Jayler's 'Voices Unheard' - Album Review

It is always great to get to talk about a debut album. So many bands are formed, but only a few, even in this day and age where DIY recordings and releases are much easier than they have ever been, release anything of note - so whenever a band releases their debut album it often feels as if they have properly blossomed, entering the world properly for the first time. It is even better when a debut album comes from a young UK rock act. I love music from all over the world, and the UK has birthed no shortage of excellent bands over the years, but the hard rock landscape these days seems to be dominated by names from abroad - and so many of the UK bands that have broken through over the past decade or so are hugely influenced by US-based post-grunge sounds. Today's band, though, certainly cannot be accused of sounding like something that would have been heard on US mainstream rock radio in the 2000s. Instead, today's band really hark back to the burgeoning British hard rock scene of the early 1970s, both in look and sound - casting off the sounds of Creed and Shinedown that influence so much of what the UK has produced of late to look much closer to home. The band that this piece covers is the West Midlands-based four-piece Jayler. They seem to have formed in 2022, and released their debut EP A Piece in Our Time in 2023 - but I did not become aware of them until last summer. I heard the band's single Riverboat Queen on Planet Rock, which was my first exposure to them, and soon started spotting the band's shirts at gigs occasionally - especially when I was in Birmingham and Wolverhampton. I started to pay a bit more attention, and ended up seeing the band live in Wolverhampton just before Christmas. I already had plans in Bilston the weekend before Christmas to see Mostly Autumn - and Jayler then announced a headline show at KK's Steel Mill the night before. Given how cheap the tickets were, and the fact that it tied in with my existing plans, I decided to see what all the fuss about - so I headed up to Wolverhampton a day earlier and took in Jayler live. I picked up the EP, which I enjoyed, and I also enjoyed the band's show - even if it was a bit of a strange one. The combination of the show being on the Saturday before Christmas and cheap tickets gave the evening a bit of an end of term vibe - with many seemingly not all that interested in the band and using the opportunity for a pre-Christmas night out. There was a good turnout, but the atmosphere never really felt like it was totally directed at the band - and a late start meant that the show went on until past 11:30pm, by which time quite a few head left. Jayler put on a confident show, but I cannot say that I was blown away. Some of the songs really stuck and some of them did not - but I saw enough to know that their debut album would be worth checking out. Announced earlier this year then, and released back in May, Jayler's debut album Voices Unheard is now here - and I have been able to digest it over the past month or so before penning this piece. I have an overall conflicted view when it comes to Jayler. I like quite a lot of what they do, but I cannot help but also feel a little cynical. This is because the band blatantly model themselves on Led Zeppelin - perhaps even more so than Greta Van Fleet. Frontman James Bartholomew, who certainly has a great voice, clearly thinks himself a Robert Plant, even down to the stage moves and jacket style, whilst the band's brash, bluesy, organic hard rock at times really just sounds like Led Zeppelin. I already have Led Zeppelin II, so why do I need Voices Unheard?

Well, I am not sure that I need it, but I have certainly been having fun with it. I do wish that the band's look and sound was not so close to Led Zeppelin's, especially as, like so many that try to 'do the Zeppelin thing', their sound does not capture the breadth or understanding of musical genres that made Led Zeppelin so interesting, but the songwriting is generally strong - and Voices Unheard is a well-produced album thanks to George Perks. As if to showcase from the off that nothing on this album sounds modern, the brief Intro that kicks things off has that crackly, distant sound that bands utilise when trying to sound like a 1930s blues recording, with Bartholomew singing and laying down some brief bursts of harmonica in an old-school manner. This vibe only sticks around very briefly, though, as soon the band launch into Down Below - and the full-blown Jayler sound is on show from the off. A fast-paced hard rocker, Down Below is pretty typical of Jayler's core approach. A juddering, bluesy main guitar riff from Tyler Arrowsmith whips up plenty of energy early on, whilst bursts of slide during the verses add to the overall groove. The hard-hitting rhythm section carry the main groove, though, keeping the energy going, whilst Bartholomew is heard here for the first time properly. He has a great voice, but he really does sound like Robert Plant at times - with occasional bursts of very early Geddy Lee, too. His high-pitched delivery and bluesy mannerisms suit the song, though, screaming above the bluesy cacophony - whilst adding some cutting harmonica bursts during parts of the song. A lengthy harmonica workout is actually utilised here instead of a guitar solo, but this suits the overall bluesy, energetic nature of the song - and the album gets off to a high-octane start as a result. Riverboat Queen, the song which properly introduced me to the band last year, follows - and it retains a similar overall sound whilst not feeling quite as energetic. The song is more mid-paced, with brash bluesy chords and a bass drum-heavy drum groove from Ed Evans. The clacking bass drum sound even reminds me of Led Zeppelin, and this song is another that has a strong Led Zeppelin feel. The cinematic approach to bluesy guitar chords is very much reminiscent of their approach - whilst the chorus here feels like the first true hook of the album. The first song had a chorus, but the song was driven more by its energy - whereas this one feels hookier overall. Another harmonica solo is thrown in, as well as a few other bursts of the instrument later on, and it does add to the song's brash nature quite nicely. Need Your Love moves away from the overt Led Zeppelin vibes of the previous couple of songs to go for something a bit smoother overall sound-wise. The main guitar riff is high-energy and memorable, with strong melodies throughout, whilst the rhythm section is much more strident and less groovy this time - going for a fatter overall hard rock sound. The song still has a strong retro feel, but the style is not especially close to one particular band - which is welcome, and I do hope that Jayler do push towards forging their own sound in the future. The chorus, with its simple and long-held vocal lines is very memorable, with a slight pop edge to some of the hooks, whilst the first guitar solo of the album is thrown in here - with some busy lead playing later sitting over some percussive drumming.

The Getaway largely keeps the pace moving, and the song is another pretty high-energy piece with choppy verse guitar rhythms and a slightly more restrained vocal from Bartholomew. He still lets rip with some higher-pitched moments throughout, but he delivers a smoother vocal overall I think - with the verses in particularly feeling less brash than usual. It is the first song here that really showcases the playing of bassist Ricky Hodgkiss, too. The slightly more subdued approach during the verses guitar-wise allow his bass playing to really pop - and his busy grooves are a big part of what keep the song moving. The chorus is a bit more typical of the band's core sound, though, with Bartholomew reverting to a higher-pitched delivery and a rawer overall approach - whilst another fast-paced guitar solo also adds some powerful blues to the piece. Early Rush and bands like Zebra are certainly referenced here, alongside the ever-present Led Zeppelin, and the energy created here is quite infectious. Bittersweet is the first real change of pace here, with the acoustic-led ballad stripping out all of the band's heaviness to deliver something folky. Delicate acoustic guitar melodies initially back Bartholomew's vocals, which are much more restrained than usual - allowing for some high-pitched and wistful melodies. The song does expand sound-wise as it moves along. Gentle piano chords and occasional melodies are later thrown in, courtesy of Hodgkiss, whilst the occasional electric guitar chords, mixed into the background, act in an almost percussive manner. Led Zeppelin certainly had their folk side, and this is a song that has clearly been influenced by the overall approach taken on Led Zeppelin III. As mentioned before, though, Jayler never cover the breadth of influences to truly 'do the Zeppelin thing' - which is more than bluesy hard rock and the occasional folky ballad. That being said, Bittersweet is a nice change of pace - even if, melody-wise it does not really grab hold all that much. Hate to See It End opens with a big drum barrage from Evans - and the song returns to a bigger hard rock sound after the respite that the previous song provided. That being said, there seem to be more of a cinematic approach taken this time - with an expansive sound thanks to the way the guitar chords are arranged and some keyboard work to fill out the sound. Hodgkiss adds some organ during the verses it sounds like, swirling around behind the riffing, whilst the stop-start nature of parts of the verses allows the vocals and guitars to shine separately. There is quite a brightness conjured up here, then, whilst another chorus that features quite long-held vocal lines allows for quite a hooky approach. The song is one of the stronger cuts here in my opinion as a result - and is another that does not just sound like Led Zeppelin. Jayler are starting to develop their own sound, and I hope that this progresses, even though the song still sounds retro thanks to some Hammond organ and another busy guitar solo. Over the Mountain, following a big count in, returns to the overtly Led Zeppelin-influenced sound that kicked the album off. This mid-paced hard rocker is brash, bluesy, and slightly mystical in classic Led Zeppelin fashion - with the turnaround-style guitar playing channelling the classic blues approach, with all the key changes in the right places, whilst Bartholomew returning to his Plant impression. The chorus feels a bit more expansive thanks to a higher-pitched vocal delivery and a bit more of a cinematic approach - whilst this cinematic approach is later continued during a bridge thanks to some subtle keyboards.

