Tyketto - London Review

After spending the Easter long weekend gigging closer to home, and the following one at home with no travel plans, it felt good to get away to London again yesterday. Whilst I have a few gigs planned elsewhere, this year seems more London-centric than ever. I usually go to London quite a few times each year, but the vast majority of my plans this year fall in the city - and before April is out I will go twice more. It is nice to spread things around, and visit lots of different places, but London is so big which means there is always something to do - and I spent much of yesterday afternoon walking around Islington and Finsbury Park before having a couple of hours rest in the hotel, including a nap and a shower, before heading out for the evening. The reason for the trip out was to catch the American melodic hard rockers Tyketto on their latest UK tour. Despite Tyketto being a US band, most of their touring activity these days takes place in Europe - with the UK seeing much of it. The band, for some reason, seemed to take hold here in a bigger way than anywhere else - and I have managed to see them live quite a few times over the years since I first saw them in Wolverhampton back in 2014. With three of the current line-up of the band originally from the UK, and frontman Danny Vaughn, the only original member left, now living in Spain, it seems fitting that Tyketto focus so much of their time on Europe - and those efforts seem to be paying off. Tyketto have never been a big band, but their 1991 debut album Don't Come Easy did attract some positive attention when it dropped - and a couple of the album's singles became minor hits. Since then, though, Tyketto have essentially operated on a small scale - and spent much of time on hiatus or only undertaking occasional, small-scale tours. Over the past few years, though, that seems to have changed. Perhaps the decision of both founding drummer Michael Clayton and long-time guitarist Chris Green to step back from the band a few years ago, and the need to put a new line-up together, actually worked in Vaughn's favour. He was able to bring in people who were perhaps more keen to get on the road more regularly - and Thunder's inactivity due to Danny Bowes' health also meant that Chris Childs (bass guitar/vocals) could return to the line-up. Since launching the new Tyketto line-up in 2023, then, the band have been busier than has been typical for them - playing quite a few UK shows, branching out further afield, and also recording their first album for 10 years. Closer to the Sun (which I reviewed here) dropped last month and, like all of the band's previous albums before it, it is already becoming a bit of a favourite. Vaughn has largely managed to keep the trademark Tyketto sound intact despite him being the only original member left - and live the current line-up are a force to be reckoned with. I will always see Tyketto when they tour should I be able to go - so it was with excitement yesterday that I headed up to London to catch the band on their launch tour for the new album. The show took place at 229 - which is on Great Portland Street, just outside of the tube station of the same name. It is quite well-hidden, as it seems to be in the basement of what seems to be student accommodation, but it is somewhere that I have enjoyed going to before. Yesterday was only my third visit to the venue, and I would actually like it if more bands played there - as the high stage means that views are great throughout the room and the sound has been very clear every time that I have been.

Tyketto tend to attract decent crowds in London, and yesterday was no exception. The first band on the bill, though, came on not long after the doors opened - so they started their set to a fairly empty room, but during their 30 or so minutes on stage the place filled up. Opening the night were Collateral, a young UK melodic rock act that have been making a bit of a name for themselves over the past few years. They now have two albums to their name, both of which I have reviewed on this blog, and they have toured with an impressive list of other bands. I previously saw them opening for both Reckless Love and H.E.A.T, both back in 2022, so I was looking forward to seeing them live again given that it had been quite a while since I last saw them. Despite crowd looking a bit thin on the ground at first, it was clear that everyone who had turned up early had done so to ensure that they caught Collateral's set - as everyone around me down near the front seemed to be fans. There was plenty of singing from the off, then, with a big cheer erupting when frontman Angelo Tristan took to the stage - as the rest of the band had already erupted into the opening riff of No Place for Love. Despite only having time for six songs, the band made their time count - and really fed off the crowd's early energy. Usually when the first band on tries to get the crowd to sing they fail miserably, but this was not the case for Collateral - as both No Place for Love and Glass Sky were stretched out to include audience participation during the choruses, which were impressively loud given the relatively few in attendance so early. The band have slimmed down since I last saw them, with Louis Malagodi (guitar/vocals) now the sole guitarist - whilst drummer Charlie Southard is also a fairly new recruit. Losing a guitarist did not seem to make a huge difference to the live sound, though, with Malagodi impressing throughout with lots of excellent soloing. Tristan still added acoustic guitar when needed, too, with the summery Midnight Queen feeling bigger thanks to the organic acoustic guitar backing - whilst the soaring ballad On the Long Road was an overall set highlight. It largely started out with just Tristan and his guitar, but the song grew as it went along - culminating in one of the most emotive choruses of the night and a soaring solo from Malagodi. Southard and Jack Bentley-Smith (bass guitar/vocals) formed a tight rhythm section throughout, perhaps compensating for the lack of the second guitar - but, in truth, Collateral's melodic rock sound was never the heaviest, so perhaps only having one guitar actually works in their favour. It is a shame that they only had time for six songs, as I have never been able to see the band play for longer than around half an hour before - but with Merry Go Round and Mr Big Shot rounding out a powerful and anthemic set, those who turned up early certainly had a great time. The setlist was:

No Place for Love

Glass Sky

Midnight Queen

On the Long Road

Merry Go Round

Mr Big Shot

The main special guests, Warrior Soul, were very different entirely. I knew very little about the New York-based rockers before last night, apart from the fact they were another band that was originally operating during the early 1990s, but I was not prepared for how strange they were going to be. I assumed that they would be a tougher sounding 1990s hard rock act, perhaps with a touch of grunge, which I suppose they are, but there was a raw, almost industrial feel to some of their work - which was all underpinned by the really caustic voice of frontman Kory Clarke. Clarke is the only original member of the band left, and Warrior Soul seems to have gone through a huge amount of members over the years, but he was immediately captivating - from swaggering onto the stage in his sparkly jacket, shades, and clutching a large bottle of what looked like whiskey; to his uncompromising vocal style and stage presence. I cannot really think of anyone to compare him too vocally. Having now listened to a couple of the band's old singles online, it seems that he has always had essentially the voice that he does now. I wondered if he had just really suffered over the years in terms of blowing his voice out - but it seems that he has essentially sounded like that from the off. Rough does not really cover it, but after a while his aggression and overall tone started to make sense - and the band's grinding riffing and occasional bluesy solos worked well alongside him. Perhaps the best way to describe the band's sound is to imagine Sonic Temple-era The Cult turning up to the studio - only to find all their equipment damaged and their producer pushing them towards a more extreme metal direction, all whilst Ian Astbury has the nastiest cold imaginable. Given the feelgood vibes of Collateral before them, and Tyketto to follow, Warrior Soul really stood out - and sounded much heavier and more aggressive than anything else being played. Tyketto last toured the UK with a grittier hard rock band in Little Caesar, but that pairing worked quite well due to Little Caesar's approach to melody. Warrior Soul sounded like Napalm Death by comparison - and their 45 minutes on stage was roaring chaos amid the relatively calm of the melodic rock sandwich. Despite all this, I found myself largely enjoying Warrior Soul's set - and I was certainly captivated. Clarke is one of those frontmen that you can barely take your eyes off, partly as he looks he could keel over at any moment, but he is clearly someone with years in the tank - with his banter and overall vibe that of a true rockstar. Whether or not Warrior Soul will ever be a band that I 'get' remains to be seen - but I am glad that I finally got to learn more about this unique band, and their set was certainly extremely memorable.

Despite one very good support act, and one certainly memorable one, it was Tyketto that everyone was in attendance to see - and around half an hour following Warrior Soul's set coming to an end, the lights went down and Tyketto took to the stage. Over the next 90-plus minutes, the band delivered a strong 16-song set, which covered plenty of favourites whilst also delivering a few choice cuts from the new album. I had expected the band to kick off with something new, but following the intro tape fading out Harry Scott Elliott (guitar) started the familiar riff of the old favourite Rescue Me - and Vaughn bounded onto the stage with his usual infectious energy and started belting out the classic number with his ageless voice. Vaughn still pretty much sounds the same as he did in the 1980s when he started his career proper with Waysted - and he has clearly looked after himself over the years. There was not a moment during the set which was vocally weak - and the band were extremely tight as ever, rocking from the off. In the end, five songs from the new album were played - but the band chose not to throw them in right away. As if to ease in the casuals, the set opened with three big favourites - as both Wings and Burning Down Inside followed Rescue Me. The large crowd did not need much encouragement to get involved - but the choruses of both the Don't Come Easy cuts were sang loudly by the crowd. The live sound mix was also great, with the backing vocals nice and audible throughout - whilst Ged Rylands' (guitar/keyboards/vocals) keyboards were also high in the mix. His role in the band has expanded in recent years, with him adding extra guitar to some of the heavier songs - but he played much more keyboard last night, with the big intro to Burning Down Inside really standing out. He also added plenty of Hammond organ to the bluesy Higher Than High - the first new song played. The riffy number hit nicely after the melodic rock classics which started the set - and Vaughn also got to play around with his harmonica during the bluesy track. From this point on, classics and new cuts came fairly evenly. Despite the focus perhaps being on the new album, the band still included a handful of songs from their last album - with the title track Reach and the more ballad-esque Circle the Wagons particularly hitting the spot. Both of these songs, but particularly Reach, have become real live favourites in the 10 years since the last album dropped - and for a band with a relatively small catalogue it is important that newer songs stay in the setlist, so as to ensure some variety going forward. Some of the brand new songs are likely to become favourites, though. We Rise is certain to remain a staple going forward thanks to its anthemic chorus - but the cinematic, acoustic-filled Closer to the Sun also has the potential to find a home in future setlists due to its melodic nature. I personally would not have included the band's cover of Roxette's Harleys & Indians (Riders in the Sky) in the live set, but Vaughn was clearly having a lot of fun with it - and it came following an organic rendition of the older favourite Seasons which turned the clock back somewhat after a portion of the set which focused on the last two albums. One more new number, the piano-driven The Brave, later closed out the main set - but the soaring ballad Standing Alone sounded as good as ever before that, whilst the sleazy, hard rocking Lay Your Body Down was stretched out to include soloing from Childs and plenty of crowd interaction. By the the time the band left the stage after The Brave there was not much time left before the curfew - but they did not leave the crowd waiting for long, and were soon back and powering through the perennial favourite Forever Young to round out what had been another excellent set. The setlist was:

Rescue Me

Wings

Burning Down Inside

Higher Than High

Strength in Numbers

Reach

Closer to the Sun

The Run

We Rise

Circle the Wagons

Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Tears for Fears cover]/Seasons

Harleys & Indians (Riders in the Sky) [Roxette cover]

Standing Alone

Lay Your Body Down

The Brave

-

Forever Young

Tyketto do not disappoint live, and they certainly did not start doing so last night. Their set in London at the 229 was as good as ever, and it was good to hear a revamped set with plenty of new material and a remaining helping of the old favourites. A healthy crowd was gathered, too, and it is good that Tyketto seem to continue to find success so long after their classic albums - and, if anything, they seem bigger now than they have done for quite some time.

