took on a heavier vibe, however. Starting with a cover of Thin Lizzy's Emerald, dedicated to Wharton's old boss Phil Lynott, Dare slowed the song down and emphasised its Celtic elements - but the song still rocked thanks to the pounding drums of Kev Whitehead. Five songs from the band's first two albums then followed, with two from 1991's Blood from Stone upping the pace. Burns' guitar playing was really featured throughout this section of the set, with plenty of big riffs and shredding solos coming from his fingers. Despite these songs being over 30 years old, Wharton still sang them with real power. His voice has held up really well over the years, and he delivered the harder-edged material perfectly. They were also songs that conjured up quite a bit of crowd interaction. The gang vocal-led choruses of both Wings of Fire and We Don't Need a Reason were sung loudly back at the band, without much encouragement from Wharton, and this perfectly set the tone for three songs from 1988's Out of the Silence which closed out the main set. Singles Abandon and Into the Fire were also lapped up by the crowd, with Roberts' driving keyboards taking some time in the spotlight. The more political and anthemic The Raindance was left to close things out, with the heavy folk vibe of the track rounding out the main set perfectly. There was time for a few more however, and a three-song encore followed after much cheering from the crowd. One more 'newer' song, Silent Hills, was wheeled out; but it was left to two more songs from Out of the Silence to close out the evening. Wharton's tribute to Phil Lynott, King of Spades, was as poignant as ever. The song had to be restarted, though, due to some monitor issues, but it still included a portion of Thin Lizzy's Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend - which Burns nailed on the guitar. The band's traditional closing track Return the Heart then finished things off, and the crowd certainly made their appreciation known as the band took their bows and left the stage. The setlist was:

Born in the Storm

Home

Until

Days of Summer

I'll Hear You Pray

Every Time We Say Goodbye

Sea of Roses

Where Darkness Ends

On My Own

Emerald [Thin Lizzy cover]

Wings of Fire

We Don't Need a Reason

Abandon

Into the Fire

The Raindance

-

Silent Hills

King of Spades/Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend [Thin Lizzy cover]

Return the Heart

As much as I had enjoyed the previous Dare sets that I had seen, yesterday's gig in Nuneaton was probably the best yet. It was great to finally see the band as a headline act, and it was a fine way to see out the Sacred Ground era - with Road to Eden due out shortly. Wharton said that it was the last time that this set would be played, as future shows would be mixing things up with new songs and possibly some different older tracks being pulled out of the vaults. I look forward to hearing the new set later in the year, and I also look forward to returning to the Queens Hall at some point - as the venue certainly impressed.

Absolva's 'Fire in the Sky' - Album Review

I always enjoy covering albums by newer UK-based talent on this blog. As important as the UK has been to the development of hard rock and metal over the years, I think that it is fair to say that most of the newer big hitters in the genre come from elsewhere. Despite this, however, the UK has always had a strong rock and metal scene - which, in many ways, seems to be thriving more than ever currently. It is amazing how the attitude towards this scene has changed over the past decade or so, too. I remember discovering a number of young UK-based rock and metal bands in my teenage years - all of whom I naively thought would be the big classic rock acts of the future. Sadly, hardly any of these bands are still going now; and this is largely because in the late 2000s hardly anyone seemed to be paying attention. Fast forward to the 2020s, however, and younger bands seem to be getting more of a chance - which is great to see. Rock and metal in general has also risen in popularity again over the past decade or so, too, which has likely had a knock-on effect when it comes to the genres' newer bands finding a fanbase. It is a real shame that the bands I loved in the 2000s were not afforded the same opportunities, but it is also great to see a number of quality UK-based rock and metal bands starting to make waves. One such band that are making fans wherever they go is the Manchester-based four-piece Absolva. The band formed back in 2012, after they somewhat morphed from Fury UK - who I saw as a support act a few times in the late 2000s and early 2010s. I never really got into Fury UK, and Absolva did not seem to attach themselves to as many tours as their predecessor. As such, it was only last year that I started listening to the band properly. They were still on my radar, as they have been acting as the backing band for Blaze Bayley for a number of years - and it was due to Bayley that I finally gave Absolva a listen. I went to see Bayley live twice last year, and both times featured Absolva as the support act. As a result, I picked up a number of the band's albums - and I enjoyed the two sets of theirs that I saw. I did not know that they were working on a new album, so when Fire in the Sky was announced earlier in the year it came as a bit of a surprise. Fire in the Sky is the band's sixth studio album, and their first album since 2020's strong Side by Side. It is also their fourth album to feature the current line-up. Joining founding members frontman Chris Appleton and drummer Martin McNee throughout Fire in the Sky are guitarist Luke Appleton and bassist Karl Schramm. This four-piece has been Absolva's line-up for most of its existence, and the band have really refined their no-nonsense approach to melodic heavy metal at this point. Fire in the Sky does not really alter the band's established formula - but the songwriting is strong throughout and the band sound furious as always.

Whilst Fire in the Sky is packed with a lot of memorable metal anthems, for me it opens with one of its best offerings. Demon Tormentor really captures what Absolva are all about in my opinion. It is a song that harks back to the golden days of 1980s melodic metal, with plenty of twin guitar leads from the Appleton brothers, but also contains plenty of modern crunch. Absolva are not just a throwback, despite taking plenty of cues from the 1980s. The production and McNee's drumming style anchors the band in the modern day, and their mix of melodic heavy metal with occasional injections of thrash shines due to its mix of old and new. Much of the band's material is generally mid-paced, but Demon Tormentor ups the pace somewhat compared to the norm. It does not power away at break-neck speed, but it moves along at a brisk pace - with Chris' accessible vocal hooks driving everything. There are plenty of guitar hooks throughout, too, but this is very much a vocal-led song -with an anthemic chorus which contains something of an early Iron Maiden vibe. Chris is very much the focus throughout the album, be it due to his voice or his guitar playing. He handles the lion's share of the lead guitar here, and the lengthy solo in Demon Tormentor is very impressive - and packed full of explosive shredding. Burn Inside slows the pace a little, and goes for a crunching, groove-based approach with a prominent bass line and plenty of chugging rhythm guitar. Again, there are Iron Maiden vibes throughout the track - but the main chorus actually feels more like a throwback to the 1970s a little. The chorus feels a little less heavy than the rest of the song, with the chugging dropping away to be replaced by a harmony guitar lead, which gives it a classic rock vibe. This works well, however, and it allows the melodic chorus to really stand out when compared to the crunching groove of the rest of the track. This is pretty typical of Absolva's sound, and the band have always done a good job of mixing heaviness and melody throughout their material. Addiction is similar, but opens with a great screaming guitar lead which is backed by a busy main riff. Like Burn Inside, however, much of the song is pretty crunchy. The verses are similar, with a mid-paced groove and a relatively simple chug, but there is also more of a lead guitar presence this time - with soaring guitar leads sitting between some of the vocal lines. These help to spice the verses up, and give the song a more interesting arrangement than the simple headbanger that Burn Inside was. The highlight of Addiction for me, though, is its chorus. It is easily the most epic-sounding thing on the album to this point, and it really goes all out melodically. Chris' voice is backed by a big guitar lead throughout, and it has something of a power metal vibe without ever going over the top. It is one of the album's hookiest tracks as a result, and it is one that I imagine will work really well live.