Alectrona, named after the Greek goddess, is more of a mid-paced piece - with a slower-moving bluesy guitar pattern and a shuffling drum groove that gives the song more of an overall deliberate feel. It is not a lumbering piece, but there is less energy here and there is more of a heartbeat feel in the song's delivery. There is also a bit more of an airiness to the arrangement. The slower riffing allows for some space in the mix, whilst some subtle keyboard textures are sometimes utilised to allow for a bit more of an atmospheric feel. Jayler rarely go for keyboards in a big way, but when Hodgkiss does occasionally turn away from his bass his keyboard playing does add quite a bit to the band's sound - and it would be interesting to hear a bit more of this going forward (even if having a bass player that also plays keyboards is another tick on the Led Zeppelin checklist). The song mixes bluesy rock and a more atmospheric sound together quite nicely without ever really giving over to the latter - and it does provide a subtle change of pace as a result. Lovemaker returns to something much more typical - and the vibes of the early numbers on the album return in a big way. The harmonica is also brought back out for a few bluesy bursts here and there, providing links between the chorus and future verses, whilst a slightly more overtly grooving drum beat creates a hip-shaking mid-paced vibe. The return to the early numbers does mean a return to Led Zeppelin vibes in a big way, though, and the main guitar solo here, likely from Arrowsmith, is very Jimmy Page-influenced in that stop-start bluesy way. I know that Bartholomew also plays some of the guitar solos, so it is unclear who plays what here - and I did think when I saw the band live that this arrangement might end up causing issues down the line, especially as Bartholomew is very much the frontman and him also trying to be the lead guitarist would disrupt that classic frontman/lead guitarist duo and lead to friction. The album then comes to a close with the tougher The Rinsk, a song which I remember from the gig as it turned into a bit of a late set centrepiece with lots of jamming and soloing. It feels a bit more restrained in its pure 'song' form here, but it nevertheless feels powerful with tougher overall riffing than has been heard on the album up to this point. The band have not morphed into metal or anything like that here, but there is a stronger hard rock edge thanks to some molten riffing - as well as Bartholomew really letting rip vocally at times, especially as the song closes out. This is another song that diverts from the Led Zeppelin playbook somewhat and does something a bit different from the band's core sound, whilst still sounding retro. The lumbering, powerful chorus is a big part of why the band turn the song into a centrepiece live - and the lengthy solo section, whilst relatively svelte here compared to live, still feels like the band cutting loose somewhat. The album ends on a real high as a result - hinting at a sound bigger than is sometimes the case on this album. Overall, then, I do like much of Voices Unheard - and it is a fun, well-written, and well-produced listen. I cannot quite get over my cynicism relating to this band, especially as their Facebook/YouTube comments sections are always full of older people saying things like: "I've not listened to anything new since the 70s but you boys are great as you sound like those days"; but there remains a charm here, even if some of the material is, perhaps too blatantly at times, derivative of better things.

The album was released on 29th May 2026 via Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Down Below.

Metallica - London Review (Night Two)

Despite having a great time away in London this past weekend, I am glad to be home. Going to three big gigs in four days was certainly tiring, even having a seat at them all, and the warm London weather combined with quite an old hotel meant that the nights were fairly restless. It was worth it, though. Def Leppard and Extreme were excellent as usual, and finally getting to see Metallica was a real treat. As I have already said, Friday's show was excellent - and it was clear that the band still have the energy and desire to deliver after many years in the business. Friday was only half the experience, though, and it was somewhat strange leaving the London Stadium on Friday, and making the thankfully well-managed walk back to Stratford station, realising that I would be doing it all again on Sunday. I was glad of a day in between the two shows with no real plans. Had a decent gig cropped up I would have taken the opportunity - but a slow evening on Saturday was welcome. I ended up having a bit of a lie in on Saturday morning due to sleep coming in fits and starts, although watching the Argentina vs Cape Verde match before trying to sleep likely did not help, so much so that my breakfast plans were somewhat scuppered - before heading down to Lambeth to visit the Imperial War Museum. It had likely been close to twenty years since I last visited the museum - so I was keen to return and also see a part of London that I rarely get to. I enjoyed my afternoon in the museum, spending a couple of hours looking around the main exhibitions covering the two world wars and the Holocaust. Following my museum visit, I made my way back to my Snaresbrook base slowly, had a hour or so rest, before heading back out to nearby Wanstead to check out an Indian restaurant I had earmarked. It was nice to go out for something to eat properly in London without any real time pressures, and The Coriander certainly delivered - with a reasonably-priced chicken patia going down nicely. I had not properly been out for a curry for quite some time, so I enjoyed the experience, before settling in for a quiet night with the TV. Sunday was, of course, busier, but with the stadium not opening until 3pm (earlier than it had on Friday due to an earlier Sunday curfew) and the music not starting until 5pm, there was no need to rush down to Stratford. I got up on time on Sunday, enjoying an all-you-can-eat breakfast in the adjacent pub, before heading over to Brick Lane for a look around the market and some nearby record shops. The shops did not really provide me with anything, but I picked up a couple of LPs and CDs in the market - so the trip out was worth it. It was then back to the hotel for a little while before heading back out to Stratford. The weather in London throughout the weekend was warm. It certainly was not has hot as it had been recently, but warm enough to need plenty of fluid and breaks in the shade - for me anyway. The two-day ticket was also for the same seat at both shows - so there was no need to rush down as I knew exactly where I needed to go. It was also best to let the initial rush die down - meaning less time standing around in the sun and more time sitting in a nice, shaded stadium. I have to say, too, aside from some initial confusion as to which entrance I needed to use given my confirmation email saying one thing and my actual ticket in the app saying another, the whole thing seemed really well run. I know that gigs at big stadiums happen regularly, but getting in and out was easy on both nights - with the walk back to the tube well managed to enable a controlled and still relatively fast (given the number of people) exit.

As much as I had enjoyed Gojira's set on Friday, I think that it is fair to say that night two had the better support acts - at least in my opinion. Kicking things off on Sunday, then, were Sweden's Avatar - a band that has been around for a surprisingly long time. I do not know much about them, but I had only really started hearing about them in recent years. As such, I assumed that they were quite new - but they formed all the way back in 2001 so have been around for 25 years at this point. They have also released 10 albums, too, meaning that they are very much a veteran act. They must be starting to get quite a bit more well-known, though, as I have certainly been familiar with them in name and image for a few years - but this show was my first time properly engaging with them. As was the case with Knocked Loose on Friday, Avatar had around 40 minutes to play with - and they made count with a pretty enjoyable set. I doubt that I will be rushing out and buying all 10 Avatar albums, but the five-piece's sound was interesting - and there were certainly songs played that I liked. Sound-wise, the band are often described as a mix of melodic death metal and groove metal. In some ways I agree, but I am not sure that they sound like melodic death metal in the traditional Swedish sense - whilst there are certainly grooves to be found. There was a mix of vibes on display, though, from heavier sections which featured harsh vocals and almost nu-metal-esque riffing to more melodic sections with almost gothic keyboards and cleaner vocals. There were certainly a few hooks on show, but I did think that the nuances of the band's sound were likely not always filtering through. They certainly did not have a poor sound mix, but I did feel that the sound mixes overall throughout the second night were not as good as they were for the first night - so the symphonic and electronic elements of Avatar's sound were likely less obvious than they might otherwise be. There was also a bit of a Lizzy Borden vibe visually, I think - not that Avatar really sound like Lizzy Borden. Frontman Johannes Eckerström just came across in a pretty similar, theatrical manner - and visually there was certainly a vaudevillian theme going on that was likely a bit lost on an 'in the round' format without any trappings. Whilst I was not blown away by Avatar, I certainly found their 40 or so minutes on stage entertaining - and I would not mind checking them a bit further going forward.