Chez Kane's 'Reckless' - Album Review

After covering quite a bit of metal so far this year, with the thrash genre in particular having a rather fruitful start to 2026, it is nice, today, to turn our attention to something a bit more light-hearted, poppy, and anthemic. It seems a while since I reviewed an out-and-out AOR band on this blog, as Tyketto have always been too riffy and heavy-hitting to truly be such in my view, but Reckless, the third solo album from Welsh singer-songwriter Chez Kane, certainly fits the bill. There is a link to Tyketto here funnily enough, as I first came across Kane in the band Kane'd, which she formed with her two sisters, back in 2019 when they opened for Tyketto in Nottingham. Kane'd do not seem to be a thing anymore, and over the past few years Kane has been operating on her own - launching a solo career back in 2021 with her strong self-titled debut album (which I reviewed here). The summery album, which dropped in April 2021, came out just as things were looking up somewhat during the COVID-19 era. I went to my first gig since early 2020 only a month or so later - so Chez Kane is one of those albums I remember as being part of that cautious optimism. Whilst Frontiers Records has been known to release a lot of second and third-rate AOR over the years, Chez Kane immediately felt like a strong effort. It unashamedly went for a 1980s AOR sound, tinged with a little hair metal, and ran with it - not watering anything down in the process. As if to capitalise on the initial success of her first album, Kane followed things up the following year with Powerzone (which I reviewed here). Whilst I did not feel that Powerzone was as good as her debut, there was still a lot to like about Kane's second album - and it was another that got quite a few plays. Her albums came out quite close together, which makes me wonder if at least one of them was something of a pandemic project, but either way Kane was starting to build a reputation as a great AOR singer. As has often been typical of Frontiers' releases, though, Kane's albums were essentially put together for her - with Crazy Lixx's main man Danny Rexon writing all of the songs for, playing most of the instruments on, and producing both albums. I always found it strange that Kane did not contribute creatively to her own albums, but the partnership seemed to work - and the results were strong. With two albums now behind her, Kane has spent much of the past few years slowly building her reputation as a live act - which has taken her to a few countries and up and down the UK a few times. I caught her live last year opening for H.E.A.T, and she really impressed live. The songs came across really well on stage - and it was great to revisit both albums after they had been on the shelf for a while. I will be seeing her again, this time as a headline act, next month - and the reason for such is Reckless, which dropped last month. As if not to tinker with a winning formula, Rexon is still largely responsible for everything here - but there are a couple of changes. Kane has, this time, been involved in the songwriting, co-writing four of the songs with Rexon, and Andreas Eriksson (Crazy Lixx; Inglorious) lent his guitar talents to some of the songs - allowing for some more high-octane guitar leads and solos. As such, this album feels a bit more up-tempo and harder-hitting than Kane's previous two albums. Her trademark AOR sound is still very much present, with poppy choruses and sparkling 1980s synths aplenty, but the hair metal side of her sound is perhaps more noticeable this time - with riffier songs and a bit more punch. The album is shorter, too, which only allows this punchier approach to be more noticeable - and this punch has come with a much more risqué feel, both lyrically and image-wise.

All of the pictures of Kane in the CD's booklet find her wearing very little - whilst the lyrics have moved away from themes of love and a few innuendos and towards David Coverdale telling us that he is going to slide it in. This might be a bit much for some but, to paraphrase Spinal Tap, there is nothing wrong with being sexy - with the music, lyrics, and overall image all coming together to create a strong album that feels more intense than her previous work. The album kicks off with its title track - with a staccato drum groove opening things up, over which a pretty simple power chord and synth riff is laid. The guitar tone and the chord progression are very 1980s-coded, though, and Kane's core sound is established from the off. As if to build on the sounds of the era being evoked, backing vocals are often used in a call-and-response manner throughout the verses - whilst the hard-hitting opening riff and some occasional screaming guitar leads add colour. Kane herself sounds as good as ever vocally. She has a powerful voice, but there is a bluesy edge to it which gives her an organic feel - which gives her albums character. The synths and gated drums are grounded by Kane's vocal performances - but she still nails all the trademark vocal melodies of the era. The chorus here is a real sing-a-long moment as a result, with those big backing vocals returning to create some soaring harmonies, whilst a saxophone solo is later used to add some more bluesy and soulful vibes to the piece. A screaming guitar solo would be more expected, but the saxophone works well - and there is a sultriness to the song as a result. Personal Rock n' Roll ups the pace. The opening title track is very much a mid-paced and anthemic piece, but this second cut is much more energetic and overtly hard rocking. The main guitar riffing here feels a bit crunchier - whilst the rhythm section picks up the pace with some hard-hitting drumming. Synth stabs are used as accents during the verses, which is a classic 1980s AOR trick, and the pulsing keyboards tend to act as full stops after each lyric line - with their bright melodies contrasting nicely with Kane's somewhat more urgent vocal delivery. Due to the pace, the song's chorus is not as overtly anthemic as many of the others here - but there is something pleasing about its harder rocking edge, and Kane still lays down some strong hooks. Eriksson's first solo is here, too, and his shredded guitar playing further elevates the harder rocking song. Night of Passion returns to a more mid-paced sound, with pulsing synthy basslines and gated drums perfectly creating a melodic rock base for Kane's higher-pitched vocal delivery - whilst Rexon lays down some shredded guitar melodies of his own early on. There is much less guitar riffing here, though, with the guitars generally in the background unless they are delivering leads. The pulse of the rhythm section is the main driving force this time, but the synths also do a lot of heavy lifting - with the accent-like approach of the previous song built upon with plenty of AOR-esque keyboard stabs and melodies throughout both the verses and the chorus. The latter returns to a more anthemic feel, with call-and-response backing vocals giving it a massive sound - whilst a Steve Porcaro-esque synth solo and another surprise saxophone solo lead to a rather yacht rock-esque instrumental mid-section.

Strip Me Down returns to a much more typical harder rock sound, with chugging guitar rhythms kicking in from the off - whilst Night Ranger-esque keyboard stabs provide a main musical hook early on. Screeching guitar leads are thrown in here and there, too, to aid that harder rocker sound - but much of the heavy lifting here is done by some powerful drumming and some of Kane's sleaziest vocals on the album. She sings the song in a grittier manner than is typical of her smooth and AOR-esque approach - but a rougher edge of her voice is on show here and it works well given the chugging guitar riffing and occasional bluesy leads. Some moments of cowbell-led drumming in the lead up to each chorus create a strong percussive feel at times - before each chorus rendition then explodes with faster vocal melodies, huge vocal harmonies, and a great sleazy vibe. Another busy guitar solo later adds to the sleazy feel - with the song being a real highlight overall. Tongue of Love somewhat returns to the vibes of Night of Passion, insofar as it feels very keyboard driven. There are guitars in the background, and they play a very typical slow-burning AOR chord progression that allows for booming drums behind it alongside a stab of synths with each chord change. Variations of this song have been released by essentially every AOR act going at this point, but the chord progression works for a reason - and it allows for strident verses and a much more powerful chorus which sees the song ramp up with bigger keyboards and plentiful vocal harmonies. The more deliberate mid-paced feel allows for a sultry vibe to really settle in, whilst funkier bass lines are occasionally given prominence to further an over all 1980s feel - alongside yet another big guitar solo from Eriksson. Love Tornado opens with a building drum beat, over which a shredded guitar motif is soon overlaid. The opening vocal lines, though, are just sung against the maintained drum groove, despite some synths in the background, but the guitars and bass soon join in - and the verses from this point on are snappy. The main guitar riff in the background of the verses has a strong hair metal feel - and this song overall feels a bit spikier than some of the others. Guitar-wise, it is one of the busiest songs on the album. The hair metal riffing is essentially ever-present throughout, whilst Eriksson's guitar leads are utilised liberally. The opening shredded motif returns a few times in slightly different guises - whilst occasional one-off leads are thrown in elsewhere in the absence of a big synth presence this time. There are a couple of big guitar solos, too, and the song is a much more high-octane affair with great guitar playing and another strong chorus. Bad Girl is somewhat similar, with a much more driving guitar presence from the off - although the synths also return in a more prominent fashion. The main guitar riff is nicely accented with some synth stabs in a pleasing manner - whilst as the song progresses the keyboards grow in stature, especially as the chorus is approached. Vocal-wise, the song is perhaps a bit less interesting than some of the others, though. The verses are fine, with smooth melodies that work nicely against the slightly crunchier guitar tones - but the chorus is quite repetitive. It feels like Rexon ran out of lyric ideas here somewhat - and the overall melodies are less hooky, too. It is not a bad song overall, but it is certainly one of the weaker moments on the album.