What Does God Know? takes something of a step back, and provides a bit of respite after the opening three songs. It opens as a ballad, with some gentle guitar melodies and Chris' subtle vocals - but it soon grows somewhat as it explodes into a staccato guitar rhythm and the song's chorus. The verses throughout are gentle, reinforcing the song's ballad tendencies, while the choruses are much heavier - although heaviness-wise the song is much more laid back than anything that has come before. Whilst I prefer Absolva when they are operating at full tilt, a song like What Does God Know? shows that the band are capable of mixing things up. It would have been easy for the band to create an album full of very similar songs, but What Does God Know? allows them to showcase their arrangement skills. It still contains a great guitar solo, too! Stand Your Ground gets back to Absolva's core sound, but the song's riff is probably the fattest-sounding on the album so far. There is something Accept-like about it, and this vibe extends throughout the song's verses. The chorus is not anthemic like Accept, however, and instead goes for the band's typical melodic guitar lead approach to back up Chris' vocals. Given how crunchy the song is it might have been fun if the band had gone all-out with the Accept-isms and written a gang vocal-led chorus, but the melodic chorus opted for is probably more in-keeping with the album overall. The album's title track follows, and it returns to the hard and heavy sound of Demon Tormentor. The pace has been upped here, and the song steams along nicely with a great verse riff that seems to borrow a little from Luke's time in Iced Earth. There is certainly something of that band's riffing style throughout the verses, but this influence does not overpower the band's trademark sound - which is as rooted in Iron Maiden as ever. The second verse even goes out of its way to show this, with lots of harmony guitar leads, while the chorus is very typical of Absolva's melodic style. This is clearly another song that is made to be played live, too. There are some great wordless vocal sections which will really come alive when sung by a crowd, and the amount of guitar pyrotechnics throughout will certainly elicit a reaction. The song is another highlight for me as a result. Man for all Seasons slows the pace down a little again, but only back down to the band's usual crunching mid-pace. The main riff is packed full of groove, thanks to a prominent bass presence and McNee's double bass drumming, but the verses are much simpler - with more of a typical chug to allow the vocals to come to the fore. The style of the chorus is very typical again, but it is perhaps less hooky for me than some of the ones that came before. The highlight of the song for me, though, is a great bridge section that follows the second chorus. This part of the song contains lots of great vocal hooks - and it leads into another excellent solo packed full of guitar harmonies from the Appleton brothers.

Gallóglaigh opens with the sounds of battle, before a great riff kicks in that is very clearly influenced by Iron Maiden. I have referenced Iron Maiden a lot throughout this review, but it is clearly where Absolva take a lot of their influence from. The harmony guitars are clearly very much from Iron Maiden's sound, but overall I think Absolva are a crunchier band - although this could be down to their more modern production style. There is an instrumental break that comes about two-thirds of the way through the track which is very much Iron Maiden inspired however, and the folky sing-a-long that it leads into certainly borrows from some of Iron Maiden's more progressive pieces. Due to the heroic nature of the lyrics, the battle sounds, and the folky melodies thrown in, this song is easily the one here that is most Iron Maiden-esque - but Absolva have the talent and writing chops to pull the sound off. Historic Year is the album's longest song at just under six minutes, and it opens slowly with delicate guitar melodies and Chris' emotional vocal delivery. This vibe does not stick around for long, however, as a big riff soon kicks in and the song begins proper. This is the band's obligatory COVID-19 song, but in general they have done what Saxon did recently with their take on this topic and produced a song very much typical of their sound - rather than go for something overwrought. Historic Year still very much sounds like Absolva, and there is plenty of furious riffing throughout - as well as lots of shredded guitar leads. The chorus also goes for a really epic sound, and it just about pulls it off. Chris' vocals have real gravitas throughout it, but it would have been better, in my opinion, if the chorus was made even bigger with layers of big harmony vocals to go with the overall epic sound. Regardless, the song still works very well - and it is great to hear the band stretching their wings out during its longer runtime. Refuse to Die is somewhat the opposite of Historic Year, and it is a snappy upbeat track that brings the album to headbanging close. Perhaps the song is supposed to be the antidote to Historic Year, but it certainly sounds like the band roaring out of the gate again post-pandemic. There is a lot of double bass drumming throughout the track, and the song is packed with great riffs that fire out of the speakers - while Chris sings with real passion. The song is only just over three minutes long, but there is still a lot crammed in - with melodic guitar leads filling essentially every little gap. It is a great way to end the album, as it essentially sums up Absolva's sound in three minutes - with its hooks and energy showcasing everything that is great about the band. It caps off what, to me, is Absolva's best album to date. I have not heard all of them yet, but for me it is easily the most consistent of everything that the band has done in recent years at least. At just over 40 minutes long it really races by and the performances are electric throughout - and I hope that I get the opportunity to hear some of these songs live in the not too distant future.

The album was released on 18th February 2022 via Rocksector Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Fire in the Sky.

Ten's 'Here Be Monsters' - Album Review

There was a period of time a few years ago when it seemed like the British melodic/pomp rock act Ten were realising a new album every year. The band have often been fairly prolific, but between 2014 and 2018 they released four albums in quick succession - which, for me, was actually a bit much. Whilst it is always good when bands are prolific, I felt that releasing four similar albums so close together started to affect my enjoyment of the material - so much so that I felt that I could not really review 2018's Illuminati as I just did not really have anything to say about it (I did briefly talk about it here, however). There was nothing wrong with Illuminati per se, but there was nothing to differentiate it from the band's last few albums. In truth, it could be argued that Ten have essentially sounded the same since they released X in 1996. Despite a number of line-up changes over the years, the band have stuck closely to frontman Gary Hughes' vision - and there is a real uniformity to the band's discography as a result. This is perhaps both a positive and a negative when it comes to Ten. On the one hand, if you like what the band do then a new album is always going to impress on some level. You always know what you are going to get with Ten, and their albums are always well-crafted and lush-sounding - with layers of keyboards and the smooth voice of Hughes dominating. On the other hand, however, the steadfast formula can mean that most Ten albums are essentially interchangeable - and multiple releases coming out in quick succession can lead to fatigue. It is probably wise, then, that after Illuminati's release Ten decided to take a break from writing and recording. Four albums in five years probably found the band needing a reset, but last month they broke this hiatus to release their fifteenth studio album Here Be Monsters. From what I understand, Here Be Monsters is the first of two new Ten albums that have been recorded. It would appear that Hughes managed to amass a lot of songs over the past few years, and enough were recorded by the band to create two albums. These two albums are not linked in any way conceptually - but it is clear that the band's sixteenth album is not too far away. Here Be Monsters features five of the seven musicians that were credited on Illuminati, with Hughes once again joined by lead guitarists Dann Rosingana and Steve Grocott, bassist Steve McKenna, and keyboardist Darrel Treece-Birch. Long-term rhythm guitarist John Halliwell is not featured this time, and nor is drummer Max Yates - with Markus Kullmann (Voodoo Circle; Hartmann; Sinner) providing the drums on a session basis. I am not sure if Halliwell and Yates are no longer a part of Ten, or whether they were unavailable for these recording sessions. Both are still listed on the band's website, however, so I am assuming it is the latter. Regardless, the slightly slimmed down line-up has had no impact on the band's sound; which is as consistent as ever; and in truth I have often wondered how much all of the band's credited guitarists actually contribute in the studio - especially considering that Hughes is often credited as a guitarist too.