Outside of Metallica themselves, of course, Sunday's main support act Pantera were easily the biggest band over the two nights. Whilst Gojira are pretty big, Pantera arguably launched the whole groove metal genre throughout the early 1990s - and are a legendary band in their own right. Since reforming in 2022, largely as an ongoing tribute to their late bandmates, bothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, Pantera have become a world-wide touring force again - taking stages by storm again for the first time properly since their 1990s heyday. Given that Pantera went away for so long, I think that it is easy for younger metal fans to underestimate their importance in the history of metal - but Pantera spearheaded so much of what become popular during the 1990s, and their place in metal history is long assured. I have only ever really been a casual fan, but I saw the band live last year and enjoyed it. I was quite content not to see them again, though, but when they were announced as a part of this line-up I certainly was not disappointed - and for the next hour or so the four-piece filled the stadium with their mid-paced, riffy, hard-hitting brand of working class metal. They probably suffered from the worst sound of the weekend, though, with frontman Phi Anselmo sometimes quite low in the mix, but the power of their riffs shone through - and there was a strong atmosphere during their set. The setlist was essentially a condensed version of what they played on tour last year - with the big hitters from both 1992's Vulgar Display of Power and 1994's Far Beyond Driven largely dominating. The grinding A New Level and the slightly thrashier Mouth for War got the hour off to a fine start - and there was certainly was quite a lot of singing to be heard during the first one. Perhaps in an effort to seem humble, Anselmo kept making reference to those in the crowd who had no idea who Pantera were - but I would be surprised if there were that many in attendance that did not have at least a passing knowledge of the band. There was certainly plenty of singing during the bigger numbers - although the crowd was not intense as it was during the band's headline set last year. Strength Beyond Strength and I'm Broken were both early highlights, with the latter including a snippet of By Demons Be Driven, whilst both the more potent and shout-along 5 Minutes Alone and This Love saw gang vocals from the crowd and band alike. As I was last year, I found myself impressed by Rex Brown (bass guitar/vocals). His bass sound and high-attack playing is a huge part of Pantera's sound, and he kept everything grounded - grooving away beneath the riffs of Zakk Wylde (guitar/vocals). Despite the atmosphere being strong throughout, the levels picked up as the set progressed. The fast-paced Fucking Hostile would have acted as a wake up call to anyone not paying attention, whilst Walk had the whole crowd jumping along to the infamous riff and shouting along with the chorus. Perhaps due to the anniversary of the band's performance at the last Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne show last year, it segued into a portion of the former's Fairies Wear Boots - with Wylde getting into the bluesy riff nicely. A mash-up of Domination and Hollow followed, an arrangement that dates back to the 1990s, before the evergreen Cowboys from Hell rounded things out. It is a shame that it was the only song from the 1990 album of the same name played properly, as has been the case since the band reformed as far as I am aware, as it is easily my favourite - but the band's anthem rounded at a strong hour nicely. The setlist was:

A New Level

Mouth for War

Strength Beyond Strength

Becoming/Throes of Rejection

I'm Broken/By Demons Be Driven

5 Minutes Alone

This Love

Fucking Hostile

Walk/Fairies Wear Boots [Black Sabbath cover]

Domination/Hollow

Cowboys from Hell

As was the case on Friday, there was around 45 minutes between Pantera's set and Metallica kicking off - so there was a chance to stretch the legs and use the facilities. Being the second night of a 'No Repeat Weekend', the setlist was totally different, with no repeated songs, but everything else about the show was essentially the same. The stage set-up was the same, with drummer Lars Ulrich again making use of four different drum kits to move himself around the stage, and the 'show' itself was largely limited to the screens on the speaker towers and some occasional pyro. Metallica are certainly more about the music, though, and as they took to the stage they turned the clock back to the beginning for Whiplash to kick things off. Overall, I think that the first show was the stronger of the two nights. That may just have been my excitement in seeing the band live for the first time, but I did feel that the sound mix was not quite as good on night two - and I think that, overall, the setlist for night one was stronger. There were still plenty of excellent songs on night two, though, with early classics like For Whom the Bell Tolls and the fan-favourite Ride the Lightning hitting the large crowd with real force. For Whom the Bell Tolls certainly brought the best out of bassist Robert Trujillo, with his lead playing early on impressing, whilst James Hetfield (vocals/guitar) sounded great again vocally - even if at times he was a little buried in the mix. As was the case during night one, too, it was great to hear a couple more songs from the excellent 72 Seasons (which I reviewed here). The title track was one of the overall highlights of the night for me, as it is a really powerful song in my opinion, whilst the snaking grooves of Screaming Suicide also did a lot of heavy lifting - with Trujillo delivering some big backing vocals during it, too. The weakest moment of the night, again, though, was Trujillo and Kirk Hammett's (guitar/vocals) strange little covers showcase. Perhaps Hetfield and Ulrich really do need a mid-set break these days, but I am not sure what these 'doodles', as the setlist websites call them, really add to the show. They just seem a bit scrappy and under-rehearsed - but at least this time we got a bit of Black Sabbath's Electric Funeral, again in recognition of that final show last year. Thankfully, though, this segment of the show was short - and the rest of the band were soon back for the gargantuan and epic The Day That Never Comes. It is likely one of the band's strongest slow-burners, regardless of era, and it provided some respite during the quieter moments that were rarely seen again. The guitar interplay here between Hetfield and Hammett was especially good, even if I thought that some of the latter's solos during the night were a bit on the sloppy side. The rest of the set was largely packed full of classics. Simpler anthems in the form of Wherever I May Roam and the doomy ballad The Unforgiven certainly entertained the casuals, whilst the lengthy instrumental piece The Call of Ktulu allowed everyone to showcase their instrumental prowess - with solos for both Hetfield and Trujillo, alongside Hammett. I would have preferred another original cut instead of the band's version of Whiskey in the Jar, even though their version is quite good, but the fast-paced Blackened made up for any fleeting disappointment. It was another overall highlight for me, and it showcased that Ulrich is still a better drummer than many give him credit for. One last newer number in Moth into Flame was then wheeled out, which large sections of the crowd enjoyed, before it was time for the last two cuts of the weekend. The lengthy One was a powerful moment, with lots of pyro and a heartfelt Hetfield vocal. Some of Hammett's best soloing during the night was featured here, too, and the proggy track was another overall highlight. It was left to the big riffs and stadium-filling chorus of Enter Sandman to bring the night to a close - ending an excellent weekend with one last big sing-a-long. The setlist was:

Whiplash

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Ride the Lightning

The Memory Remains

72 Seasons

Screaming Suicide

Electric Funeral [Black Sabbath cover]/Holidays in the Sun [Sex Pistols cover]

The Day That Never Comes

Wherever I May Roam

The Call of Ktulu

The Unforgiven

...And Justice for All/Whiskey in the Jar [Traditional Irish folk song]

Blackened

Moth into Flame

One

Enter Sandman

From not having seen Metallica live a few days ago, I have now seen them twice in quick succession - where they played pretty much all of their big hitters over the two nights, whilst throwing in some fan-favourites and newer cuts, too. Both of the shows were excellent, even if I felt the first night was the strongest overall, and I am really pleased to have finally seen Metallica live after nearly 20 years of regular gig-going. I somewhat feel like I have now had my Metallica fix and probably do not need to seem them live again, especially as they do not come around too often and sell expensive tickets, but a gaping hole in my gigging history has now been filled - and the long weekend away was certainly worth it.

Metallica - London Review (Night One)

Whilst Def Leppard the previous night had certainly been a spectacle, and it had been great seeing both them and Extreme live again after a few years, the main reason for my trip to London over the past weekend was to see Metallica. Given that I have been to many hundreds of gigs over the past 20 years (I went to my first proper gig in September 2006), that fact that I had never seen Metallica live until this past weekend would likely shock some. Given my love of all things rock and metal, one would have likely assumed that I would have seen them before - but for various reasons I had not. One of the reasons likely is that, despite the band's popularity, they do not visit the UK that often. They are not a band that turns up on tour every other year meaning opportunities to see them are plentiful. They might only play some traditional headline shows once every five or so years - whilst perhaps throwing in a festival appearance in the meantime. Not counting their appearance at Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne's final show last year, Metallica's last UK appearances were at the 2023 Download Festival - whilst their last headline shows were back in 2019. As such, it had been a six year gap between headline shows here in the UK - and such gaps have not been uncommon in more recent times. Another reason for not making the effort before was likely that I have only ever really been a casual Metallica fan. I would say that my fandom has increased over the past two or three years, but they have never been one of my favourite bands - meaning that the overall cost of going was harder to justify. Metallica's tickets are not cheap, so seeing them was not something that I wanted to do just to say that I had. My love for the band has grown, though, as I said - so when I saw that they would be bringing their 'No Repeat Weekend' format to London as part of their on-going tour in support of 2023's 72 Seasons (which I reviewed here), it seemed like the time to finally make the effort. As part of this tour, in some cities, the have played two shows - each featuring a totally different setlist and support acts. The idea is that fans go to both shows and get a full-on weekend with Metallica - with many of the tickets covering both nights. This made for a pretty expensive weekend, but it seemed to make sense - as I would get all my Metallica needs sated in one go, as well as getting to see some well-known support acts. The day of the first night was a bit of a transition, as I had to move hotels which meant carrying my travel bag around with me all day. As such, after a bit of a lie in at my first hotel and breakfast nearby, I headed up to where I would be staying for the rest of the weekend and had some late lunch/early dinner at a nearby Toby Carvery. This certainly filled me up for a long evening of metal and, following an hour or so in the hotel to unpack and rest, it was soon time to head to Stratford and the London Stadium. Currently the biggest stadium in the EFL Championship, the London Stadium was built for the 2012 Olympics and is currently the home of West Ham United. I had been once before, to see Guns N' Roses back in 2017, but this time the show was set up 'in the round' - something I had not experienced before. The view from my seat was pretty good, but views from down on the floor would have likely been quite compromised a lot of the time. I was glad to get to my seat, too, following more walking around the site than was necessary due to conflicting information regarding which entrance I needed to use - alongside internet-related issues logging into the app. Despite this, though, once I found where I needed to go, getting in was easy - and I was soon in my seat and ready to enjoy what was to follow.