Street Survivor has a somewhat more organic feel guitar-wise - with slightly bluesier overtones in some of the riffing, despite the presence of plenty of sparkling synths. The main riff sounds like it could have come from a Brian Howe-era Bad Company album, with its mix of bluesy feel and 1980s sheen. It just has a much more 1970s-esque riffing pattern overall, which harks back to bands like Bad Company, but it is paired with the synths and gated drums of the 1980s. As is often the case, too, the guitars are not that prominent during the verses, with the bass and synths doing much of the heavy lifting whilst that big gated snare sound booms out of the speakers. The chorus feels bigger, with layers of Def Leppard-esque harmony vocals and more of a guitar presence - and the chorus also retains the smoothness of the rest of the song, which is a bit different to many of the other tracks here which see the chorus go big and bold. The approach works well, though, and the song is a late album highlight in my opinion. Too Dangerous ups the pace again, and the song is one of the more energetic pieces here. A shortened version of the chorus kicks things off, before Rexon plays some of the main vocal melodies that raise their heads later on the guitar. This lengthy guitar intro is quite different to anything else on the album, as he essentially goes through the whole chorus instrumentally before the first verse kicks in - but the approach works quite well. Given the song's slightly pacier feel, this is another one that sees Kane sing in a slightly grittier manner. She does not deploy that side of her voice too often, but it is effective when she does - and the chorus here feels a little heavier than it would do otherwise. Kane is no Bonnie Tyler, but there is certainly more grit here than there usually is - and when she pairs it with some higher-pitched vocals the chorus shines quite a bit. This is one of the few songs here which Eriksson does not play on, and Rexon shows instead that he is a capable guitarist. His solo is melodic, but it is not as furious as Eriksson's efforts - and given the song's energy perhaps something faster-paced would have worked a little better. Given the melodic guitar opening, though, this solo still works nicely. The album then comes to a close with another hard rocking track in Bodyrock - a snappy, guitar-driven piece with some of the album's most overt and in-your-face synth stabs. Those who dislike big 1980s keyboards will struggle with this one, but that sound generally works for me - and the chorus here is one of the hookiest on the album for me thanks to a combination of the huge synths and more big vocal harmonies. By this point on the album, the core sound is very much apparent and there is nothing in the closing number that does anything different - but the crunch of the guitars and the parp of the keyboards are very pleasing for an AOR lover; plus there is plenty of energy that is whipped up here thanks to driving drums and an urgent vocal. The song ends the album on a high - but in truth there is little here that lets the side down. Even the weaker moments are still enjoyable enough - and nothing here is long enough to outstay its welcome. Both of Kane's previous albums were very good, but they were longer than this one and both featured a few songs which I was less keen on. There is only one here that I would say is obviously weaker than the rest - and the shorter overall length just makes this a much more digestible album. The songs are easy to sing along with and the guitar work feels better this time around - and Kane has certainly furthered her cause of being of the 21st Century's strongest melodic rock acts with Reckless.

The album was released on 27th March 2026 via Frontiers Records. Below is Kane's promotional video for Reckless.

Black Label Society's 'Engines of Demolition' - Album Review

There are not enough hours in the day to listen to every band, but even with that in mind I am quite surprised that I never gave much attention to the California-based heavy metal four-piece Black Label Society. I remember listening to a compilation of theirs many, many years ago, which also included songs from one of bandleader Zakk Wylde's solo albums and his southern rock band Pride & Glory, but it clearly did not stick - and I lasted barely a song during their set at one of the Bloodstock Open Airs that I attended. I think that the main reason for me largely ignoring the band for many years is that, for quite a while, I was not that much of a fan of Wylde. I always appreciated his raw talent as a guitar player, but as a songwriter he left me cold. In my opinion, with the exception of 1991's No More Tears, his work with Ozzy Osbourne marks the point at which I start to loose interest in the latter's solo career. Osbourne's first four solo albums are all excellent, but things started getting less interesting for me with 1988's No Rest for the Wicked - Wylde's first album with Osbourne. No More Tears is the exception, and even that cannot really hold a candle to Osbourne's early work, but the albums which followed were all pretty dull - and seemed over-calculated to appeal to the booming American radio rock/metal market at the time, as basically every single Ozzfest line-up can attest. In fairness to Wylde, this was likely not always down to him. He was not always involved in the songwriting - and the Osbourne brand became a corporate juggernaut around this point, so creativity was always likely to come second to making money. Nevertheless, working with Osbourne made Wylde a superstar - and the 2002's Live at Budokan certainly helped me to warm to him a bit more in recent years. Strangely enough, though, it was seeing Wylde live with the reunited Pantera last that made me really appreciate him as a guitarist. The late Dimebag Darrell was certainly a unique player, but Wylde was able to play those songs with ease - whilst injecting some of his southern rock grit into the band's set. In an effort to check out some bands that I have long ignored, then, I felt that it was time that I gave Wylde's own Black Label Society a go. Clearly something about southern-sounding 1990s/2000s US metal bands is speaking to me at the moment, as I will also be reviewing the new Corrosion of Conformity album in due course, Black Label Society is likely one of the poster children for such a sound. The band has always been Wylde's main creative outlet, and he has been the driving force since the off. In reality, the band is his solo project - but it has always been present as a band. It does seem to be more of a true band now than it was in the early days, but even so Wylde is still the focus of everything that goes on. With a new album coming, I thought that it would be my jumping off point, but I did check out the Pride & Glory album and the band's own 1998 debut album Sonic Brew in the lead-up to the new album's release. I cannot say that I loved either, but since the new album Engines of Demolition dropped last month I have been enjoying it somewhat more. Black Label Society will never be a favourite of mine, but there is a place for southern-sounding and not all that complex metal from time to time - and this latest album feels crunchier than the swampier, bluesier debut. Engines of Demolition is the band's twelfth studio album overall - and their first since Doom Crew Inc. from 2021. Whilst it is the band's fourth album since the current line-up came together in 2014, it is only the second to credit guitarist Dario Lorina as performing alongside Wylde - with long-time bassist John DeServio and drummer for the past decade or so Jeff Fabb rounding out the line-up.

Sound-wise, Engines of Demolition is pretty typical of Black Label Society's core approach. Most of the songs here are driving, mid-paced metal anthems with blues and southern rock overtones - whilst occasional songs up the pace and heaviness, with others utilising keyboards, also from Wylde, and going down a more ballad-esque route. There are 13 songs here, but with a runtime of just over 50 minutes none of them are really all that long. The opening number, Name in Blood, is perhaps not the blistering album opener one might expect. It opens with a juddering clean guitar riff, which reminds me a little of the slow manner in which AC/DC occasionally start their songs, with Wylde soon adding some distant, slow-moving vocals as some heavy guitar feedback distorts everything. It is a bit of a strange opening, but soon a more typical slab-like riff takes over - which forms the basis of the song's verses. Fabb's 4/4 beat underneath this riff ensures the simplicity of the song remains - whilst Wylde's semi-howled vocals, which have always reminded me somewhat of Osbourne, sound much as they ever have. He will never be a favourite singer of mine, but his voice fits the music - and he is able to come up with decent hooks, as the somewhat more melodic chorus, backed by some clean guitar arpeggios, shows. There are plenty of guitar solos on this album, but the solo section here is particularly lengthy - and seems to feature both Wylde and Lorina, as two distinct guitar tones can be heard and parts of the solo seemed to be played in unison. Gatherer of Souls is perhaps more what one would expect from a Black Label Society song, with the band channelling their obvious Black Sabbath influence from the off. The main riff, which picks up the pace somewhat compared to the last song, is very Sabbath-esque in tone, despite the faster pace, whilst Wylde sounds even more like Osbourne than usual during the verses - even utilising Osbourne's classic 'alright now!' at times. The main riff is later utilised during the chorus, which sees subtle vocal harmonies creating a little bit of an Alice in Chains vibe - whilst the verses are much more foot-stomping overall thanks to a simple chug and a hard-hitting drum beat. Black Label Society have never been an inventive band, but songs like this scratch a certain itch - with the big riffs often pleasing. The Hand of Tomorrow's Grave slows the pace down somewhat, going for a much doomier and heavier feel overall. The Sabbath vibes are still very much present, with a stoner/blues vibe coming from the main riff - which snakes its way through much of the song whilst DeServio's bass rumbles along in the background creating a heavy vibe. The doomy vibe serves the song well, though, and there is a real 1970s feel during the smoky verses - before bigger vocal harmonies and more weight gives the chorus a more metallic kick. This pace often brings the best out of Wylde's drawling voice, too, and this vibe is a bit part of the band's core sound. Better Days & Wiser Times is the album's first ballad - opening with acoustic guitar chords, a subtle piano backing, and some wordless vocal harmonies. These bluesy, southern-sounding ballads, with an occasional country twang, are regular features of the band's canon - and this song provides a nice change of pace early on. The verses are largely piano-led, showcasing that Wylde is proficient on the piano as well as the guitar, whilst a sombre groove is laid back by the rhythm section. The later certainly has a modern Lynyrd Skynyrd vibe thanks to some big vocal harmonies and Wylde's distinct drawl - whilst occasional slide guitar swells are used sparingly to add an atmospheric depth. A lengthy, and emotive, guitar solo is thrown in later on, too, and the song ticks a lot of strong ballad boxes.