As with most of Ten's albums, Here Be Monsters has a handful of really strong tracks and a number of songs that leave less of an impression - while still being solid. For me, two of the album's best compositions open the album. Fearless kicks things off, with Treece-Birch's gentle piano melodies setting the tone - before a muscular guitar riff takes over, which actually conjures up a surprising amount of groove. This is slightly different from the norm for Ten, but the relatively deep and smooth voice of Hughes immediately grounds the song. Despite this, the verses are snappier than usual. Kullmann's drums actually provide the main musical backing throughout them, while the guitars provide occasional rhythmic stabs and string scratches. It is not until the pre-chorus that the band's typical big sound is fully established - and the chorus is then very much business as usual, with plenty of big keyboard layers and subtle backing vocals to boost Hughes' voice. A screaming guitar solo follows the second chorus, with the phrases being packed full of shredded lines that fit with the song's overall groovy nature. This solo is quite lengthy, but it allows either Rosingana or Grocott (or possibly both) to showcase their talents. It fits with the vibe of the song nicely, too, and it helps Fearless to be one of the stand out cuts here. Chapter and Psalm opens in a similar manner to Fearless, with Treece-Birch's piano, but the song is very much more typical of Ten's sound from the off. Hughes soon sings over the piano opening, providing an early glimpse of the song's chorus, but it is when a warm guitar pattern takes over that the song begins proper. The riffing is much more typical this time however, with a melodic lead dominating that creates something of a hypnotic melody. The band's usual pomp sound is very much present here. The verses are filled with rolling piano and a strong drum beat; while a slightly heavier pre-chorus introduces some stabbing guitar riffing to offset the vocals. The chorus hinted at earlier then crashes in in a big way, and it is probably the one of the album's most memorable. Hughes' vocal melodies are very hooky, and the backing vocals elevate them further. I remember making the point in one of my previous Ten reviews that the band rarely significantly boost their choruses with big backing vocals - so I am glad to see that rectified here to an extent. I would still prefer the backing vocals to have a bigger presence, especially as Hughes' voice does not have a significant range, but the chorus of Chapter and Psalm certainly benefits from their inclusion. Hurricane was the first taste of the album that the public were treated to when its lyric video was released a couple of months ago. Most of Ten's songs are relatively lengthy, but Hurricane is on the shorter side - and certainly goes for a bit more of an AOR sound. It is a little slower, too, with the verses generally seeing Hughes singing alone against a moody piano backing, before the chorus explodes with all of the band's typical pomp energy. The vocal hooks throughout the chorus are very memorable, too, and it is another of the album's best in my opinion. The melodies are a little more interesting and diverse than is typical for Ten, and this helps it to stand out. A couple of great lead guitar breaks help to the elevate the song further, and the more compact arrangement ensures that none of the ideas here are ever overused.

Strangers on a Distant Shore opens with Hughes' vocals and some rumbling organ. The use of organ instead of the piano which has largely been featured so far should give a clue as to the relative heaviness of the piece. This song is certainly chunkier than anything that has featured on the album up to this point, with the heavier guitar riffing adding plenty of weight - while Kullmann's drums certainly have more punch to them this time. This relative heaviness, combined with the use of organ throughout, gives the song a brooding nature. Whilst the chorus is more upbeat and very much in the classic Ten mould, the rest of the song is slower and full of relative menace. Ten have not morphed into a metal band here, but it contains some of the heaviest riffing that the band have used in quite a while. Some of the guitar leads use this to adopt a screaming tone, too, and the song is memorable for its mix of heaviness with a soaring, melodic chorus. The Dream That Fell to Earth retains some of the heaviness of the previous song, but this time it is balanced with more typical synth sounds instead of the dryer organ used before. There is a 1980s metal vibe to some of the guitar riffing used here, but the arrangement of the song ensures that it never really dominates. The song's verses are actually quite slow, with the riffing mixed into the background to allow the synths and atypical drumming style to dominate. This gives the verses a bit of a strange vibe, but it works well in the context of the song. The chorus is much more typical, however, but it is a shame that the riffing here is also generally mixed into the background. The guitarists here seem to be adopting a John Sykes-esque style, but sadly the keyboards dominate and push these riffs into the background. The song could have hit harder with a stronger guitar presence in my opinion. The Miracle of Life returns more to the sound of the opening handful of songs, with a rolling piano intro and a hooky guitar lead that soon takes over. Ten have often been compared to bands like Magnum, and The Miracle of Life is quite Magnum-esque. Some of the keyboard sounds here have that pseudo-symphonic edge that Magnum often use, and the guitar tones are quite muscular - which recall modern Magnum in particular. The song's verses also allow McKenna's bass to shine. His playing is rarely prominent on this album, but the bassline throughout the verses does stand out - with the guitars instead adding occasional colour. The Magnum vibes also return during the choruses, which are hooky and somewhat more upbeat. Immaculate Friends is another song that has more of an overt AOR vibe. Much of Ten's sound is rooted in the 1980s, but Immaculate Friends is probably the most 1980s-sounding piece here. The busy synths throughout are very AOR-esque, and the song is much more upbeat than is typical for Ten. There is less of the band's lengthier build-ups and slightly progressive attitude here, with the melodies instead being king. The chorus is another very memorable one, and the keyboards throughout perfectly create the desired vibe.

Anything You Want is similar, but returns more to the sound of the album's opening numbers. The synths of the previous number are replaced here with Treece-Birch's piano - and his busy playing dominates the song throughout. His upbeat playing helps the song to rock in the way that it does, but there is still a smoothness to the track that comes from Hughes' voice. This is probably also the song on the album that makes the best use of backing vocals. The choruses actually use them in a big way this time, and there is a really theatrical vibe whipped up during them as a result. In my opinion, Ten should do things like this more often. The band have such a big sound, and it has always confused me why they have never used layers of backing vocals in a Def Leppard-esque way to boost their sound further. This song is probably the closest that the band have come to doing so of late, and it works well throughout the upbeat and relatively jaunty number. Follow Me Into the Fire ups the heaviness again slightly, with the organ of Strangers on a Distant Shore making a return. The thing that really stands out about this song for me, though, is the dominance of the guitars throughout. Despite some good riffs throughout the album, the guitars are generally lower in the mix than the keyboards - especially while Hughes is singing. That is not the case here, however, and the verses are very muscular thanks to the guitar presence. The organ offsets the guitars nicely, too, and the song has something of an old-school classic rock vibe as a result - even if the chorus is very typical Ten in sound with prominent synths and Hughes' sultry vocals. The overall guitar presence throughout the song also means that the guitar solos are much more hectic than usual. The band's guitarist usually adopt a very melodic playing style, but the solos here are fast-paced and full of shredded licks. This works well within the context of the song, however, and the busy solos help the song to stand out. The album comes to a close with its only true ballad The Longest Time. Treece-Birch's piano dominates throughout, and the song shines thanks to Hughes' vocal melodies. Ten have done a number of ballads over the years, but this is one of the most memorable ones that they have written for a while for me. Hughes' voice is well-suited to ballads, with his smooth tones really bringing the choruses to life - while a bluesy guitar solo adds some additional emotional depth to the piece. This song is all about Hughes and Treece-Birch, however, and the two have formed a great relationship over the last few years - with this song being a good example of what they can create together. The song acts as a great closing moment, too, and it is another of the album's more memorable songs thanks to its melodic chorus and great overall atmosphere. I think that it is fair to say, however, that the album in general has a strong atmosphere. After a few years without a Ten album, I have been enjoying Here Be Monsters quite a bit over the past few weeks - despite it largely 'just' being another Ten album. I am somewhat concerned that there is another album due from the band very soon, however. I hope that the Ten fatigue will not set in again shortly - but at the moment it has been great to enter into the Ten world again, and Here Be Monsters has plenty to enjoy for fans of the band.