That being said, I cannot say that the first act of the night, the Kentucky-based hardcore band Knocked Loose, did all that much for me. Hardcore has never really been a favourite genre of mine, whilst Knocked Loose's more death metal-inspired brand of hardcore was just not really for me. One thing that I did notice from the off, though, was how good the sound was. I had reservations regarding the sound for 'in the round' shows, due to the potential for conflicting sound origins and sound bouncing all over the place, but all three bands had pretty good sound throughout - and Knocked Loose certainly did not suffer from typical support band muddiness. Given that they went on at 5:30pm, though, earlier than most venues even open, they were not playing to a huge crowd given the size of the venue, but there were a few thousand already in and there was a decent atmosphere settling in already. Many of those who turned up early were clearly Knocked Loose fans, as from my vantage point in the seats I could see plenty of movement around the stage - with quite a few mosh pits breaking out early on. The heat and the prospect of a lot more music to come did not seem to deter those down on the floor - and Knocked Loose certainly received a strong reception from those that turned up early. The band's mix of a more typical hardcore vocal style from frontman Bryan Garris and a more death metal approach from Isaac Hale (guitar/vocals) ensured an interesting sound - whilst the riffing was very chugging and clearly focusing on being heavy rather than offering anything technical. For me, the songs started to blend into one after a while - but the heaviness was welcome early on and the band got things underway nicely.

There was only about 20 minutes to wait following Knocked Loose's set finishing and the French progressive/avant-garde metallers Gojira taking the stage. I have a bit of a strange relationship with the French four-piece. I first saw them live back in 2007, on a bill topped by Trivium, and have run into them occasionally throughout the years without ever actually making the effort. It had been quite a few years since I had last seen them live, though, which was back in 2018 when they headlined at that year's Bloodstock Open Air. I think I missed the first couple of songs, but I remember being pretty impressed. I have never loved Gojira but I certainly respect them - and I have enjoyed listening to their albums on occasion. No-one sounds like them, and for the next hour the French band impressed again with their brand of off-kilter grooves, knotty riffing, and varied vocals. Whilst the live sound was decent, it probably was not quite clear enough to allow all of the band's nuances to shine through - but the unique band still managed to give a good account of themselves, with a bigger crowd to impress and plenty in attendance familiar with their music. The band's somewhat more melodic and atmospheric material such as set-opener Born for One Thing and The Cell sat nicely against much heavier material from the band's early days. I remember songs like Backbone and Flying Whales from that show with Trivium nearly 20 years ago now - but the progressive death metal that the band put out back then has morphed significantly over the years. Mario Duplantier (drums) is often considered one of the best drummers in metal currently, and his fast footwork and intricate grooves were on show all throughout the set - with two drum kits, one at either end of the stage, which he moved between. Joe Duplantier (vocals/guitar) is a master riff-writer and varied singer - with the band's frontman often swapping back and forth between hazy, semi-clean vocals and ferocious death growls that shook the stadium. As such, there was quite a lot of variety on show, despite Gojira certainly having a core sound. The band's piece for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira), saw Swiss opera singer Marina Viotti take to the stage to sing with the band - and she also later joined them again for a rousing version of The Chant, with Viotti leading the crowd in the first big sing-a-long of the night. It was left to the The Gift of Guilt, with its snaking lead guitar melodies, which Joe and fellow guitarist Christian Andreu teamed up to perform, to round out the set - with Gojira having certainly done their bit to warm up the crowd before Metallica. The setlist was:

Born for One Thing

Backbone

Stranded

The Cell

Flying Whales

Love/Remembrance

Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira) [Traditional French revolutionary song w/ Marina Viotti]

Silvera

Amazonia

The Chant [w/ Marina Viotti]

The Gift of Guilt

Metallica were meant to come on at 8:00pm, but it was around 8:15pm by the time anything started to happen. In truth, this meant that there was plenty of time to use the facilities and be back in my seat ready not to miss a moment. The 'in the round' format meant that those of us in the seats were closer to the action than is typically the case at stadium gigs - but it did mean that there was little in the way of a show. There were big screens on the speaker towers which alternated between showing footage of the band and visuals to go along with the song playing, but really this was a no-nonsense metal show. Drummer Lars Ulrich did make use of four drum kits, however, which rose up from beneath the stage throughout the night - to ensure that those on the floor got a good view of him for at least part of the night. There was very little standing on ceremony, then, and as the band took to the stage they launched into the fast-paced and anthemic Creeping Death - with the thrash classic really setting the tone for what was to come. Sound-wise, everything pretty much sounded great. James Hetfield (vocals/guitar) generally powered through the mix, but occasionally Kirk Hammett (guitar/vocals) was a bit too low - meaning that some of his soloing was a bit muffled. That aside, though, the show was great. The 16-song setlist covered most of the band's albums, and without the pressure to play all of the hits in one go the band felt more free. Creeping Death aside, the first part of the set consisted of well-known but not exactly ever-present songs; including the mid-paced groove of Harvester of Sorrow and two cuts from 1991's self-titled release, where Holier Than Thou particularly stood out. Given that 72 Seasons is already over three years old at this point, it is easy to forget that this show was still a part of its touring cycle. The band pulled two songs from the album to showcase on Friday, with the short, NWOBHM-inspired Lux Æterna sounding powerful and ferocious, proving that the band can still thrash, and the longer and more groove-focused If Darkness Had a Son showcasing where Metallica are currently. These newer cuts received pretty strong receptions, and it was great to see new material getting such - as all too often when long-established bands play new songs the bars get busier.

The only real weak moment in the set for me was Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo's little showcase - which consisted of snippets of songs associated with London. This seems to be something that they do every show. I get that it is meant to be fun, but it just seemed a bit scrappy and pointless - so I was pleased when Hetfield and Ulrich came back and the pseudo-power ballad Fade to Black was wheeled out. Given that I had not seen the band live before, I was not really bothered what they played - and as they generally change up the the setlists somewhat between shows it was nice just enjoying each song as it came. Some of the big hits were played on Friday, including the big ballad Nothing Else Matters and the ever-present Sad but True - but there were also some deeper cuts including the relatively newer Cyanide and the snaking instrumental piece Orion, dedicated to the late Cliff Burton. The latter has never been a particular favourite of mine, but it came across really well live - especially when the spotlight was turned over to Trujillo and he took the lead on the bass. The rare inclusion of Hardwired, a song not played too often since the last album's touring cycle, allowed for some big energy to make its way back into the set - but most of the final quarter or so of the night was made up of big hitters. Fuel saw the first real use of pyro during the show, and the riffy hard rocker conjured up plenty of mosh pits, whilst a somewhat elongated Seek & Destroy, complete with a mid-section sing-a-long, saw huge balls thrown out into the crowd. Metallica do not really do encores these days, so it was left to Master of Puppets to bring the curtain down on what by that point had been essentially two hours or hard-hitting, live heavy metal. This last track was a real overall highlight, with another big chorus sing-a-long and some great harmony guitar work. The setlist was:

Creeping Death

Harvester of Sorrow

Holier Than Thou

Of Wolf and Man

Lux Æterna

If Darkness Had a Son

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll [Ian Dury cover]/The Guns of Brixton [The Clash cover]

Fade to Black

Cyanide

Orion

Nothing Else Matters

Sad but True

Hardwired

Fuel

Seek & Destroy

Master of Puppets

Given all the bands that I have seen live over the years, Metallica have always been a huge omission. I am sure that I would have enjoyed previous shows, but my level of fandom is now at a point where I feel that I can truly appreciate seeing them live - especially over this expanded weekend format. Night one was a great mix of hits, newer songs, and deeper cuts - but it was only half of what the band had in store, and the rest would follow on Sunday.