Broken and Blind opens with some percussive drumming - over which some bluesy picked guitar lines and backing chords start to ramp things up, before the main riff kicks in proper. After the previous ballad, this song is very much back to business as usual for the band - with the powerful main riff returning once again to Sabbath territory, whilst the verses are much more overtly chugging and metallic thanks to some stop-start patterns and some tight drumming. The chorus is hooky, re-using the opening riff, with Wylde yelling the chorus with all of his power - whilst a later shredded solo is full of all of Wylde's classic bluesy touches. It is a pleasing and hooky song overall, which gets in and gets out quickly whilst impressing. The Gallows opens with a bluesier riff which has some effects on it to make it feel quite distant - over which Wylde sings in a similarly-distant manner. The song continues in this vein for a little while, but when the drums kick in the distance retreats and the band's usual power is more on show. Thumping drumming and Wylde's laid back, yet heavy, riffing drives the song from this point on - and there is little to shake up the formula. There is not really a proper chorus here, with the song being more of a riffy piece - although there is a somewhat more percussive instrumental breakdown later on with some prominent cowbell usage, before a quite lengthy guitar solo takes over. Following the riffy previous song, Above & Below is a bit more typical arrangement-wise. Opening with another slab-like riff, the song moves along at a creeping mid-pace, over which Wylde sings in his trademark manner. The verses are quite slow-burning, then, with subtle vocal harmonies utilised occasionally to create points of difference. This song does take a few twists and turns, though, with the choruses taking a much slower route - with clean guitars and strings backing Wylde for a few bars. The arrangement is a bit more dynamic overall than is typical, then, and the second chorus really sets up the lengthy guitar solo section nicely. Back to Me is the next ballad-like piece here, with acoustic guitar chords setting things up early on - before hollow drumming and a simple, bluesy guitar lead create a mournful intro. Unlike the last ballad which felt more piano-led, this one has driving acoustic guitar chords and bluesy guitar leads - although some piano is mixed into the background for depth. Vocally, Wylde sings the verses in quite a quiet manner, which lacks his usual power and tone, but he ramps things up for the chorus - which features a bigger overall sound, with more guitars, and some subtle vocal harmonies. It is quite a delicate song in the context of Black Label Society's core sound, then, and it feels raw in the sense that Wylde is somewhat laying it all out vocally and emotionally here - which is only enhanced by the relatively simple guitar melodies. Lord Humungus returns to a more up-tempo hard rock sound. Whilst Black Label Society rarely speed things up significantly, there are moments which feel a bit more pacey - and this song is one of those moments. It is certainly no thrasher, but the main riff's crunch has more energy to it than is sometimes the case - and the pulsing bass playing from DeServio really drives everything alongside Fabb's simple drum groove. Outside of the main driving riff, the song is largely sung all the way throughout - and Wylde sounds quite urgent and powerful throughout. A shredded guitar solo, which is also quite fast-paced and may also feature both guitarists trading off, only keeps the song's pace feeling weighty and up-tempo, too, with the song overall being a bit of a highlight.

Pedal to the Floor, despite its title, is not really a fast-paced rocker - with the band's core mid-paced sound largely stuck to. It is less doomy than some, though, and the crunch and chug of the main riffing does whip up something of an energy. If anything here does feel up-tempo, though, the raw chorus has a slightly sleazy side to it that is a little different from the norm. The vocal melodies are quite 1980s-inspired, and the vocal harmonies are used a bit more liberally than usual - giving the chorus a big sound. As such, the chorus is one of the hookiest on the album - and the chugging riffs throughout give the song a very immediate feel. I found that some of these songs have taken a few listens to fully appreciate, despite the band's simple core sound, but this one hits hard from the off. Broken Pieces is the shortest song here, at just under three minutes long, so I would have expected something faster and to the point. The song, though, is pretty typical of the band's core sound - and instead is quite bluesy and the stoner side of the band's sound is on show here. Clean guitar melodies are present throughout, adding a psychedelic depth, whilst there is still plenty of crunch thanks to the rhythm guitars - even if the edges have been rounded off the heaviness somewhat. The approach works quite well, though, and a bluesy guitar solo is used later on to further this overall feeling. Songs like this are usually longer, so it does seem strange when it ends so soon. The Stranger is a bit more what I expected from the previous song, and it is easily the fastest and most headbang-worthy piece here. The opening guitar riff, which plays unaccompanied, sets the tone, and once the drums kick in the band steam ahead at a pace which is certainly at the top end of their usual approach. There is plenty of energy whipped up here as a result, with fast-paced verses and a somewhat more mid-paced chorus bringing things down a little to allow for some hooky melodies. The song is quite catchy as a result, then, and it features some of Fabb's busiest drumming on the album - allowing him to add some more complex fills away from the typical pounding approach taken elsewhere. Bluesy guitar melodies are thrown into the riffs sometimes for additional interest - whilst the guitar soloing here is one of the album's most high-octane moments. The album then comes to a close with Ozzy's Song - Wylde's tribute to the late Osbourne. Unsurprisingly, it is another ballad - which opens with delicate piano lines and some wordless vocal melodies. Acoustic guitar sits in the background, adding depth, but overall this is largely a piano ballad - with Wylde singing in a heartfelt manner against this melodic, yet sombre, backing. The first verse and chorus are essentially just Wylde, then, but the rhythm section do join in during the second verse - although their presence does not alter the song that significantly, as the overall tone remains. Wylde's later guitar solo is largely played unaccompanied, too, with just an acoustic guitar backing until a busy shredded run reintroduces the band. Overall, then, the arrangement is quite sparse, but the song feels suitably heartfelt in my opinion - as Wylde pays tribute to the man who essentially gave him a career all those years ago. Overall, this being my first true Black Label Society experience, I have enjoyed my time with Wylde and his band. None of the songs here outstay their welcome, and the band's core sound is pleasing and familiar - despite my lack of experience with their catalogue. I certainly would like to hear some more of their past work - although this is the sort of music that I do not need to listen to all that often, so the journey might be a slow one.

The album was released on 27th March 2026 via Spinefarm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Broken and Blind.

Exodus' 'Goliath' - Album Review

With two of the biggest thrash acts having already released new albums this year, one from America and one from Germany, it only seems fitting that a third would follow in fairly quick succession. Both Kreator and Megadeth impressed back in January with their latest efforts - but there has not been much thrash for me to cover since. As if sensing a lull in all things heavy, then, the California-based thrash legends Exodus stepped up to the plate last month and dropped something new - their thirteenth studio album overall and their first in four years, following on from 2021's Persona Non Grata (which I reviewed here). Whilst I am no thrash historian, given that Exodus can trace their history back to 1979, they may well be the first true thrash band. Whilst only drummer Tom Hunting is left in the band from that original genesis, as even guitarist, principal songwriter, and de facto bandleader Gary Holt did not come on board until 1981, Exodus are nevertheless a very important band in the history of thrash. Metallica's Kirk Hammett cut his teeth in the band before jumping ship in 1983 - and the late Paul Baloff is often considered one of the best thrash frontmen and overall personalities of all time. For whatever reason, though, it took the band until 1985 to release their debut album, the seminal Bonded by Blood, by which time they had been overtaken by many of the younger bands they had somewhat mentored. This is likely why Exodus were never considered part of the Big 4, despite deserving a place in truth due to their historic importance to the genre, and commercially they never managed to reach the heights of some others from the same scene. Bonded by Blood is, though, rightfully considered as one of the best thrash albums of all time - but, like many thrash acts, Exodus have had a bit of a mixed career since. Lots of line-up changes over the years have often hindered the band's momentum - particularly given that the band have had three distinct frontmen over the years who have often swapped places with each other. Hunting has been in and out of the band over the years, too, due to health reasons - and Holt's more recent commitments as a member of Slayer has limited songwriting opportunities over the past decade or so. Despite this, Exodus' recent work has been strong. Outside of Bonded by Blood and 1989's excellent Fabulous Disaster, I probably think that much of what has been released since the band's 2001 reunion has been some of their best work. Persona Non Grata, despite its length, has held up well - with both 2004's Tempo of the Damned and 2014's Blood In Blood Out also being excellent releases. The three albums released between the two, too, with frontman Rob Dukes are also strong - but I am less familiar with them, as I only expanded my Exodus CD collection earlier this year. Dukes is key here, too, as on Goliath, the band's aforementioned new album, he returns for the first time since 2010's Exhibit B: The Human Condition. Dukes was sacked in 2014 after a nine-year run - only to be reinstated again last year following Steve 'Zetro' Souza's third stint in the band coming to an acrimonious end. Given the length of time between Blood In Blood Out and Persona Non Grata, I fully expected to wait longer for the next Exodus album - and the frontman change I thought was sure to delay things further. That does not seem to have been the case, though, with Dukes instead likely giving the album sessions a boost - as he is credited with co-writing four of the album's songs. He has reignited his songwriting partnership with long-standing guitarist Lee Altus which was starting to bloom at the end of his previous era - which means that Holt handled the other six songs. The album is the band's most collaborative effort for a while, then, with Hunting also chipping in with some lyrics - meaning only long-standing bassist Jack Gibson the only band member to not contribute to the writing.