The album was released on 18th February 2022 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Hurricane.

Kris Barras Band - Exeter Review

After nearly three weeks without a gig, it was great to travel up to Exeter yesterday evening to take in some live music. The South West is generally under-served when it comes to live music, but the last seven or eight months has probably been the busiest for gigs in this part of the country that I can remember. Plymouth in particular has been reeling the bands in, with a number of memorable gigs at The Junction taking place last year, but Exeter has also had its share. The reason for yesterday's excursion up the A38 was the Kris Barras Band - a hard rocking four-piece who I have been listening to casually for the past couple of years. Given that Barras is local to the South West (he is from Torquay), I am surprised that it took me so long to start listening to his work. After having it recommended to me by a friend, however, I picked up his band's third studio album Light It Up in 2020 - and instantly enjoyed Barras' harder take on the classic blues rock sound. I enjoyed Light It Up casually for a year or so, but it was seeing the band last year when they opened for Black Stone Cherry (also in Exeter) that really made me take notice. They sounded so much tougher live, and played a number of tracks that I was not familiar with - most of which have recently been released on Barras' fourth album Death Valley Paradise. I later learnt that Barras was shifting away from his bluesy sound to one that was much more modern hard rock in tone. The new songs played on the Black Stone Cherry tour certainly showcased this, and I knew that Barras' new album would be one to look out for. In the meantime I completed my collection of Barras' catalogue, and booked to see his band on the first night of the Death Valley Paradise tour at the Phoenix in Exeter. The show was actually the first of two nights at the venue, with Barras clearly hoping to wow his local fans before heading off around the country. With Death Valley Paradise being released last week, and some of its singles being chosen for radio play, heading off on tour now seems like perfect timing. It is my understanding, too, that this tour is the first run of headline dates that Barras has done with the current incarnation of the Kris Barras Band - which has been retooled to be sleeker, heavier, and more modern sounding than any of its previous iterations.

Given the local connection, the venue was pretty full throughout the night. While the crowd was gathering, however, those who turned up early were treated to a few songs from the Exeter-based blues artist Adam Sweet. Whilst Barras' take on the blues is much rockier, Sweet is very much cut from the traditional blues cloth. It is no secret that the blues has never been my favourite genre of music, but it is something that I have warmed to quite a bit over the years - and a strong blues act is always enjoyable live. I have certainly seen fierier bluesmen than Sweet, but his playing was packed full of feel. He never really rocked out with big riffs and dirty tones, but instead laid down swinging grooves and emotive solos - which were all wrapped up in an aching tone. Songwriting-wise, his music was very typical. I have heard more inventive blues songs, sung by stronger singers, but for me the highlight of Sweet's set was his playing. His songs could certainly be more memorable, but there were plenty of excellent solos throughout his set that impressed. I did not catch the names of the any of the songs, but there was a lengthy ballad that came about two-thirds of the way through the set that dripped with emotion; and a strong cover of Fleetwood Mac's Oh Well spiced things up somewhat and allowed for some harder riffing and chaotic blues shredding. I am never truly going to fall for an artist like Sweet, but I can appreciate the craft of a musician of his calibre - and his soloing was certainly on another level compared to a number of other similar blues artists that I have seen over the years. He received a strong reception from the crowd throughout his set, too, so it sounded like he made himself a few new fans with his performance - which is always good to see.

The evening took something of a unique turn after Sweet's set. Earlier in the day the tour's main support act, Florence Black, had to cancel their appearances at the two Exeter shows due to illness. It was too late to source a new support band for the evening, so Barras decided to play a short acoustic set to fill the gap. This certainly helped to make the evening more memorable - and the crowd was treated to six songs played acoustically by Barras and Josiah Manning (guitar/vocals) before the main event. The acoustic set was made up of three of Barras' older tracks and three covers, all of which were played with real passion - and it really made me realise just how great a singer Barras is. The stripped back nature of the set also allowed for some banter with the crowd, and the acoustic set created a great, laid back vibe which suited the gentle nature of the material played. Heart on Your Sleeve, from Barras' debut album Lucky 13 opened up the set, before excellent renditions of the ballads Propane and Rain were also played. Barras seemed to enjoy singing these older numbers, and he commented that it was good to dust them off again as they were songs that would not fit with the vibe of the heavier electric set. The crowd certainly enjoyed hearing the songs, too, and Rain in particular seemed to go down well. Three fun covers followed the originals, with an emotive version of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Simple Man and a dirty, bluesy take on All Along the Watchtower impressing the crowd. Perhaps the highlight of the acoustic set, however, was a great rendition of Guns N' Roses' Sweet Child O' Mine - for which Barras wheeled out Inglorious' Nathan James. James, of course, totally owned the song vocally, and the song worked really well in a stripped down manner. Barras even pretty much nailed all of Slash's classic solo on an acoustic guitar, which was a lot of fun to see, before James arguably stole the show with his closing vocal gymnastics. It was a fun way to end a surprise acoustic set - and it certainly warmed the crowd up for what was to come. The setlist was:

Heart on Your Sleeve

Propane

Rain

Simple Man [Lynyrd Skynyrd cover]

All Along the Watchtower [Bob Dylan cover]

Sweet Child O' Mine [Guns N' Roses cover w/ Nathan James]

After 25 minutes or so, the lights went down and Barras' band took to the stage. They launched into a big riff, and Barras himself then joined them with the first of the night's many excellent guitar solos. I had assumed that this intro jam would lead into one of their new songs, but they soon started singing the hook of old favourite Hail Mary - which the crowd really lapped up. Hail Mary has traditionally been Barras' closing track, but with a whole new album of anthems to play with it seems that he wants to try something different - but the pulsing heavy blues rocker acted as a great opening cut, and the huge chorus was sung back at Barras loudly each time by the large crowd. This segued nicely into Dead Horses, a great modern rocker and easily my favourite cut from the new album. It is a perfect representation of Barras' modern sound, with the big riffing of him and Manning cutting through the speakers - while the snappy drums of Billy Hammett rang through the venue. The song is packed full of hooks, and the chorus is possibly the best that Barras has written to date. Again, there was lots of singing to be heard - which continued on throughout the muscular oldie Rock 'n' Roll Running Through My Veins. As hinted at by Barras earlier, the set was pretty relentless. There were few ballads and slower songs to be heard, with each track generally rocking pretty hard. The stomping blues rock of Ignite (Light It Up) and the southern metal of Devil You Know saw plenty of headbanging from the crowd, but there was chance to catch a breather thanks to the pandemic-inspired ballad Wake Me When it's Over. Barras' ballads always feel very heartfelt, and this one is no different. As it was one of the few lighter moments in the set, it really stood out too. It allowed Barras to showcase his older bluesy sound a little, and unsurprisingly its guitar solo was another winner.