Def Leppard - London Review

As I write this I am not long back from a long weekend away in London - having spent four nights in the capital taking in three different gigs. Following my Queensrÿche-related disappointment of a couple of weeks ago I really needed to get away and put that behind me - so it was with excitement that I travelled up to London last Thursday ready for more live music, and a much longer than stay in London. Later pieces will chronicle my time in London in more depth, but the main reason for the trip was Metallica's 'No Repeat Weekend' at the London Stadium - two shows I had purchased tickets for well over a year ago. Whilst these Metallica shows were clearly the main event, when Def Leppard announced a UK tour which coincided with Metallica's plans it seemed like an opportunity not to miss. A band the size of Def Leppard cannot exactly be called an added extra to existing plans - but their tour felt like something of a bonus, and I wonder how many others tagged a night of 1980s melodic rock onto their long weekend of thrash - I cannot have been the only one.. Whilst I had not seen Metallica live before this past weekend, Def Leppard are a band that I am very familiar with in terms of concert experiences. I first saw them live back in 2011 when I was at university; and, including this most recent time, I have now seen them live five times. Whilst they might not shake up their setlists as much as some bands do, all of their shows have felt different enough to make each trip worthwhile - and they generally deliver in terms of a polished live sound and strong visuals. My last time seeing the band came back in 2023, when they played at Wembley Stadium with Mötley Crüe in tow. This was something of a repeat of that 2011 show and, as was the case back then, Def Leppard came out on top. I like Mötley Crüe and they have always been fun when I have seen them live, but Def Leppard are clearly the better band - and it was fun seeing them in a stadium environment even if the place was not exactly full. There were likely more people in attendance than could have fitted in one of the city's arenas, though, so the venue made sense - but this time, without a co-headliner, the band opted to return to the O2 Arena. Despite this very much being a Def Leppard headline show, extra interest was provided by the presence of Extreme in support. Extreme are a band that I like very much, and had seen live three times previously, so their presence on the bill was additional incentive. Given that the Metallica tickets and associated hotel stay were not exactly cheap, adding another ticket and night in a hotel hit the bank account somewhat - but with no additional travel costs it all made sense. It did mean that I was staying in a different hotel for the first night of my trip, which was more convenient for the O2 Arena, but following that I was based in the same place. The trip did not exactly start smoothly, though, with a heavily delayed train trip up to London. Problems with some of the train's engines meant that it was not able to go as fast as it should - and there were also delays whilst staff decided how to proceed. In the end, the train was diverted onto a longer route so that it could make use of the overhead power lines - but due to how long it had already been delayed at this point the decision was taken to terminate at Reading. This meant catching a different train for the last leg of the journey - and I arrived in London over an hour and a half late. As such, I had less time than anticipated - so I just headed straight to the hotel and got checked in. Given the relatively early door and show times, there was not really time to do anything in the afternoon - so I had an hour or so in the hotel before making the short trip under the river to the venue.

I was sat high up in the venue's top tier, as is often the case when I go to gigs at these sort of venues, but I was pretty much front-on to the stage - meaning that the overall view was pretty good. By the time I had gotten to the venue and snaked around it to find the right entrance, there was not too long to wait before the lights went down and Extreme took to the stage. Afforded an hour, Extreme did not feel like a traditional support act - and they had a bit of a stage show themselves, making good use of a big screen behind them. I last saw Extreme in 2023, too, so I was looking forward to seeing them again - despite the more truncated format. That show was very much focused on new album Six (which I reviewed here), despite plenty of old favourites being included, whereas this set was more focused on fan-favourites - whilst still including a couple of new cuts. As could perhaps have been expected for a set like this, the riffy and evergreen Decadence Dance kicked things off. Whilst the band's sound never seemed perfect, as it was quite boomy and frontman Gary Cherone was sometimes a little low in the mix, they certainly did not suffer too badly. Not everyone around me were familiar with Extreme, but there were a few who clearly were - and the atmosphere in the room, even up where I was sat, was pretty good from the off. I have often said that Nuno Bettencourt (guitar/vocals) is the best guitarist that I have seen live, and he impressed again this time even though I was much further away than I had been in the past. His fluid soloing during the opening cut was great - as was his riffing during the heavier, darker #Rebel, one of two new songs played. The set was split into three, with the first third being an all-hard rock affair. The slightly grander Rest in Peace and the high-octane shred-fest of Play with Me rounded out the first four numbers - where the band's funky hard rock-meets-hair metal sound shone. Acoustic numbers have always been a big part of the band's sound, though, with the jaunty Hole Hearted following, which prompted a small-scale sing-a-long, before Bettencourt's acoustic guitar showcase Midnight Express was wheeled out. Given the truncated nature of the set, I would have perhaps left the latter out and played another rocker - and there were people around me getting a little bored. It was the only somewhat misstep, though, as the ever-present More Than Words brought everyone back onside - and it was the first proper sing-a-long of the night. It brought the set's second third to a close - and Bettencourt strapped his electric guitar back on for the brief, kinetic Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee - which acted as an extended intro to Get the Funk Out. Pat Badger's (bass guitar/vocals) really drove the song, and it was another that woke up a few of the casuals around me - with quite a few singing along to the punchy chorus. It was a great hard rock number to start the home straight - which then moved into Rise, the final new track played. The song deserves to be a setlist staple going forward, as it contains a great chorus and one of Bettencourt's best solos. That could have been it, but given Bettencourt's participation at last year's final Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne show - the band closed out with a medley of three Ozzy Osbourne classics. Cherone delivered them with conviction - and it was great seeing Bettencourt deliver some Randy Rhoads and Jake E. Lee riffs and licks with ease. The setlist was:

Decadence Dance

#Rebel

Rest in Peace

We Will Rock You [Queen cover]/Play with Me

Hole Hearted

Midnight Express

More Than Words

Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee [Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov cover]

Get the Funk Out

Rise

I Don't Know [Ozzy Osbourne cover]/Bark at the Moon [Ozzy Osbourne cover]/Crazy Train [Ozzy Osbourne cover]

I spent quite a bit of the half an hour between the two bands queuing for the toilet, as there never seem to be enough in arena-type venues, but at least it meant that I stretched my legs a bit - and by the time I got back to my seat there was not too long to wait before Def Leppard's set. Despite the band largely sticking to the hits, there were still five songs played that I had not seen them do live before - and I thought that setlist overall was good and flowed nicely. In terms of a stage show, too, the band had a triangular lighting rig that was utilised throughout the set on various songs to provide some visual interest and classy lighting on the stage. For the first number, newer stand-alone single Rejoice, the band were all stood up alongside drummer Rick Allen, contained by the lighting rig - only for it to rise and the band take their usual places for the final chorus. Overall, the sound was good. Def Leppard's smooth live sound generally comes across well - although I did feel that frontman Joe Elliott sounded a little rougher than usual. He has fared better than many of his peers, though, and he still sounded pretty good - but I did feel as if he had lost a bit more of his higher register since the last time I saw him. The trademark harmonies were there to help him out, though, with the smooth Animal and the big gang vocals of Let's Get Rocked getting the casuals on side following the likely unfamiliar Rejoice. My only real complaint with the set was the decision to include two covers. The band have been playing David Essex's Rock On on and off for years, but why they decided to include a version of Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus I am not sure. I would much rather have heard something from the latest album, which was ignored, or a deep cut instead - and it was not exactly anything special. It felt like an early bump in the road, but Bringin' On the Heartbreak and its typical instrumental follower Switch 625 got things back on track - with the latter bringing the best out of guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell. One of the overall highlights for me actually was the newish single Just Like 73, a fun glam rock stomper that felt energetic and had a strong chorus. Def Leppard's newer material is underrated in my view, and the single was a good addition to the night.