Many of Exodus' recent albums have also been on the longer side, but Goliath is the band's shortest since 2005's Shovel Headed Kill Machine at just under 55 minutes. This is still on the long side, but it is more concise than Exodus generally have been of late. It is also the band's first album since the 1990s where they have not worked with Andy Sneap in some capacity - who has produced and/or mixed every Exodus release since the 1997 live album Another Lesson in Violence. Exodus produced Goliath themselves, with Mark Lewis on mixing duties. The album kicks off with lead single 3111, a relatively mid-paced and crunchy number that does not exactly race out of the blocks - but instead hits the listener with a powerful opening riff that almost crawls out of the darkness, whilst Gibson's bass, which is often high in the mix, adds lots of weight and clang as the song opens out. At first, it seems as if the track could be a doomy number, with the initial slow-moving riffing, lumbering drums, and subtle synth backing - but the pace is soon picked up. The song does speed up, and it is energetic, but it is not as furious or as fast as the band can be - but there is plenty of crunch thanks to the guitar and the bass, and it allows Dukes to come in for the first time. His voice might not have the distinctive rasp of Zetro's Bon Scott-on-speed approach, but he has a great thrash tone and attitude - and there are some moments throughout this album, including during the chorus here, where he goes for a somewhat more extreme metal approach, which suits the heaviness the song is portraying. Holt's later guitar solo is strangely tortured and noisy, too, going for an effects-heavy approach. There is plenty of shredding elsewhere on the album - but 3111 goes for something a bit different overall and it largely works. Hostis Humani Generis segues nicely from the previous song, hitting the listener with another riff that builds up from a slower base - but this time the band roll through the gears and reach peak thrash speed and tone. Hunting really lays into his double bass drums during this intro section, which moves back and forth between thrashy and traditional metal riffs - but when Dukes starts to sing the pace remains fast. He spits out the lyrics with power, both the verses and the chorus are snappy, but the verses perhaps see him at his most unhinged - with a howled approach working well against the buzzsaw riffing beneath him. As is often the case with Exodus, the song here is a real riff-a-thon, with a particularly groovy one following the first chorus - whilst the bass patterns beneath Holt's later solo are also a bit different from the norm. Holt delivers a more typically melodic solo this time - but Altus then takes things to the next level with some high-octane shredding, which fits in nicely with the song's chaotic approach. The Changing Me features Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy; Pain; Bloodbath; Lindemann) on guest vocals - and he mixes well with Dukes throughout. The song opens in quite an anthemic manner, with a bit of a call-and-response guitar approach. A juddering main riff and a melodic lead call back and forth - before the two join forces in a NWOBHM-esque manner over some percussive drumming. Like 3111, and both of the songs are Altus compositions, The Changing Me is a bit more of a mid-paced number. The verses chug along nicely, with a good mix of energy and crunch, although as the chorus is approached the vocals become more erratic and distorted. Dukes utilises that more extreme end of his vocals here, whilst Tägtgren spits out some of the lyrics - but the song's overall highlight is its chorus. The chorus sees a more melodic approach taken, with both Dukes and Tägtgren singing in a cleaner manner - although Tägtgren does also add some screams into the background. The mix of vocal styles works well, and the chorus is a strange, melodic, mid-paced anthem which sounds a bit different from the norm for Exodus.

Promise You This returns to something much more akin to Exodus' bread and butter. It opens with just Hunting's drums, with the drummer playing quite a simple and punkish beat, but the song soon grows around him - with a chunky mid-paced riff allowing Hunting to change up his beat somewhat, and the band slowly speed up, so that when Dukes starts to sing a much thrashier vibe is present. The song is not as fast as Exodus can go, but it certainly feels more energetic and in your face than some of the more mid-paced moments here - and as thrash goes the track is pretty straight ahead. Exodus generally do well with twists and turns, but sometimes something just typical of the band's core sound is welcome - and the hard-driving crunch of this song and Dukes' raw thrash delivery helps it to become a bit of an overall highlight. The chorus is pleasing, too, adding a slightly more melodic edge whilst retaining the overall crunch. Backing vocals add a little bit of depth and take some of the harshness off Dukes' voice - making the chorus something of a fun shout-along affair that impresses after only a couple of listens. As if to ensure that the album's variety remains intact, following a pretty typical thrash song the band then slow thing down quite considerably with the lumbering title track - a doomy effort that is built around Black Sabbath-esque riffs, some booming drumming from Hunting, and a huge bass presence from Gibson. Gibson's work is often highlighted on this album as the bass is usually high in the mix - and he adds a lot of slow-burning swagger to this track, whilst Holt and Altus instead add riffs that are heavy and full of stoner energy. Dukes goes for a rawer approach vocally here, too, allowing the rougher side of his voice to shine. He sounds massive throughout this song, and the slower pace really allows him to have fun with his performance and express himself in a bit more of an unhinged and wild manner. Rather than traditional guitar solos, too, the band instead go for a riffier instrumental section which is backed by some dramatic strings - which, again, helps to shake things up, contrasting nicely with the creeping pace and riffing elsewhere. Clearly feeling the need to up the pace again following the doomy title track, Beyond the Event Horizon really speeds things up - with the band operating in high-octane thrash territory throughout. The main riff has that great thrash rhythm and buzzsaw sound on which the genre was built - whilst Hunting's drumming is punky and fast-paced and Gibson's bass flies around, again sounding prominent in the mix. Exodus like to shake things up, but they also like to deliver on the traditional thrash front - and this is one that just excels at a core sound. The pace is infectious and the excellent performance from Dukes has a great 1980s barked quality to it - whilst later instrumental sections briefly slow the pace to allow for groovy riffing and soloing. Two Minutes Hate is similar in that it is another pretty typical thrash number, but it reins in the pace and goes for a crunchy mid-paced sound that is still pretty energetic and anthemic. The sound of this song overall, including the bass-heavy mix and Duke's rawer vocal performance, reminds me quite a lot of Overkill - although some of the riffs that Holt and Altus throw in are a bit knottier and more complex than the punkier sound of the New Jersey band. The chorus is very Overkill in nature, though, and it is a real shout-along moment that makes it one of the album's hookiest segments. It also has one of the lengthiest guitar solo sections, too, with both Holt and Altus trading licks back and forth for quite a while. All of these things come together to make the track one of the album's standout cuts overall in my view.

Violence Works goes for a bit of a groovier approach, and it is one of those Exodus songs which feels slightly more experimental overall. Holt has always been a riff wizard, and before Dukes starts singing here he has already thrown out quite a few. The main riff feels like something a NWOBHM band might have tried if they were trying to compete with Pantera and Machine Head in the 1990s for groove - with some great little drum interludes from Hunting that showcase some impressive footwork and Lamb of God-esque rhythms. There is just something really interesting and rhythmic about this song that sets it apart. Very rarely are typical thrash patterns or drum grooves utilised here. Hunting has a lot more swing than usual in his drumming, whilst the way that the guitars and the bass lock in create something a bit more mechanical sounding at times. Other riffs later on feel like mid-2000s metalcore bouncy riffs with a thrash edge - and the whole song a real mix of moods as a result. Everything just about hangs together, though, and Dukes delivers over the top of this cacophony in a bit more of a straight ahead manner that brings some grit and grounding that would otherwise be missing. Summon of the God Unknown is the album's longest song, at just under eight minutes. Songs of this length have been typical on other recent Exodus albums, but most of the songs here are between four and six minutes long - so this track is the one that sees the band stretch out somewhat. It slows things down quite a bit early on, going for another stoner-esque approach - albeit there is more energy here than there was during the doom of the title track. Much of the song features snaking riffs which give the song a bit of a southern rock feel in places - and there are ever-present grooves in place as a result. As it is a longer song, it does branch out as it moves along - but early on it does largely stick to a heavier Corrosion of Conformity-type sound, with southern fried riffing, barked vocals, and plenty of groove; albeit with the razor-sharp production synonymous with thrash. The pace does pick up a bit as the song moves along, but it never really gets to proper thrash territory - with a lengthy guitar solo section instead sitting on top of a surprisingly bouncy riff with a busy bassline beneath it. Holt and Altus really stretch out here, though, with a good mix of soloing and some excellent twin lead guitar moments that add a lot of overall melody. The album then comes to a close with The Dirtiest of the Dozen, a faster-paced song which picks up the pace following the lengthy and snaking previous number - immediately hitting a strong thrash grove with some Diamond Head-esque guitar leads and a cut-away riff which really builds up excitement before the band crash back in. Following a couple of groovier pieces, a proper fast number is welcome - and it ensures that the album ends with a real burst of energy. The pace is slowed a little once Dukes starts to sing, as a choppy and neck-breaking riff is instead thrown in - but the pace is still pretty fast; and there are some extreme metal-esque sections later which up the pace further and see Dukes delivering harsh vocals with ease. A strong instrumental section later sees Gibson throwing down a few unaccompanied bass licks, building on his playing elsewhere, before Holt and Altus solo as would be expected. The song is a great way to end the album, as it feels nice and energetic following some less thrashy numbers - emphasising the core Exodus sound as album 13 draws to a close. This is an album that has grown on me quite a bit. I was unsure at first, but the mix of thrash and some more experimental pieces comes alive after repeated listens - and I think that this album showcases Dukes' best Exodus performance yet. The guitar playing is stellar as always, too, with Holt and Altus both writing plenty of big riffs. Thrash is still doing well in 2026 - and Exodus join Kreator and Megadeth in proving such.

The album was released on 20th March 2026 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for 3111.