This gentle moment was short lived, however, as the rollicking Vegas Son was wheeled out next. The track is one of the highlights of Light It Up for me, and the song's chorus in particular seemed to impress the crowd. It was then time for a couple of songs that really showcased the instrumental prowess of those on stage. Up first was the band's incendiary take on the old blues standard Going Down, which was significantly rocked up early on - and descended into guitar firepower towards the end. Barras of course took the lion's share of the soloing, but Manning also took a turn in the spotlight to showcase that he is no slouch either. This vibe continued on throughout Not Fading, too, which featured perhaps the most impressive instrumental section of the night. Barras, Manning, and Kelpie McKenzie (bass guitar/vocals) all traded lead runs and licks - with some of the bass playing on display particularly standing out. This part of the song was a pure explosion of notes, and it was great to see all on stage letting their hair down and really rocking out. By this point, however, the end of the night was approaching. The up-tempo Who Needs Enemies went down well thanks to its hooky chorus, and the pace was slowed down one last time for the poignant Watching Over Me - which Barras sung in tribute to his late father. The song contained one of the evening's most emotive guitar solos too, and Barras also encouraged the crowd to light the venue up with their phones. It was then left to the snappy What You Get and the anthemic single My Parade to close out the main set. The latter in particular was a real highlight, and promises to be Barras' new Hail Mary - as he encouraged a lengthy sing-a-long that the crowd certainly enjoyed. It ended the main set on a high, but Barras and his band were tempted back out for one more - with a powerful version of the older Lovers or Losers bringing one last solo out of Barras' busy fingers. The setlist was:

Hail Mary

Dead Horses

Rock 'n' Roll Running Through My Veins

These Voices

Ignite (Light It Up)

Devil You Know

Wake Me When it's Over

Vegas Son

Going Down [Moloch cover]

Not Fading
Who Needs Enemies

Watching Over Me

What You Get

My Parade

-

Lovers or Losers

I have been really enjoying Death Valley Paradise over the past few days, and seeing a lot of those songs performed live last night in Exeter was a real treat. The selection of older songs played really complemented the new tracks, too, and the current version of the Kris Barras Band really rocked. The bonus acoustic set was also a lot of fun, and it certainly made the first night of Barras' tour a special one. Barras is certainly someone that I will be following more closing going forward, and I can tell that I am going to continue enjoying the new album a lot over the coming weeks.

Slash's '4' - Album Review

It would have been very easy for Slash to take his foot off the pedal when he re-joined Guns N' Roses in 2016. The sheer amount of money that the band's on-going reunion tour will have netted him will have certainly set him up for life but, unlike Axl Rose, Slash seems to have an ongoing need to create. Whilst Guns N' Roses have recently released a couple of new songs which feature Slash, the guitarist has now released two full length albums since re-joining the band - which has ensured that his very successful solo career has kept on track. After being a member of a couple of different post-Guns N' Roses bands, Slash truly struck out on his own in 2010 when he released his self-titled debut solo album. This album featured an awful lot of talent on it, and it allowed Slash to work with a number of different singers and musicians, but it seems that the couple of songs that featured the vocal talents of Myles Kennedy really resonated with him. As such, and despite Kennedy's Alter Bridge commitments and own solo career, Kennedy has been Slash's right-hand man ever since. Slash and Kennedy, along with their largely-unchanged backing band The Conspirators, have now put out four albums of excellent bluesy hard rock - the latest of which was released last month. Despite having the generic title 4, as it is the fourth Slash album to exclusively feature Kennedy and The Conspirators, Slash's fifth overall solo album is, for me, a slight departure from his previous work. It is not drastically different, but there is a brevity and garage rock quality to 4 that is absent from Slash's previous albums. His last solo album, 2018's Living the Dream (which I reviewed here), saw Slash take a leaner path, however. 2014's World on Fire (which I also reviewed here) is a great album, and actually made it into my Top 10 list for that year, but its 77 minute run time means that it is not an album that I revisit too often. 2012's Apocalyptic Love was also over an hour long when including the two bonus tracks that basically every version of the album came with, so lengthy albums had been Slash's M.O. for a while. Living the Dream was just over 50 minutes long, but 4 has slimed things down even further - and is not much longer than 40 minutes. As such, 4 is Slash at his leanest - and the album feels like an old-school hard rock album as it can easily fit on two sides of vinyl. As someone who sometimes tires of long albums, I find 4 to be very palatable. It is also the rawest that Slash has sounded since the very early days of Guns N' Roses. The album was largely recorded live in the studio, and it was produced by Dave Cobb who has recently worked with the likes of Rival Sons and Europe. The sound of the former is certainly an influence here, and 4 has a similarly raw sound to the Californian blues rockers. 4 is sufficiently bluesy, too, and there is certainly a focus on that side of Slash's playing at times - although the rawness does allow for some raucous hard rocking moments, too.

The album kicks off with its lead single The River Is Rising; a great hard rocker that is not a million miles away from the sound Slash forged on Living the Dream. It opens with a trilling guitar riff and a foot-stomping rhythm, which soon explodes into a rhythmic verse featuring Kennedy singing at the lower end of his register. Much of the song sees Kennedy singing at a higher pitch, which is more typical, but the heaviness of the early portion of the verse is emphasised by his deeper tones. He moves through the gears to reach the chorus, however, which is a hooky moment that sticks in the brain after only a couple of listens. It is one of the album's best choruses in my opinion, and it has an old-school 1980s hard rock vibe thanks to Kennedy's high notes and the dirty guitar tones of Slash and Frank Sidoris. As is to be expected, there is plenty of opportunities for Slash to solo, too, and the solo section sees the band speed up considerably to allow his bluesy shredding to take centre stage. Whatever Gets You By is tougher, and rather bass-heavy. The bottom end of Todd Kearns dominates the track, with his basslines constantly driving everything. Slash and Sidoris add some bluesy colour, but on the whole the bass is the lead instrument - at least during the verses. The choruses are fuller, however, and feature all of the instruments playing a snaking riff which Kennedy sings along with in an old-school Black Sabbath-esque way. One thing that is clear from the off on this album is just how simple the arrangements are here. Slash and co. seemed to have deliberately stripped everything away from the songs to leave only the bare necessities - and that is how Whatever Gets You By feels with its snaking chorus and bass-heavy sound. C'est La Vie is a little 'bigger' in sound, but it is still relatively stripped back to fit in with the overall sound of the album. The guitar tones throughout are a little less crackly this time, and the song has an overall smoother sound - with some great wah-drenched Slash guitar leads that recall some of his trademark playing of the past. Kearns' bass still dominates however, and his rumbling basslines once again drive the verses - which are a little lighter sounding than anything that has come before. It is easily the cleanest sounding song on the album to this point too. The live-in-the-studio sound opted for here has its benefits, but the mix at times could be better. There are times that a solo or a main vocal hook is a bit low in the mix, which may be deliberate and part of the sound that was being sought, but C'est La Vie in general is cleaner sounding and more balanced.

The Path Less Followed opens with a simple, yet dirty, guitar riff that ends up forming the basis of the song - although a few subtle bluesy guitar leads soon kick in just before the main verse takes off. This is one of the album's rawest sounding songs, and the live sound that the band were seeking this time is very much captured here. The guitars really distort throughout the track, and there are times when it sounds like the amps are really buzzing - almost with feedback. It works well to create a dirty sound, but it is also a song that suffers from the imbalanced mix mentioned earlier. Kennedy really struggles to make himself heard throughout the song, and he always seems to be sitting just below a cacophony of overdriven guitars. I like the sound overall, but a better mix would have certainly helped the song - and I do not think that any of the rawness would have been lost by balancing the sounds more evenly. Actions Speak Louder Than Words is a very memorable bluesy hard rocker that has something of an old-school Aerosmith vibe throughout. The main melody line, which resurfaces throughout the choruses, is filled with lots of classic bluesy phrases, while the verses have a real strutting groove. This groove is expanded upon during the choruses too, with Brent Fitz's drumming taking on a stomping beat - with plenty of cowbell and bass drum. The chorus is another that features that old Black Sabbath technique of the singer just singing along with the riff - and it is a moment that sees everyone in the band playing a variation of the same riff, which helps the melody to stick and the song to sound powerful. Spirit Love opens with some Eastern-tinged melodies, but these do not stick around for a long at all - as it is not long before a heavy riff kicks in that is again very bass-driven. Considering that 4 is essentially a Slash solo album, Kearns' bass is often the album's dominant sound. The guitars here are generally mixed into the background, despite their heavy riffing, with the bass driving everything. This does allow Kennedy's voice to sit higher up in the mix this time, which is good, but I do not see why the mix had to be put together in such a way. For me the song would have hit harder with more of a guitar presence, and it is a shame that the mix feels off as the chorus is a pretty strong one that is sure to go down well live. Fill My World is another of the album's singles, and as such it is a very hooky track filled with lots of melodies. The main opening guitar melody is very much a classic Slash phrase, and the overall vibe of the song is more low key than much of the album. The verses are quite gentle this time, with some arpeggiated guitar melodies and big chords, while the chorus is bigger - with a reprise of the intro's hypnotic guitar line and some great Kennedy vocals. While not a ballad, the song has that vibe during the verses somewhat - which makes the chorus, and the particularly epic-sounding bridge, hit harder when they kick in.