The aforementioned Rock On was also fun, with Rick Savage (bass guitar/vocals) opening it with a bit of a bass solo, whilst Elliott appeared up in the top tier to sing with the crowd. Another personal highlight followed for me, with a relatively rare appearance of the epic White Lightning. Due to Elliott needing to get down from the top tier, Collen opened the song with a solo - before the cinematic, slow-moving rocker felt like the mid-point of what had largely been a powerful set. Bettencourt later joined the band for the funky and hard-hitting Slang, during which Elliott took a trip around the venue whilst the guitarists traded funky riffs and leads. It was another overall highlight for me as it is not a song that is played all the time - as was the excellent Promises that followed. The latter should really be seen as a classic, but it is not wheeled out as often as it should be in my opinion. By this point, though, it was very much left to the classics to wrap up the last big chunk of the night. There are a couple of the band's big hitters that I could do without in truth. Rocket was played earlier on in the set and has never been a favourite, whilst Rock of Ages always feels like a bit of a clunker - but I always enjoy hearing Armageddon It live. It feels like a showcase for Campbell - who is often overshadowed by Collen. Campbell is a much better guitarist than his long-standing job in Def Leppard suggests - but Armageddon It generally allows him a bit of time in the spotlight. Love Bites always goes down well live, too, in my opinion, and the main set was rounded out with a stomp-along version of the ever-present Photograph. A few were heading for the entrances at this point, but there was time for a three-song encore. My favourite Def Leppard ballad in the form of When Love & Hate Collide was wheeled out first - before the smooth AOR of Hysteria felt like the encore's centrepiece. It was stretched out with a bass intro and an extended sing-a-long section towards the end - and the band built towards a hard-hitting, set-closing Pour Some Sugar on Me, which had everyone out of their seats. There was plenty of singing along during this final number - and what had been an excellent night of live music ended on a real high. The setlist was:

Rejoice

Animal

Let's Get Rocked

Personal Jesus [Depeche Mode cover]

Bringin' On the Heartbreak

Switch 625

Just Like 73

Rocket

Rock On [David Essex cover]

White Lightning

Slang/Get Up Offa That Thing [James Brown cover]/Fame [David Bowie cover w/ Nuno Bettencourt]

Promises

Armageddon It

Love Bites

Rock of Ages

Photograph

-

When Love & Hate Collide

Hysteria

Pour Some Sugar on Me

Def Leppard are always worth seeing live - and Thursday's show was no different. It was fun hearing a few different songs live, and I thought that the overall stage show was the best that the band have put together in recent times. The O2 Arena is not my favourite venue but the sound and my view was largely good - and it was great seeing such a large crowd in attendance to generate a strong atmosphere. Perhaps the main events were to follow, but Def Leppard's show still felt special - and it got my trip off to an excellent start.

The Cruel Intentions' 'All Hail Hypocrisy' - Album Review

Whilst I might not listen to as much glam/hair/sleaze metal (use which ever term you are comfortable with) as I used to, I still have a certain soft spot for the genre due to its importance in my musical development during my teenage years. I rarely listen to bands like Mötley Crüe and Poison these days, but I still enjoy their albums when I do decide to put them on - and I have lots of good memories associated with hair metal and all things adjacent. As such, last year I went to a mini festival in London called the Mayhem Rock Festival - a touring hair metal festival that took place in London, Nottingham, and Wakefield. It happened again this year, although only in Nottingham this time, and it plans to return to Nottingham next year with a much-expanded two-day format, but for various reasons I did not go this year - and I probably will not go next year, either. The reason for that is more down to the fact that there are likely to be much better things to use my annual leave on, as opposed to my enjoyment of last year's event - as I enjoyed the inaugural festival. It was great seeing Crashdïet live for the first time in six years - and it was also great to see Crazy Lixx live for the first time. The festival had a triple-headline arrangement, plus two opening bands, with each headliner topping one of the three stops on the tour. Crashdïet were the headline act in London, whilst Crazy Lixx put on the strongest show in my opinion - but perhaps the band that received the biggest reception were The Cruel Intentions, a band that I had not heard of before buying a ticket for the show. I had become a fan by the time the show rolled around, though, and enjoyed their set quite a lot - but they were a new discovery at the time. Like all of the other bands on the bill, The Cruel Intentions are Swedish - which is where all the best hair metal released over the past 20 or so years has come from. Some Swedes must think that they still live in the 1980s, but some of the Swedish bands are releasing material that is up there in quality with the classics from that decade - and I have enjoyed quite a lot of it over the years. When I started to get into The Cruel Intentions, though, I realised that I was partially aware of the band's frontman Lizzy DeVine. This is because, when I was in my hair metal phase, some of my fellow hair metal-loving peers enjoyed another Swedish band called Vains of Jenna - which DeVine fronted at the time. I never got into Vains of Jenna, so I should probably catch up on them at some point - but the band has not existed since 2012 and DeVine actually left in 2010. DeVine formed The Cruel Intentions in 2015, and the four-piece play a pretty abrasive and punky brand of hair metal. They are an energetic and pretty straight forward band. There is nothing complicated about their sound, with DeVine's rasping and punky voice driving everything whilst tough riffing, slightly poppy choruses, and a hard-driving rhythm section keep the short songs ticking. Hair metal fans will have heard it all before, but there is something infectious and enjoyable about The Cruel Intentions' carefree attitude - and all of the songs played live by the band last year really came alive on stage. Prior to last month, the band had released two studio albums: 2018's No Sign of Relief and 2022's Venomous Anonymous; both of which I listened to a lot in the lead-up to last year's show. They might not be the most prolific band, but what they have put out is strong - and album number three was released last month in the form of All Hail Hypocrisy. Like their previous album, All Hail Hypocrisy was produced by Erik Mårtensson (Eclipse; W.E.T.; Nordic Union) - who also contributed some additional instrumentation throughout. The band's line-up since the start join DeVine here again, too, with guitarist Kristian Solhaug, bassist Mats Wernerson, and drummer Robin Nilsson making up a tight, potent unit.

There are 11 songs here and the album is around 35 minutes long. Nothing lasts very long at all, then, so it is an album that essentially can be put on and enjoyed anytime. There is nothing pretentious and even significantly varied about what The Cruel Intentions do - but their overall sound and attitude does a lot of the talking, alongside some pretty anthemic choruses. Album opener Beating in My Chest is very typical of what follows throughout the album, then, with some effects-heavy guitars soon giving way to a drum roll - which is followed by a snappy power chord riff. Mårtensson's production approach here is  a bit less polished than it usually is, but the mix is still very clear - and the guitar tones throughout are excellent, with Wernerson's bass high in the mix. The verses are fast-paced and punky, with understated guitar chugging and a pulsing bassline, whilst the chorus feels a bit more involved with subtle guitar leads beneath DeVine's throaty vocals and a slightly busier riff. The punkier end of bands like Skid Row is certainly referenced here, although DeVine's voice is rougher overall - whilst a later guitar solo is surprisingly shreddy and less bluesy than one might imagine. The album gets off to a fine start - and the quality largely continues throughout.  Living Out of Line slows the pace down somewhat, instead going for a groovier approach. A pulsing, bluesy main riff sets a strong groove early on, whilst the verses feel much more stripped back than is typical - thanks to some lone guitar leads and a swinging drum beat behind DeVine's vocals. Later verses feel a bit bigger, but there less of a chugging overall approach this time - with more of a less-is-more guitar sound that is more lead-based and less crunchy. This changes somewhat during the chorus, though, which is more typical of the band's core sound with some shout-along vocal melodies and a punchier overall sound. Guitar leads and much more precise solo are also included, upping the overall melodic approach and reining in some of the punk. The album's title track follows, with some spiky initial guitar rhythms and drum hits soon overlaid by some guitar leads - somewhat mixing the sounds of the two previous songs. In fact, the rest of the song also follows this pattern, with a bit more of a stripped back verse approach with prominent bass playing and some gang vocal accents - whilst the chorus is more energetic and perhaps one of the album's most anthemic moments overall. It really harks back to the 1980s thanks to its shout-along melodies and swinging overall approach - and it is one of those choruses that gets stuck in the brain from the off. A fairly lengthy guitar solo follows, too, and the track overall feels a bit more involved than some of the others - despite remaining pretty basic arrangement-wise. Triple Threat picks the pace back up, and returns to the hard-hitting vibe of the album's opening cut. The main riffing feels pretty furious, as is the later chorus which reminds me somewhat of fellow Swedes Hardcore Superstar, but the verses are a little more cultures thanks to a somewhat grooving drum approach and some tasty little guitar riffs and melodies that break up the vocal lines. There is a fait bit going on here arrangement-wise, then, despite the overall simplicity remaining - which is evident when a pretty metallic bridge section later takes over before a wah-drenched guitar solo.