Dan Byrne - Bristol Review

Spending the Easter long weekend away is something that I have done a few times of late - and it often seems to be a good one for live music. This is despite towns and cities often being somewhat closed down, especially on Easter Sunday itself, which can make the hours around a gig a bit dull, but it is always good to get away - and this past weekend was another good one. As I described in yesterday's post, my trip away got off to an excellent start in Trowbridge with The Wildhearts - with special mention having to also go to Silveroller, one of the best unknown support acts I have seen for a long time. Without wishing to give too much away, The Wildhearts' show was easily the gig of the weekend - and it was not even the original reason for my trip away. It was bolted on to an existing trip to Bristol, which I booked a couple of months ago, to catch the up-and-coming Liverpool-based rock singer Dan Byrne on his most extensive solo tour of the UK to date. Whilst I am not hugely familiar with his history, I first came across him back in 2021 when his then-band Revival Black opened up for Vega in Bilston. I do not remember being all that impressed with Revival Black at the time, and I recall them being somewhat bluesy and generic, so I never gave the band any time after that - despite them being one of those names I had seen around quite a lot and would continue to do so until Byrne left the band. I do not think that Revival Black exist anymore, and over the past few years Byrne has been focusing on a solo career. I knew that he has sometimes worked with former Skin guitarist Myke Gray, fronting his solo band, but I have never seen any of these shows - so it was not until 2024 when I next came into contact with Byrne. He was the opening act for an excellent double bill of Tyketto and Little Caeser in London that year - and I was somewhat more impressed with Byrne that time, despite not exactly getting hooked. His solo material seemed much sleeker and less bluesy than what I remembered of Revival Black's 2021 set - and I enjoyed his short set despite, as I said, not being blown away. Over the past year or so, though, Byrne's stature seems to have grown. He is not exactly a world-beater, but his name has popped up quite a bit I have noticed - and he has also released an EP and some other singles in recent times. This current tour, though, is easily his biggest undertaking as a solo artist - and it takes in much of the country. At the time of writing there are a handful of shows left - but the Bristol show came towards the end of the lengthy trek. Byrne has recently signed to Frontiers Records and will be releasing his debut album This Is Where the Show Begins in May - and this tour is essentially the album's launch tour. It is a shame that the album did not drop before the tour, as it would have been nice to have heard it before hearing a number of the songs live - but decent-sized crowds up and down the country did not seem to mind this. The Bristol show took place at the Exchange - a small venue that I have been to a number of times before. It is not one of my favourites, I much prefer The Fleece when it comes to smaller shows in Bristol, but the Exchange is smaller and likely more suited to someone with Byrne's current reach - especially given the number of shows on the tour. I did wonder what the turnout would be like, but it was clear after only being in the venue for a few minutes that it would be good. I do not know if the place was sold out, but it was certainly busy - with the main room full throughout the night.

Before Byrne's set, though, the crowd were treated to two support acts. In my view, one was much better than the other - although unfortunately neither were as strong as Silveroller had been the night before. The better of the two, though, was up first - with Kit Trigg playing for around half an hour, getting the crowd warmed up. I was not sure what to expect, as Trigg is the least rockstar-looking musician going - but he soon stormed through a handful of breezy and enjoyable hard rock numbers on his Les Paul. He was a bit weak vocally in my opinion, which meant that the songs lacked a little power, but as a guitar player he had a lot to offer. His riffing might not have been anything especially original, but it was solid and enjoyable - with each song containing plenty of energy and drive as a result. Unlike some younger rockers that are not wedded to the 1970s and 1980s, and I think that it is fair to say that Trigg was not looking to ape that style, at least visually, he included plenty of guitar solos into his set. Some modern acts avoid such, as they seem a bit old fashioned to some, but Trigg clearly does not agree - and his soloing was a lot of fun. Everything felt loose and breezy - and there was a light-heartedness to the whole set. Trigg came across as a very likeable man, and he seemed pleased with the reception he got and seemed like one of those musicians that was just happy to be there. There is always something refreshing about that kind of attitude - and there was certainly no posturing nor rockstar ego on show. It is just a shame that, in my view anyway, his voice let him down a bit. The songs were certainly there, but he lacked vocal power to really push them to the next level. There was a much slower number part way through the set, though, which was dedicated to a friend that had passed away - which saw a much stronger vocal. This heartfelt number was a bit of a highlight of the set, then, as everything seemed to really come together during it - with the rest of his backing band largely sitting the number out until much later on. There were clearly people in attendance that knew Trigg's work, though, as there was quite a lot of singing going on around me - and the overall vibe during the set was positive, which kick-started the night well.

Following on from Trigg's set was the Derby-based three-piece MuddiBrooke. I knew nothing about the band beforehand, despite being familiar with their name having seen it on posters and such - but they really did not impress at all. I did miss their first couple of songs due to a call of nature, but I saw the rest of their set - and it was genuinely one of the dullest I have sat through for quite some time. The band describe themselves as grungy, but in truth I am not really sure what they are - as nothing in their set stood out at all. There is not one riff nor one chorus that I can now remember - with everything sounding lumpy, monotonous, and essentially the same. There was not much spark or life coming from the stage during their set - and the crowd's reaction throughout was certainly much more muted than it had been during Trigg's. His set got the crowd going somewhat, but MuddiBrooke seemed to suck all of the energy back out of the room. I do not like being negative, so I not going to put the boot in further, but I really expected more given that I had heard of the band and that they have something of a following. It was not just a case of them not being for me - as they genuinely sounded like a band that were literally just starting out with no real songs or sound to boast of.

The night's changeovers were pretty quick, so it was not too long before the lights went down and Byrne took to the stage. For just over an hour or so, Byrne ran through most of what will be included on his upcoming debut album, all four songs from his previous EP, and a couple of other bits - in what was an enjoyable and spirited performance from the up-and-coming rocker. Backed by Glenn Quinn (guitar/vocals), Inglorious' Colin Parkinson (bass guitar/vocals), and Max Rhead (drums/vocals), Byrne's 13-song set was generally a powerful one. Rhead did double duty, having also played with Trigg earlier in the set, whilst Byrne added some acoustic guitar to one number. They kicked off with Saviour, a powerful opening rocker - but it was perhaps the following Like Animals, from the previous EP, and She's the Devil, from the upcoming album, where the set really got going. The latter was the lead single from the upcoming album, and it was the song which prompted me to pay a bit more attention to what Byrne was doing. Byrne's current sound is more modern-sounding and sleek overall - but there is still plenty of classic rock influence. She's the Devil reminded me somewhat of Inglorious, and there was a bit more of a classic rock strut in it compared to some of his other songs. Throughout his set, it were the heavier songs which actually resonated with me the most. Both Pulling Me Under and Cherry & Leather were two of my favourite songs of the night - and they both allowed Quinn to show off a bit with some strong riffing. Sadly, he was afforded limited soloing opportunities. There were a couple of solos in the set, but these songs are written by a vocalist for a solo project - big guitar showcase moments are always going to be short lived. Byrne himself came across well and as very likeable, as he has done in the past, and, like Trigg, was just happy to be there with a strong turnout. I did think that he was perhaps less impressive vocally than I have seen him previously - but I think this might have just been vocal fatigue. This tour is likely the longest he has ever done under any guise, and the Bristol show fell near its end. I imagine that his voice was feeling the effect of such a long tour - but this did mean that some of the vocal power Byrne is known for was not always present. He was a little low in the mix at times, too, although generally the sound mix was pretty good - with plenty of weight behind Quinn's guitar and Parkinson's bass, especially during those moments which the latter led. As such, the set was largely pretty hard rocking, but the ballad Easier was a nice moment of respite - whilst there were some slightly more cinematic moments such as the stand-alone single Sentimental. The crowd were clearly enjoying the set, too, and there was a strong atmosphere in the room - and it is always nice to see a young artist getting such a reception. Byrne left his more well-known songs to the end, but also threw in a cover of Audioslave's Show Me How to Live, which I do not think suited his voice all that well and it was one of the set's weaker moments. This was soon rectified, though, with powerful closing versions of both Hard to Breathe and Death of Me, both from the EP, which rounded out the set nicely with powerful riffing and soaring choruses. The setlist was:

Saviour

Like Animals

She's the Devil

Praise Hell

Hate Me

Easier

Pulling Me Under

Sober

Sentimental

Cherry & Leather

Show Me How to Live [Audioslave cover]

Hard to Breathe

Death of Me

I heard enough to pre-order Byrne's upcoming album when I got home - and some of the heavier album tracks caught my ear. He put on a strong showing in Bristol, despite some vocal fatigue, and it is good that an artist like Byrne can pull decent-sized crowds up and down the country before his album has even dropped. Hopefully he can build on this momentum going forward - and I am looking forward to charting his progress.

The Wildhearts - Trowbridge Review

Whilst a busy March is now over, April still promises to be another strong month of gigging. It will not be as busy as March was, but with it containing five gigs, three of which are in London, there will certainly be plenty of adventures to be had over the next few weeks. As I write this, I am already back from my first trip away of the month - as I spent much of the Easter long weekend away taking in live music. I will discuss Dan Byrne's show in Bristol tomorrow - but today's piece will cover a night in the Wiltshire town of Trowbridge with The Wildhearts. With the possible exception of a fleeting visit during a family canal boat holiday many years ago, Saturday saw my first visit to Trowbridge. Not exactly known as a live music hotspot, the town's Grade II listed Town Hall previously hosted live music in the 1960s and early 1970s - but has served only occasional civic purposes since, despite the town council having not been based in the building since the 1970s. In recent times, though, the building has undergone a period of restoration utilising government funding - with it turned into a multi-purpose cultural space that officially re-opened in 2025. Part of this regeneration included reinstating the building's ability to host live music - with a 500 capacity room on the first floor designated for such. Given that the building only formally reopened towards the end of last year, not many bands have played this new space - with Saturday's Wildhearts concert one of the first in the building for many years. Whether Trowbridge becomes a regular spot for live music remains to be seen - but I was impressed with the space and would happily return. Trowbridge itself was perhaps less interesting - but there was a lovely park near to where I was staying and everything was within close walking distance. I even managed to pick up a few 1980s metal LPs for surprisingly low prices in a strange little shop in a pretty empty old shopping centre - but that aside the town was not exactly full of life. It was easy to get to on the train, though, only just over half an hour further on from Bristol. The reason for the trip was a night with The Wildhearts - a band I last saw just a few months ago in Torquay. I already had plans to be in Bristol over the Easter weekend, so when the band announced a few shows around a festival appearance tying in Trowbridge seemed like a good idea. I was initially put off by the cost of the Premier Inn, though, but when frontman Ginger Wildheart announced that he was recently diagnosed with cancer, and would not be seeking treatment for it, I decided that I had to make the effort. Who knows how many more opportunities there will be to see the band - and with the excellent Torquay show still relatively fresh in my mind I bit the bullet and paid for the hotel. The ticket and trains were pretty cheap, too, which helped - and it was not long before, following a bit of a nap in the Premier Inn, that I was in the Town Hall waiting for the action to start. The stage was a temporary affair, likely due to the listed status of the building, but it served its purpose - and gave the room a bit of a festival-esque vibe. I was not sure what the turnout would be like in a place like Trowbridge - but the room soon filled up and at points the queue for the merch nearly reached the stage. There was a lot of love in the room throughout, then, and Wiltshire turned out in numbers to support The Wildhearts.