April Fool ramps up the heaviness again, and opens with a snappy blues rock riff that certainly has an old-school Guns N' Roses vibe to it. The song is generally is cut from that cloth, too, which in fairness to Slash is something that he has generally avoided throughout his solo career. There are certain Slashisms which are always present, of course, but he has generally avoided writing songs that sound very similar to Guns N' Roses. April Fool is one, however, and the rawness of the production suits the track. Even the fact that the mix is again a bit off, with Kennedy being buried at times, works this time as it sounds like a long-lost Guns N' Roses demo. It probably helps, too, that the bass is not as dominant this time, which also allows Slash's guitar to really shine. The main riff is packed full of energy and strut, while his solo is a fast, bluesy run of notes that is filled with his typical phrasing style. Call off the Dogs is similar in style, but does not sound as much like a lost Guns N' Roses song this time. There is still a great rawness to the riff, however, which is similar to that of the previous song - but this is a song which maintains a fast pace throughout. There has always been a subtle punk edge to Slash's playing, and Call off the Dogs certainly has a bit of that throughout. The pace never lets up, and Fitz's drumming has a simple, punky vibe throughout that is more about speed than creating any sort of groove. It works well, however, as Kennedy's vocals throughout are generally quite snarling - and the chorus is one that easily gets stuck in the brain due to its simple use of melody and Slash's bluesy lead playing. Fall Back to Earth, the album's closing number, is the longest song here. Much of the album has been faster paced and hard rocking, but the closing track is somewhat more dynamic. It starts quite slowly, with a big bluesy guitar lead, which soon gives way to a verse that features delicate guitar playing and some gentle Kennedy vocals. It ramps up as it reaches the chorus, however, which explodes with a screaming guitar lead and some dirtier tones. It reminds me a little of a rawer version of Starlight from Slash's first solo albums. It has a similar quiet-meets-loud arrangement, which has ballad-esque moments and heavy blues rock sections that emphasise Slash's guitar playing. The song's solo may well be my favourite on the album too, as it is somewhat on the slower side which allows for some aching phrases that are so classic Slash in style. Due to its focus on Slash's guitar playing, the song is a perfect way to close out the album - as it acts as another reminder of his excellence as a guitarist, with the closing solo in particular being a highlight. The song also benefits from a great mix, although sadly this is not something that can be said about all of the songs here. Whilst a more consistent sound would have been preferable, the material throughout 4 is still strong. There is a lot to like here, and some of Slash's solos are up there with his best. I like the rawness of the album in principle, but sadly it has come at the cost of a clear mix in some cases - which does dent my enjoyment of some of the songs.

The album was released on 11th February 2022 via Snakepit Records/Gibson Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The River Is Rising.

Amorphis' 'Halo' - Album Review

Finland's Amorphis are, to me, a rare breed in the sense that they are truly unique. No-one else sounds anything truly like Amorphis, and the band have carved out a niche for themselves due to this unique sound - which fuses progressive, folk, gothic, and death metal together to create a dense, heavy, yet extremely melodic, sound. This sound, which has evolved fairly naturally over time, has helped Amorphis to sustain a 30-plus year carer - as well as release 14 studio albums, which very rarely disappoint. For me, however, Amorphis truly became the band that they are today when frontman Tomi Joutsen was brought on board. While I can appreciate the band's early death metal work, and their more progressive period that featured Pasi Koskinen, Joutsen really took Amorphis to the next level. Every album that the band have released with Joutsen is stellar, and his diverse vocal approach has allowed the band to be both crushingly heavy and gorgeously melancholic. Guitarist Tomi Koivusaari's growls on the band's first two albums are solid, but he lacked Joutsen's menace and diversity, and I have always struggled a bit with Koskinen's somewhat thin vocals - despite many of the songs written with him being strong. The clean vocals on 1994's seminal Tales from the Thousand Lakes are horrible too, so for me Amorphis always suffered from having relatively weak singers until 2005. There will be many that disagree, but for me Amorphis are a band that have only gotten better over time - so much so that 2018's Queen of Time (which I reviewed here) might well be my favourite album that the band have put out. In truth, though, choosing a favourite Amorphis album is hard. Ever since 2006's Eclipse, Joutsen's first album with the band, Amorphis have released excellent album after excellent album. Some have criticised the band for essentially sticking with the sound established on Eclipse fairly rigidly ever since, but for me Amorphis' sound is so diverse and unique that it does not matter that they tend to rely on it. As mentioned earlier, no-one else really sounds like Amorphis - so why would the band not want to capitalise on their USP? It is fair to say that this USP is well and truly entrenched throughout their newly-released fourteenth studio album Halo. That being said, however, and while this established sound is present, for me Halo is the heaviest album that the band have done for a while. The mix of the guitars of Esa Holopainen and Koivusaari and the keyboards of Santeri Kallio is generally finely balanced in the mix, but Halo seems to be a much more guitar-focused album. This enables the heavier side of the band to really shine, so there is more of an emphasis on Joutsen's harsh vocals this time. Kallio's keyboards are still here, but they tend to be a bit more organic sounding on the whole - although there are still plenty of lusher moments that recall the band's other recent work. This did take me by surprise at first, but repeated listens has allowed the album to open up - and it is great hearing the band operating at full tilt here.

The album's opening track, Northwards, really emphasises the band's slight shift towards a more consistently heavy sound. A short piano intro from Kallio sets the tone, but it is not long before the guitars of Holopainen and Koivusaari crash in - with the drums of Jan Rechberger adding to the heaviness with his fast double bass work. Amorphis' songs do not tend to be overly fast in a thrashy way, but the opening riff of Northwards is probably the closest that the band have come to sounding thrashy for some time. It certainly grabs the attention, but a more typical speed is adopted for the verses - which are packed full of fat guitar grooves and Joutsen's bellowed growls. He sounds as good as ever here, and his soaring clean vocals are also wheeled out for the chorus - which is fast-paced and certainly borrows from the song's opening. This allows the heaviness to permeate throughout the whole song; and the chorus has much more urgency than is typical as a result. There are slower moments, though, and the best such moment for me is the great instrumental mid-section that sees a great, flowing Holopainen guitar solo followed up by a great old-school Hammond organ solo from Kallio. This part of the song has something of a retro classic rock vibe, which works well in the context of the organic, heavy sound that the band have forged here. On the Dark Waters continues with the heavy sounds of Northwards, but the balance between heaviness and gothic melodrama is perhaps struck in a more typical way this time. Holopainen's knotty intro guitar lead provides an early hook, while the verse that follows is a real headbanger, with a Pantera-esque guitar riff and some synthy mellotron from Kallio adding something of an old-school classic prog rock feel. This is one of the songs that the band decided to shoot a video for, so it is unsurprisingly one of the hookiest pieces here. The chorus is very much classic Amorphis, with Joutsen's clean vocal delivery packed full of emotion, but an Eastern-tinged instrumental section introduces some folky melodies - which is something that the band have often done throughout their career. The Moon is another single, and it was the first taste of the album that was released publicly. It is a slightly more atmospheric piece, which is unsurprising as it was written by Kallio, with the overt heaviness of the previous two numbers reined in somewhat to allow the band's more progressive and gothic sides to flourish. There is still plenty of guitar weight during the crunching verses, but a piano counter-melody constantly adds depth - while the bass of Olli-Pekka Laine creates a strong groove. This is a song that could have appeared on any of the band's other recent albums, as it really focuses on creating a deep, lush sound. Kallio's keyboards dominate, and there is a great low key synth solo towards the end of the piece, but it is also a song that really pushes the vocal hooks to fore - with the chorus in particular being a very memorable moment.