Wasteland slows the pace down, with acoustic guitars dominating early on - over which DeVine starts to sing in a very organic and rasping manner. I really like DeVine as a singer, but I am not sure he suits acoustic-based songs all that well - although there are some fairly tight vocal harmonies thrown in later as the first chorus approaches. I would not exactly call the song a ballad, as the main acoustic guitar pattern is quite staccato and upbeat, but it certainly feels much more light-hearted than anything else on the album up to this point - with subtle percussion the only thing that really backs the vocals and acoustic guitars. An acoustic guitar solo is thrown in later, under which some wordless vocal melodies add depth, but really this song is all about the acoustic guitar base and DeVine's still-snarling vocal approach. It is likely one of my least favourite cuts here, as I just prefer the band rocking out, but it is certainly not a bad song - and it is interesting to hear something like this from The Cruel Intentions. When Eden Burn returns to something much more typical, with plenty of big snare hits early on as some simple riffing and busy bass playing heralds another pretty mid-paced hard rocker. Despite being mid-paced, there is certainly a strong energy created throughout. The staccato drumming early on helps, whilst the bass playing during the slightly smoother verses is also pretty energetic. There is a slight AOR edge to the track, then, especially during the later chorus which retains a smoothness and includes some poppier vocal melodies and harmonies - but overall the band's core sound remains, and there is another big riff later on that really reminds me of Hardcore Superstar. It is a hooky and memorable track that has become a bit of a favourite over my multiple listens to the album so far. Picking up the pace quite considerably, Pseudo Genius returns to a much punkier sound. The opening guitar riffing and shout-along wordless vocal sections are some of the paciest moments on the album - with the vocal melodies adding a slightly folk punk edge to the track. The verses are not quite this fast, but there is still a strong overall sense of pace to them - whilst the chorus ups the pace again, also going for a bit of a shout-along approach that fits in nicely with the punky vibe of the song. A pretty melodic guitar solo is surprisingly poppy in its approach - but perhaps this is a song that belongs to Nilsson thanks to some really intense and pretty busy drumming. Bad Addiction is still a pretty fast song, but it reins in the much faster pace of the previous number to instead just go for something energetic and hard rocking - even if the later chorus remains pretty hard-hitting. Call-and-response vocals during the verses give the song a bit of a different feel, and reaffirms the band's punk side, whilst the chorus feels poppy and accessible despite its pace. There are some guitar breaks here, too, that feature riffing which feels a bit more involved compared to the band's usual bluesy or punky approaches - meaning that the song feels, at times, a little different from the norm. It very much fits in nicely with the album's core sound, though, and some of the shout-along vocals during both the verses and the chorus are extremely memorable.

Porridge Head, despite some spiky riffing early on, actually is another number that approaches a smoother overall sound. This is certainly no shiny pop, but there is a poppier approach taken - with some occasionally more sugary backing vocals and less of an abrasive guitar tone. Many of the original hair metal bands spoke of how much an influence Cheap Trick were on their songwriting - and this is one of those hair metal anthems that certainly owes a little to bands like Cheap Trick. There are pop hooks here and a smoother overall approach guitar-wise - with a good mix of crunchier riffs and more melodic sections. The guitar solo is well-phrased and similarly melodic, too, and the smoother vibe has made the song a bit of a sleeper hit for me - and I enjoy it more with each listen. Cowbell and juddering riffing then introduces Watcha Gonna Do, a song that moves back and forth between bigger riffing and a slightly more atmospheric approach. It is certainly no ballad, something which I do not think that the band really do, but the verses are a bit different to the norm, with ringing clean guitar chords and less of a chugging overall sound - despite a rhythm guitar presence still notable. There is a bit of a depth to the verses, then, even if the main chorus is very typical of the band's core sound - and the cowbell often returns throughout to add that classic hair metal percussive groove. More shout-along melodies and another pretty memorable guitar solo make the song one that sticks in the brain - whilst the slightly different verse approach allows for an overall vibe shift for a brief period. The album then comes to a close with Cashed Out, and song that returns to the band's core sound all the way through. Whilst not hugely fast, it remains an energetic number - with both hair metal and punk sides that are evident from the off. Sing-a-long wordless vocal melodies turn the clock back to the 1980s, whilst chopping guitar rhythms and another driving bassline keep the verses ticking. There is something infectious about the guitar melodies during the verses - whilst the chorus is a proper energy-fest with harder-driving riffing and big backing vocals to make the hooks sound huge. The guitar solo takes a bit of a different approach overall, too, with a much busier and technical approach which allows Solhaug to express himself a little more than usual. The song ensures that the album ends on a high, showcasing the band's core sound nicely, showing that the similar and enjoyable previous albums were not one-off efforts. The Cruel Intentions are not the sort of band that I tend to listen to all that often these days, but I have enjoyed listening to them over the past year or so - and All Hail Hypocrisy is similar in style and quality to what came before. This album does little to truly shake up the formula, despite some variety here, but those who love gritty and punky hair metal will find plenty to enjoy here - and the album's short length means that there are no truly weak cuts here. The album flies by - and it is one that I can see myself periodically enjoying when I need something a bit more straight forward.

The album was released on 29th May 2026 via Indie Recordings. Below is the band's promotional video for Beating in My Chest.

Dan Byrne's 'This Is Where the Show Begins' - Album Review

I am writing this review at the end of what has been a hot and frustrating week. The current heatwave has just about come to an end, at least where I live, but the last few days have been a struggle due to the high temperatures - and where I live was not even one of the worst-affected areas of the country. Concerns relating to travel, as the UK's rail system can be quite fragile during high temperatures, meant that I opted not to go to London on Tuesday, too, which meant that I missed seeing one of my all-time favourite bands Queensrÿche live again. Frustratingly, the travel there and back would have likely been absolutely fine, despite maybe some short delays, whilst the concert seemed to go off without a hitch. I have been rather down about my own poor decision making this week, a rare occurrence of me falling in line with the 'abundance of caution' mindset that has gripped the country following the pandemic, but music has always been there to provide a pick-me-up - and the latest of 2026's releases that I am covering on this blog is This Is Where the Show Begins, the debut solo album from the Liverpool-based hard rock singer-songwriter Dan Byrne. I first came across Byrne in 2021 as a member of Revival Black, when I saw the band perform a decent if unremarkable set opening for Vega, and then again in 2024, this time as a solo artist, opening for a double bill of Tyketto and Little Caesar. I enjoyed Byrne's solo set more, but I was not totally sold - so I was surprised that, over the past year or so, the hype that has been building towards the release of Byrne's debut solo album has been as big as it has been. The level of hype is relative of course, and confined to the UK rock scene, but compared to most newer acts Byrne seemed to generate a lot of excitement before he had substantially released anything substantial - largely on the back of 2023's Beginnings EP and seemingly being pretty good on social media. I ended up seeing Byrne again, this time as a headline act, earlier this year - a show which I certainly enjoyed but I am still not sure that I was totally sold, despite him playing to a packed Exchange in Bristol. It likely did not help that I had been blown away by Silveroller the day before, my discovery of the year so far, who are easily my favourite up-and-coming UK-based rock band at the moment, but I still did not really buy into the hype. He comes across as a very nice, if overly earnest, man, who can certainly write decent songs and has a strong voice - but for me he lacks presence and that unknowable quality that just seems to push certain people to stardom. I am not sure his voice is as powerful as some of the TikToks would have you believe - but Byrne is certainly a strong singer and I do like his overall approach for the most part. Turning to This Is Where the Show Begins, then, and my view is largely the same. This is a solid and enjoyable modern hard rock album - but it certainly has not blown me away. I think back to British rock and metal debuts such as The Morning After's You Can't Hurt Steel or Heaven's Basement's sole release Filthy Empire (which I reviewed here) and this album certainly has not made anywhere near as much of an impact on me - but there is a lot to like here despite this. The Heaven's Basement reference is timely, too, as the band's former guitarist David Radahd-Jones produced the album, co-wrote two of the songs, and played various instruments throughout. The core band here is guitarist Glenn Quinn (Tigertailz; Son of Man), bassist Colin Parkinson (Inglorious), and drummer Max Rhead (Tribeless; Kira Mac; Kit Trigg; The Desert Plaza) - although Bryne himself also plays some guitar and keyboards.