Before The Wildhearts' set, though, the growing crowd were treated to 45 minutes from Silveroller - a young rock band with a single EP to their name whom I had not heard of before they were announced as the support act on this long weekend of live shows. I gave the band a cursory listen online beforehand, and thought that they sounded good - but I was not prepared for how much I was going to enjoy their set. A couple of songs into it, I thought that Silveroller could be the best unknown support act that I had seen for a long time - and this view continued until their very last note. There was not one moment of their set that I did not enjoy - and I picked up a copy of their 2024 EP At Dawn as soon as the set finished. Sound-wise, Silveroller very much take their sound from the early 1970s British rock scene. They somewhat reminded me of a mix of early Bad Company and very early Whitesnake - but with a much stronger Hammond organ presence. I have seen reviews comparing them to bands like the Faces and The Black Crowes - but frontman Jonnie Hodson does not have the bluesy, gravelly voice to really make those comparisons work for me, with his smoother voice much more traditionally hard rock in tone. If anything, they reminded me of a British equivalent of what Dirty Honey are currently doing in America - unashamedly retro but with the  songwriting to back it up and a great stage presence. Hodson really made the stage his own during the show, with some David Coverdale-esque microphone stand tricks thrown in - whilst the rest of the band really rocked. Sammy Murdock (guitar/vocals), who seems to be quite a new recruit, mixed hard rock riffing and delicate bluesy moments with ease, whilst throwing in plenty of solos, whilst Lucas Tadini (keyboards/vocals) underpinned everything with his organ. Hammond organ is always a winner for me - and the mix of hard rock riffing, melodic vocal hook, and roaring organ drew me in from the off and never let go. Songs like Hold and Black Crow showed the band at their most rocking, but there were slower moments like Let Me Down Slow which was the bluesiest and most emotive moment of the set. A cover of Hard to Handle is perhaps where The Black Crowes comparisons come from, but it gave something for people to sing early on, whilst a newer single in Trouble Follows Me had those brief shades of early Whitesnake I sometimes heard in their sound. Perhaps the best was save until last, though, with the epic and slightly more sprawling Silver Sun a vehicle for a big chorus and plenty more soloing. With some of the best songs not on the EP, which I am looking forward to digging into, the future looks bright for this band - and their set was worth the price of admission alone.

Following a trip to the merch and then to the toilet, it did not seem all that long before the stage had been cleared and it was time for The Wildhearts. Setlist-wise, the show was largely the same as it was during last year's winter tour, but I felt that this Trowbridge show was better than last year's Torquay show. A hugely better support act helped, but the sound in the room on Saturday was loud and crystal clear. Everything could be heard with real clarity, from each specific vocal microphone, to the two guitars, and the subtle keyboards. It was one of the clearest live sound mixes I had heard for a while - and it really made the band's intricacies shine. Ginger was on fine form, too. He seemed surprised to receive such a reception in somewhere like Trowbridge - and there was lots of banter between him, the other band members, and the crowd throughout. I did notice that many of the staff at the venue were quite elderly - and the thought of them enduring Ginger's off-colour sense of humour and foul language was pretty amusing. It was the music that mattered, though, with the heavy and meandering Failure Is the Mother of Success kicking things off. It was one of three songs from last year's Satanic Rites of the Wildhearts (which I reviewed here) to appear in the set - and the mix of heavy riffing and the slow-burning closing section is a big part of what makes The Wildhearts special. The 15-song setlist covered most of the band's career, too, although it was certainly not a setlist for the casual. It was quite deep-cut heavy, and I actually appreciated hearing some of these songs live for a second time following that previous Torquay gig. There were a few big anthems for everyone to sing along with, though, with both Nothing Ever Changes but the Shoes and Mazel Tov Cocktail hitting the crowd early on - but for each of those were was a Vernix. The non-album track is not one that I am hugely familiar with, but it came alive more this time compared to last time - with its constantly changing pace and complex vocal harmonies bringing the best out of the whole band. The clear mix likely helped - and it allowed me to appreciate what both Ben Marsden (guitar/vocals) and Carol Hodge (keyboards/vocals) brought to the band vocally. Hodge also impressed with some fluid guitar solos, even during songs which did not have one originally - and the band overall had a great sense of rehearsed looseness. The clarity of the mix and the overall volume really allowed the band to sound heavy, too, with newer cuts like Maintain Radio Silence and Splitter both sounding larger than life. I appreciated getting to hear the new cut Spider Beach again, too, from the band's upcoming album Northern Spirit - and I enjoyed it a lot more this time. Hodge featured a lot during it, both musically and vocally - and the melodic, slightly industrial tune showcased what the current five-piece version of the band can achieve. By this point the band were starting to reach favourites territory, and the crowd-pleasing Everlone saw plenty of singing in the room - and the piece was stretched out somewhat to include a few other riffs from the band's lengthy canon. This segued into the lengthy Slaughtered Authors - another song which has not been played live all that often over the years. Despite this, though, the song is a real anthem that fits nicely into the set - with a plethora of riffs of its own, melodic mid-sections, and another huge chorus. There were only two songs of the main set left by this point, but the modern classic Diagnosis certainly raised the roof - before a lengthy take on Chutzpah rounded out the show, with Marsden throwing down plenty of soloing during the chaotic and heavy number. Unlike in Torquay, though, there was time for an encore this time - although the curfew only allowed for one more. The classic oldie My Baby Is a Headfuck was the song chosen for the encore, which again saw plenty of singing from the large crowd. It brought the night to an anthemic close - with the power of The Wildhearts not in doubt. The setlist was:

Failure Is the Mother of Success

Nothing Ever Changes but the Shoes

Sleepaway

Mazel Tov Cocktail

Vernix

Kunce

Maintain Radio Silence

Cheers

Splitter

Spider Beach

Everlone

Slaughtered Authors

Diagnosis

Chutzpah

-

My Baby Is a Headfuck

Despite having seen a very similar show just a few months ago, I had an excellent time on Saturday with The Wildhearts. The band's fire and the excellent live sound ensured that the show was the best Wildhearts show that I have seen to date - and I hope that there are more to come in the future. With Ginger's condition, though, each Wildhearts show that happens is one to cherish - and with at least one more album to come, that has already been recorded, there are things to look forward to for Wildhearts fans.

Tyketto's 'Closer to the Sun' - Album Review

For fans of the New York-based melodic rock band Tyketto, although three of the current members of the band actually hail from the UK, the wait for their sixth studio album has been a long one. As much as I love the band, and I have been lucky enough to see them live quite a few times over the years, I think that it is fair to say that they have not been the most prolific over the years. The band can trace their history back to 1987, but their much-lauded debut album Don't Come Easy did not drop until 1991 - by which point their brand of melodic rock and hair metal was already on the decline. Like many bands that launched around that time, had they come to the party a few years earlier their career trajectory might have been quite different - but Don't Come Easy clearly did not meet Geffen's expectations, which led to their second album Strength in Numbers being delayed until 1994 when it was finally released on a much smaller label. By this point, any hopes of hitting big were essentially over - and frontman Danny Vaughn left the band, which led to the often-forgotten Shine from 1995 featuring future Journey frontman Steve Augeri in his place. The band broke up soon after and, save for brief reunions in 2004 and 2007, were dormant until a full-time reunion in 2008. This reunion eventually saw all four of the Don't Come Easy line-up together again - which led to 2012's strong Dig in Deep, the band's first album for 17 years. Over the years, though, the original/classic-era members have all fallen away. Guitarist Brooke St. James was the first to leave for health reasons - with bassist Jimi Kennedy following him out the door not much later. Vaughn soldiered on with original drummer Michael Clayton for a number of years, releasing another strong album in Reach (which I reviewed here) in 2016 - but what had become a fairly stable era for the band came to an end in 2023, with the departures of Clayton and St. James' replacement Chris Green. The pandemic had ensured that no Tyketto activity had taken place for a while - and losing both Clayton and Green left Vaughn without his recent co-writers and his main partner in the band since the start. I think that he considered putting the band to bed, and he has since described a 2023 UK tour with FM and Dare, which debuted the current line-up, as make or break for Tyketto going forward. The new line-up clearly gelled quickly, though, and over the past couple of years the band has been quite busy - both on the road an in the studio. As such, last month saw the release of the band's long-awaited sixth studio album Closer to the Sun - 10 years on from Reach. Bassist Chris Childs and keyboard player Ged Rylands, the latter of whom is now the longest-serving member of the band aside from Vaughn, return from Reach - with Closer to the Sun seeing the debuts of both guitarist Harry Scott Elliott (Kane'd) and drummer Johnny Dee (World War III; Waysted; Britny Fox; Doro). Vaughn and Dee go back many years, having both been a part of Waysted's 1986 album Save Your Prayers, but, despite this, Vaughn is now the only original Tyketto member left - and, without Clayton in situ, there is now no-one left in the band who played on Shine. That being said, Closer to the Sun sounds like a Tyketto album - rather than one of Vaughn's solo albums. His solo albums tend to be a bit more laid back and vocal-driven - but Closer to the Sun rocks like a Tyketto album should, even if Vaughn wrote many of the songs alone. Both Elliott and Childs have a couple of writing credits each, with the latter co-producing the album with Vaughn and also mixing it.