Windmane ups the heaviness again, but does so in a relatively low key way - while also introducing some strong folk elements. Amorphis have often included some doom in their sound, particularly early on in their career, and Windmane feels like something of a doom metal song - with a Paradise Lost-esque intro and plenty of throat-shredding vocals from Joutsen. The chorus provides a bit of levity, with gentle vocal melodies and some folky flourishes, but much of the song is slow-paced and heavy. Even the moments which feature Rechberger's double bass drumming have slow riffs atop them - with these sections featuring some black metal-esque rasps from Joutsen, who sounds at his most demonic here. It is a bit of a strange sounding song a result, but I like how it harks back to the band's early days as a death metal act - but with a few folky melodies and a proggy synth solo helping to ground the piece in 2022. A New Land is more typical, and ups the pace with some groove-based drumming and a soaring guitar lead that immediately jumps out of the speakers. It is still generally quite a heavy song overall, however, and it constantly switches back and forth between crushing heaviness and gothic crooning. For me, there seems to be more of a focus on the band's heavier sound, however. Even the clean vocal sections are less soaring than usual, with Joutsen singing relatively deeply, which helps the song's overall heaviness to shine through. The drum work throughout is busy too, further entrenching the heaviness. When the Gods Came ups the pace somewhat, and channels the band's prog metal side with a busy guitar-led instrumental opening and some knotty drumming. There is still plenty of heaviness here, but the overall balance of light and shade is more typical of the band's sound this time - meaning that this is another song that could have easily sat on one of their other recent albums. Queen of Time certainly felt like the band's prog album at times, and that overall sound is retained here - with lots of interesting grooves throughout, as well as a plethora of keyboard textures courtesy of songwriter Kallio. The song's chorus is also one of the album's more heroic-sounding moments. Joutsen really soars here, and the simple guitar lead that backs him has such a joyous sound - which ensures that the song's chorus is one of the album's most memorable for me. Seven Roads Come Together is similar, and again allows the band to showcase their more progressive tendencies. The Eastern-tinged melodies that were hinted at earlier in On the Dark Waters are reintroduced here in a big way, and many of the song's key parts here have a Middle Eastern feel. What sets this song apart from the rest of the album, however, is just how grand it sounds. The verses are relatively slow, with lots of dirty guitar-based grooves, but a pre-chorus explodes into a pacy passage that is backed by dancing strings. Amorphis do not tend to rely on orchestrations that much, but their inclusion really works here - and it sets the song up nicely for its chorus which is moody, yet very melodic.

War ups the heaviness again, but the song's intro has a strong organ presence that really fattens the track up nicely. Despite Kallio's keyboards perhaps not being as dominant throughout this album, his contributions are still extremely important. His textures and playing style are part of what sets Amorphis apart from other somewhat similar bands, and the old-school organ that rumbles away throughout War gives the song it's signature sound. It is also great hearing organ in a song that is as heavy as it is. While there are gentle moments here, such a reflective and low key chorus, there are moments here that ape Windmane for nastiness. Some of Joutsen's vocal lines here have that black metal-esque rasp again, and he sounds positively unhinged during those moments. The album's title track follows and it ups the pace from the last couple of tracks. The song's intro has a heroic, almost power metal, feel to it with a joyful, soaring guitar lead and fast footwork from Rechberger. What sets this song apart from most of the other tracks here is Joutsen's almost-exclusive use of clean vocals throughout. He does occasionally add a growled line here and there for effect, but on the whole the song is sung clean. That contributes to the heroic sound established early on, and there is a surprisingly bouncy vibe throughout the song. Kallio's keyboards are extremely high in the mix this time, which also helps to set the song apart from the rest due to the aforementioned focus on big riffing. The Wolf returns to the album's core heaviness, however. The opening riff is chunky and old-school sounding, but the main guitar melodies throughout the verses are quite menacing - and have something of a black metal-esque trill which perfectly suits the barked vocals from Joutsen. The chorus is an explosion of melody, however, and but its fast pace ensures that the guitars still dominate - and it lacks the atmosphere that is typical of Amorphis' sound. It works in the context of the album, however, due to the overall heaviness of the songs here - and the instrumental section that comes later does add some welcome atmospheric depth. The album perhaps leaves its biggest surprise until the end, however, with the gorgeous ballad My Name is Night bringing things to a close. Written by Koivusaari, who generally writes some of the band's heaviest songs, the acoustic-based piece is very different from everything else here - and in truth it is pretty different from anything else that the band have done before. Acoustic guitars and piano dominate throughout, while the floating voice of Petronella Nettermalm duets with Joutsen throughout. The two sing against a delicate backdrop, which rarely approaches anything close to being heavy. It is a song that some will probably struggle with, but the gorgeous vocal melodies make the song a winner for me - and it ends what is overall a very heavy album on a sombre, reflective note. It is a good way to finish the album, as it helps the listener think back over the last hour or so of music. It is an album that is certainly heavier than most of the band's recent works, but it is still packed full of melodies and uplifting moments. It took a few listens to fully appreciate for me, but Halo is just as good as anything else the band has done of late - and it is great to see that consistency that the band are known for being maintained.

The album was released on 11th February 2022 via Atomic Fire Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Moon.