Performance-wise it seems like quite a team effort, with everyone credited with backing vocals and percussion - whilst Vaughn and Childs also chipped in with some extra keyboards. A number of session players also contributed, again mostly on keyboards, but rising AOR star Chez Kane (Kane'd) also added plenty of backing vocals. Despite being a melodic rock band, I generally find that Tyketto's albums take a few listens to fully appreciate. I liked Reach when it came out but I like it a lot more now, and I feel like Closer to the Sun will be similar. It has already grown on me quite a bit since first hearing it - but each listen only improves my opinion of it. Opening cut Higher Than High is a good example of this. It was released as the album's lead single, and I did not really like it at first as it felt a bit too bluesy - but now I think that it is a strong track. Tyketto have done songs like this before, of course, but it seemed like a strange choice for a lead single - given what the band's other 'big' songs sound like. A mid-paced rocker, the song is based around a bluesy and quite hard rocking riff from Elliott - which is backed by hollow drumming from Dee and some Hammond organ. There is little of the band's AOR sparkle here, with the overall sound being quite organic. The bluesiness is retained throughout, whilst flashy synths and keyboards are never utilised - with the organ present during the whole song. Big backing vocals are kept to a minimum, although there are some subtle harmonies during the hooky chorus, whilst Vaughn also includes a harmonica solo later on - in place of a typical guitar solo. Elliott does add a brief solo later on, but overall a more organic sound is allowed to shine here - and multiple listens to it have allowed the hooks to stick. Starts with a Feeling moves into more of an AOR territory - as Vaughn co-wrote the song with Jim Peterik (The Ides of March; Survivor; Pride of Lions). The song is not as bombastic nor as overt as many of Peterik's compositions can be, but it fits nicely into the Tyketto sound - mixing a slightly tougher rock sound with big melodies. It is the first song here to feature Vaughn's trademark acoustic guitar presence throughout - with the verses largely built around his vocals, which sound as powerful as ever, and acoustic guitar - whilst Childs' busy bass playing and a subtle drum groove from Dee give the song a surprising amount of energy. Elliott is largely in the background here, but his choppy rhythms sit in the background to add depth - whilst occasional soaring guitar leads cut in to add a 1980s AOR edge, before a lengthier solo later allows him to show off. The chorus does contain a few Peterikisms in terms of melodic choices, but there is enough of Vaughn here to root the song in the Tyketto canon comfortably. Bad for Good returns to a more hard rocking sound - and it feels like the first song here which really introduces Elliott in a big way. His bluesy riffing during the opening number was strong, but the riffing here is more typical of the Tyketto sound - and the guitars essentially dominate throughout. Keyboards are kept to a minimum, with Elliott driving everything during a song which he co-wrote. The main riff feels weighty, whilst the verses are also on the heavier side at times despite the guitar chords sometimes hanging somewhat to allow the rhythm section to shine through. The chorus is where the song really comes alive, though, with additional percussion giving it a real groove - whilst some vocal harmonies make Vaughn's pointed and hooky vocal melodies sound massive. Elliott's best guitar solo on the album up to this point follows later on - and those who love the harder rock side of Tyketto will love this one. I can see it becoming a live favourite thanks to its massive chorus and driving riffing.

The best song here, though, is single We Rise. I heard it a couple of times on the radio before the album came out - so I was surprised when the album version included an acoustic intro. The acoustic guitar and gentle vocal intro adds a lot to the song, though, so when the big guitar chords and drums crash in they feel even more powerful. This is another pretty hard rocking track, but it is that perfect mix of hard rock and AOR that Tyketto have always done so well. It feels like a modern version of a song like Wings in my opinion - and it has the hooks to back it up. Everything about this song is memorable. The stop-start strut of the verses is full of hard rock power, whilst the soaring chorus with big vocal harmonies and melodies is easily the album's hookiest moment. The later instrumental section is great, too, with Rylands kicking it off with a synth solo before Elliott takes over with some shredding. Elliott closes things out with another big solo, too, Neal Schon style, and it is easily the best song the band have written since releasing Strength in Numbers over 30 years ago. Donnowhuddidis, hideous title aside, is a bit of a step down following the previous anthem - and it is one of the album's least interesting songs in my opinion. There are few weaker spots here, but this is one of them - and the song has a bit of a barroom boogie sound which I am not sure is something I really want from Tyketto. Thunder's touring keyboard player Sam Tanner adds the piano to the song, and his ever-present playing is a bit too bluesy and southern rock-esque for Tyketto. There is a fun groove throughout the song, but it feels a little laboured - and lacking in the band's usual crunch and hard rock firepower. Without his usual co-writers here, many of the album's songs were written by Vaughn alone - and this is maybe a song which would have been better suited to a solo album rather than a Tyketto album. Thankfully this moment of weakness only lasts for a few minutes, as the title track then comes along to kick things back into a higher gear. It is another song which really feels like classic Tyketto - starting from a gentle acoustic base before ramping up towards an anthemic chorus. Part-ballad and part-rocker, the song reminds me of similar tracks in this vein like Sail Away or The Run - with Vaughn delivering the song with plenty of emotion, whilst the whole band pull together to create something memorable. Musically, there is nothing especially flashy here. The riffing is quite restrained, with the acoustic guitars and subtle keyboards often dominating - but Dee's percussive drumming and the weight that Elliott adds when he crashes in ensures that the song's journey feels natural, and there is another Schon-esque closing guitar solo. If it was not for We Rise, too, Closer to the Sun would probably win the album's 'Best Chorus' award - as it is another excellent one. Harleys & Indians (Riders in the Sky) is a cover of the Roxette song from their 1994 album Crash! Boom! Bang!. I know very little about Roxette apart from the obvious big songs, but this rhythmic and organic song works well in the hands of Tyketto - even if it is not one of my favourite cuts here. The sound of the song returns somewhat to the blues of the opening number - albeit with a more percussive feel. Organ and harmonica return, whilst Elliott's guitar playing feels a bit more organic and stripped back throughout. The percussive and hollow sound does shake things up a bit, though, and Vaughn really gets to let rip on the harmonica throughout.

Hit Me Where It Hurts returns to the classic hard rocking Tyketto sound - and it is another number which nicely mixes hard rock and AOR sounds, even if the former largely dominates. The chorus has some AOR sparkle, thanks to Vaughn's fast-paced vocal delivery and some shimmering keyboards, but there is a lot of weight on show here. There are similarities to Bad for Good, then, in the way that Elliott drives everything - although he did not co-write this one. Nevertheless, his big guitar riffing is ever-present here. He is perhaps less busy during the chorus - but the verses have a great classic rock kinetic energy thanks to his snaking riffing, whilst his later guitar solo is one of the album's longest and best. When Tyketto really rock out like this the band really feel fiery and powerful - and this track is another overall album highlight for me thanks to its hooks and energy. One thing that is always guaranteed with each Tyketto album is a huge ballad, and The Picture ticks that box here. Unlike the title track which felt like part-ballad and part-rocker, The Picture is a true ballad - with Vaughn singing over some gentle piano early on, whilst subtle, sombre guitar melodies are added for depth. Vaughn has always written excellent ballads and his Peter Cetera-times-10 voice is the perfect vehicle for them - as he always manages to include so much emotion in each one. Arrangement-wise, this ballad is pretty typical - with slower verses and a bigger-sounding chorus - with the rest of the band adding weight during the latter. The piano is generally left to dominate elsewhere, handled by session player Nigel Hopkins, and the lack of a big guitar solo is something of a surprise. The song is crying out for one - and the lack of such is perhaps holding this song back from being one of Tyketto's best ballads. Far and Away is also a slower number, but it takes a different path - essentially being an acoustic-led, somewhat folky number. Vaughn's vocals and acoustic guitar dominate the song, and it takes a while for anything else to meaningfully join in. Later verses and chorus renditions are backed by some percussive drumming and bigger vocal arrangements, but really the song does not shift much from its organic and acoustic-led base. Tyketto have done songs like this in the past, but this may have been another number best saved for a Vaughn solo album - as it does not really make much use of the band's talents. Later on, some additional melodies are added by session violinist Elizabeth Prendergast, further adding to the folky vibes - moving the song further away from Tyketto's core sound. The album then comes to a close with The Brave, a rockier song that returns to something more typical. Acoustic guitar-driven still, though, the song has an organic and heartland rock-esque feel - with ringing piano chords earlier on and during the later chorus which recall Bruce Springsteen's approach to the instrument - whilst occasional guitar leads add colour atop the busy acoustic guitars and driving rhythm section. The song may not be as involved as some others here, but there is a simplicity to the hooks throughout which work for me. The chorus sticks nicely - and Dee turns in a strong performance on the drums, with some busy fills later on. There is space for one more big guitar solo towards the end, too, and the song ends the album on an up-tempo high - with acoustic guitar and ringing piano closing things out nicely. A couple of songs aside which sound more like Vaughn solo numbers that do not capitalise on the band's power, Closer to the Sun is, overall, an excellent album. It could well the band's best since Strength in Numbers and there are some cuts here which will surely become live favourites over the years. That mix of hard rock and AOR which has always served the band so well strikes gold again here - and I am looking forward to seeing the band live again in a couple of weeks time, where I will hopefully hear a few of these cuts performed.

The album was released on 20th March 2026 via Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional video for We Rise.