Omega Point's 'A Great Escape' - Album Review

It is always exciting when musicians whose work you admire join forces and strike out anew. The latest name on the British progress rock scene, Omega Point, is made up of a number of musicians whose careers I have followed for a while - and the five-piece have recently released their debut album A Great Escape. Spearheaded by bassist and songwriter Matthew Cohen (Magenta; The Reasoning; Ghost Community), the genesis of Omega Point can be traced back to 2019. Following a one-off reunion/farewell concert of Cohen's previous band The Reasoning, he started writing new material with former The Reasoning guitarist Keith Hawkins - as well as guitarist Paul Davies (Karnataka; Panic Room), who had played with The Reasoning at their 2019 gig. A few other names came and went from the embryonic band's line-up, but progress really seemed to be made when frontman John Paul Vaughan (Ghost Community) was brought on board. Following the break-up of The Reasoning, Cohen formed Ghost Community - a progressive rock band which Vaughan also fronted. Ghost Community's sole album, 2016's Cycle of Life (which I reviewed here), showed a great chemistry between Vaughan and Cohen - and it was a shame when Ghost Community came to an end as a result. It is great, then, that Omega Point has allowed Vaughan and Cohen to continue their partnership, and in some ways A Great Escape feels like the natural, yet heavier, successor to Cycle of Life. I had expected A Great Escape to be more of a hard rock album, and it is at times, but it also heavily ploughs the prog rock furrows that Cohen and co. have farmed previously. A Great Escape is spikier than Cycle of Life, however, which helps to give this new band its own identity. The creation of A Great Escape has been a long one, and the band line-up has changed a number of times over the past couple of years. This means that A Great Escape features the talents of a number of different people. The band credited on the album is Vaughan, Davies, Cohen, keyboardist Rob Wilsher (Multi Story), and drummer Vinden Wylde (The Reasoning) - but the album's liner notes reveal that others also contributed. Hawkins appears to have left the band at some point, so is credited with 'additional guitars' (although, considering that he seemed to be one of the band's main songwriters, I imagine that his contribution is more significant than that), while both Martin Howells and Robert Gerrard (The Reasoning; Ghost Community) are credited with some keyboard solos. The drums were handled by another regular Cohen collaborator in Jake Bradford-Sharp (The Reasoning; Ghost Community), too, meaning that A Great Escape includes a number of familiar faces for anyone who has followed Cohen's work - or the British prog rock scene in general.

One thing that is immediately apparent about A Great Escape is that it is generally characterised by longer-form compositions. With the exception of the opening track, the remaining five songs are all at least eight minutes long - meaning that A Great Escape is an album whereby each song is allowed to really flesh itself out. As mentioned, however, the opening track is different. Hourglass is more than the average album-opening scene-setter, but it still very much performs that function. A percussive loop and Wilsher's piano form the basis of the track, which Vaughan soon starts to sing over. Compared to the rest of the album Hourglass is very simple. There is little else here apart from the vocals and the piano, but it works well to conjure up a strong atmosphere. Despite the spiky nature of the album, there is still plenty of atmospheric depth to be found - and Hourglass perfectly represents this side of Omega Point. Fall of Empires follows, and this is where the band as a whole really start to showcase what they are about. The song builds over a relatively busy instrumental intro, which sees duelling lead guitar melodies, sparkling keyboard runs, and Cohen's melodic bass lines all weaving together nicely. There is a relative heaviness to parts of the song. Bradford-Sharp's drums have plenty of punch to them, and there is certainly a focus on guitar riffing over synths. This is, however, until Vaughan starts to sing, which sees everything drop out to be replaced by shimmering keyboards. This allows Vaughan's smooth voice to shine, but it is not too long before the band join back in - as the song slowly builds towards to its hooky chorus. Despite the lengthy songs here, there are still plenty of memorable melodies to be found throughout. Fall of Empires' chorus is one of the hookiest moments on the album for me, and this is largely thanks to Vaughan's triumphant vocal melodies - but also due to some soaring guitar leads mixed into the background. Another great moment within the song for me is the busy keyboard solo from Howells. It has a great old-school 1980s synth vibe to it, and the dark-sounding spoken word section that precedes it sets the tone perfectly for the cutting synth (and, later, guitar) melodies to follow.

Darkest Son is heavier, with some riffs that remind me a little of Cohen's time in The Reasoning. This is where the similarities end, however, as Vaughan has a very different vocal style to any of The Reasoning's various singers - and the song goes for a much more traditional prog rock sound overall. The heaviness allows the song to border on prog metal at times, but it never truly tips over into that territory. There is a certain crunch throughout, though, thanks to the guitar riffing and Cohen's fat bass tones - and it is great hearing the band really rocking out here. Cycle of Life is a strong album, but it very much focused on flowing, atmospheric pieces on the whole. Despite the similarities between the overall style of the two albums, the rockiness of A Great Escape gives it an urgency that the 2016 release never had. Darkest Son is full of that rocking energy, and even the moments which see the piano dominate still contain an edge to ensure that the overall harder rock vibe is maintained. The album's title track follows, and it starts relatively slowly with another percussive loop and some more spoken word - which starts out whispered before getting louder just before the band kicks in. The heaviness of the previous song is largely stripped away, however, as the track goes for a somewhat lower key overall vibe with a big bass presence and the occasional jangly guitar chord. There is certainly a stronger traditional prog rock vibe present throughout the song, but there is still a melodic smoothness that permeates throughout - thanks to the overall mix and some atmospheric keyboards. Off-kilter drum grooves occasionally break the flow, and push the song in more progressive directions, but the band always return to the piece's core to reinforce its key passages and melodies - with the chorus containing another hooky vocal and some excellent synths. It is cliché to say this, but the song really is one that comes alive after a few listens. The progressive nature of the album ensures that that is the case for every song here, but for me it is especially true of the title track. There is a lot going on throughout the song, with the aforementioned drum grooves and the hectic instrumental section towards the end really standing out. Another excellent Howells keyboard solo injects some chaotic energy into the piece, and the song ups the heaviness around it as a result. A shredding guitar solo follows the keyboard pyrotechnics - and it leads into a final chorus reprise nicely.

Thank You opens with some more great keyboard playing, this time from Gerrard. Sharp-sounding synth leads fill the speakers, and an atmospheric backing creates a dense soundscape. At some point the keyboard lines morph into effects-heavy guitar leads - and the guitar closes out this instrumental intro with some chaotic, shredded melodies. In contrast, the song proper is generally relatively sedate. It is probably the slowest piece here, and it has something of a ballad-esque vibe at times - at least early on. Vaughan's vocals are generally more reflective in tone than usual, although he does open up during the slightly heavier chorus sections - which retain the album's trademark spikiness. For me, however, the song is at its best when it is taking the slower path. These sections bring the best out of Cohen as a bassist, and his melodic bass lines really dominate the mix. The guitars and keyboards create an atmospheric bed for them, but the vocals and the bass really take the lead here - although the choruses feature more of a guitar presence. There is some strong guitar playing during the song's instrumental section, too, but again for me Howells' keyboards steal the show. The album's final song, Shells, ups the heaviness compared to Thank You and goes for the throat early on with an explosive instrumental intro that recalls The Reasoning at times. Cohen's bass riffing is very reminiscent to the style that he used throughout The Reasoning's four albums, but there is a much more overtly prog vibe this time thanks to how the song builds towards a chaotic, drum-led crescendo. Things settle down once Vaughan starts singing, but there is still plenty of weight to be found throughout the song. Some sections are more lightweight, with atmospheric keyboards and guitar chimes, but a big riff is never too far away. In many ways Shells is a good mix of everything that has been featured on the album up to this point. Softer sections sit side-by-side with big riffs and harder rocking moments perfectly - and the song has a great progressive sound as a result. It also features what is easily the most explosive instrumental section on the album, and it comes right at the end of the song. It is packed full of shredding guitar and keyboard lines, which constantly intertwine and compete with each other for dominance. It is a great way to close the album out, and a short, mournful keyboard melody can be heard as the album fades to black. Shells is a fitting closer too, as it really reinforces the progressive sound that Omega Point have forged here - as well as showing the compositional skills of all involved. A Great Escape is a great first outing for Omega Point, and all who contributed to it pulled together to help create a memorable album. Anyone who has followed Cohen's career will find plenty to enjoy here, but the other band members also shine. Now that Omega Point seems to have settled on a firm line-up, I am looking forward to seeing what happens from here - as a focused line-up could see the excellent sound of A Great Escape being built upon further going forward.

The album was released on 4th February 2022 via ROK Music. Below is the band's promotional trailer for A Great Escape, which features snippets of the album's six songs.