There are a few other players here, especially as one song has been re-purposed from Beginnings seemingly without being re-recorded, but the core band, alongside Radahd-Jones, that largely accompanies Bryne on the road backs him during the 10 tracks here. This is quite a short album so it does not outstay its welcome, although I do feel that it is quite front-loaded. Kicking off with Saviour, the album gets off to a strong start. The main riff has quite a cinematic feel to it, with tough rhythm guitar and bass accents - with the riff grinding away in the background whilst the drums lay down simple hi-hat groove. The song builds quite slowly, then, with the rest of the band not really kicking in until the chorus, but Byrne sings in a nasally manner over this gradual build - before the song explodes into a powerful chorus, backed by a more up-tempo and bluesy riff. Byrne switches between a tougher, more nasal delivery during the verses and a more powerful approach during the choruses - whilst somewhat gospel-inspired backing vocals are utilised during the chorus to allow for a hooky refrain. There are no real big instrumental moments here, and they are largely a rarity throughout the album, but the main riffing throughout is powerful and hard-hitting - whilst the chorus is memorable. She's the Devil is the song that seemed to do well on TikTok, and it is a strong effort that showcases a rawer, slightly more old-school hard rock sound. It opens with a huge bassline, which is soon doubled by the guitars - and there is a strutting blues rock sound throughout. Byrne moves away from his more nasal approach here, letting rip a bit more, and he does sound great here - especially during some of the more high-octane moments of the chorus. This is certainly a memorable and hard-hitting track, but for me it just sounds a bit too close to Inglorious' core sound for comfort. With Inglorious' bassist on the track, too, it does make me wonder if this is a bit of an attempt to fill the void left by that band's seemingly now quite-sporadic existence. From the off I could hear Nathan James singing this one, and Inglorious' five albums are filled with songs like this - so as much as I enjoy the song it just feels a bit too familiar overall for me. Praise Hell is a bit more varied and interesting, with a more layered production that includes prominent piano and other keyboard parts - alongside some hooky lead guitars to open things up. Vocally, Byrne goes for a bit more of a soulful approach here. He does not let rip as he did during the previous number, instead going for a more restrained and bluesy approach during the piano-driven verses. This approach really suits him, and I prefer it to the more modern nasally approach that he adopts at times - and the song is likely one of my favourites here as a result. It is a song that just feels like quite a bit of thought has gone into it arrangement-wise. The gospel-esque backing vocals from the first song return, and are used to good effect during the chorus, whilst the use of lots of different keyboard textures and more of a lead guitar approach gives the song a big sound. There is a melodic guitar solo later on, too, which continues on even after Bryne starts to sing again - which is a trope I often really like. Quite a few of the songs on this album are fairly straight ahead rockers, with little to write home about arrangement-wise, but this one much more interesting and it shows that Byrne has something about him as a songwriter - and I would like to hear more songs like this from him going forward.

Sober is a bit more restrained, opening with some hypnotic clean guitar melodies and the occasional synth sparkle - over which Byrne soon starts to sing. Whilst not exactly a ballad, the song is slower overall and less hard rocking than many of the cuts here - even though the eventual chorus is bigger, with huge drum rolls and stabbing guitar riffing contrasting with the relatively smoothness of the rest of the track. The more prominent use of keyboards works well for me, with the verses having quite a pleasing spacey feel thanks to their presence, alongside the memorable clean guitar melodies, whilst the toughness of the band is really felt during the chorus - which sees Byrne showing that his somewhat more restrained vocal approach can also work against a hard-hitting backing. This is another song where he rarely lets rip, but the vocal approach works well in my opinion - especially given that much of the song is on the more low key side. Cherry & Leather is another favourite of mine, and it was one of the songs that really stood out when I saw Byrne live earlier this year. The main riff might be simple, but there is something very memorable and hard-hitting about its descending melodies, and the darker, hard rock sound that the song takes, with a strong bass presence, speaks to me. There is also a bit more variety in the overall arrangement, too, with some lead guitars coming in part way through each verse for effect - and I really like the way that Byrne utilises the higher end of his register here. He is not screaming or really pushing himself, but the more natural higher-pitched vocal lines during the chorus just make it that little bit more memorable than it otherwise would be - and it also helps that the chorus is just hooky in and of itself. Big riffs and strong melodies are always a winning combination for me - although a few little twists and turns also help, which is why both Praise Hell and Cherry & Leather are the standout cuts for me here. Death of Me, which also appeared on Beginnings, is re-used here - and as I said earlier it does not sound like it has been re-recorded. As such, the song is likely familiar to Byrne fans at this point - but the darker, somewhat slower moving rocker sits nicely on the album. It has more of a modern overall sound than some of the songs here, with the slow-burning piano-led verses and the lack of any big hard rock riffs, but the tough chorus still sounds strong - with some vocal melodies that help the song to stick. Slightly more industrial-sounding guitar leads are utilised later on for effect, but really the guitars here do little of note apart from provide a heavy backing during the choruses and some of the later verses - whilst the piano and Byrne himself vocally do much of the heavy lifting. In my view, the rest of the album is a step down from what came before - with the last four songs seemingly less interesting. Temple is a song that part of me wants to like, as there are certainly some strong hooks, and the way the song builds around some piano and percussive drumming is interesting - but lyrically it leaves a bad taste. I am not always a lyric guy, although I love a good concept album and well-written lyrics often speak to me, so I can often block out inane lyrics - but occasionally a song rubs me up the wrong way for some reason, and the main chorus hook just feels a strange mix of cheesy and sleazy; whilst a bridge section later expands on this vibe. It is certainly not a terrible song, but I just cannot really get past the way the lyrics make me feel - especially as they seem very different to Bryne's usual positive vibe and personality.

Pulling Me Under gets back to a more riff-driven approach, with the opening guitar riff certainly a memorable one that sounds quite similar to a few others that have already been heard on the album. I think that is largely my issue with this song. It is not a bad song at all, and the chorus is decent thanks to the aforementioned riff, but it is less memorable than many of the songs that were featured earlier on in the album - and those songs just did what this is trying to do in a more convincing manner. As such, there is nothing here that really makes the song stand out from the crowd on the album - although there is perhaps a bit more of an atmospheric backing this time thanks to a bigger synth presence. The riff and some of the vocal hooks during the chorus save the song, though, it is just not one of the standout cuts here in my opinion. Hate Me picks up the pace, opening with a pretty energetic guitar riff - which later forms the basis of a stop-start verse, alongside a strange synth accompaniment. This is a song that goes for a heavier overall approach, although there is a bit of a variety thanks to something of a more percussive chorus and the big synth backing. It is one of those strange songs, though, where the chorus never feels like the song's main focus point - with the two-part verses much more interesting. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but I feel that the song lacks some really soaring hooks - even if the percussive approach taken during the chorus does break up the heaviness elsewhere. It is a bit of a strange song arrangement-wise, then, and it is not one that has really grown on me all that much during my time with the album over the past month or so. The album then comes to a close with Home, a song which I saw Byrne talk about in interviews as being the song on the album that was very different to everything else. I am not sure that I agree, really, as to me it just sounds like an extension of some of the more modern hard rock influences that are very present throughout many of the songs here. This is somewhat the logical extension of songs like Death of Me in my view - pushing a song like that in a much more cinematic direction with big synths, formless guitars, and a pretty strong overall vocal. I get the impression it is a song that Byrne is very proud of, but for me it does not really hit the spot. There are some strong moments, such a somewhat more symphonic and choral mid-section - but the main issue I have with it is that the guitars are a bit lifeless. I like a cinematic rock song, but so many of the overly modern-sounding hard rock bands forget that they need to riff - and Home never really riffs. There are certainly some good ideas here, with some of the piano-led sections working well, alongside the aforementioned symphonic side of the song, but otherwise it lacks real hard rock grit and I wish that there was more of an epic, riff-led sound to close the album out. I think that I have sounded probably quite negative throughout this review, and This Is Where the Show Begins is certainly not going to trouble my end of the year list, but I do actually like most of this album - it just does not blow me away and I do not feel that my view aligns with the relative amount of hype surrounding it. In truth, this has often been the case. With the exception of Heaven's Basement briefly, the young bands I champion rarely get the hype that others I find less interesting do - but nevertheless it is always good when any new act gets some level of hype, and Byrne is certainly a talent that has produced a strong debut album.

The album was released on 22nd May 2026 via Frontiers Records. Below is Byrne's promotional video for Praise Hell.

Armored Saint's 'Emotion Factory Reset' - Album Review

Given how much variety there is in the heavy metal world these days, with metal having been taken in pretty much every conceivable direction at this point and fused with just about every other genre of music going, sometimes it is good to return to something a bit more straight forward and old-school after experimenting with stranger and more out-there sounds. A bit like returning to a hearty roast dinner after weeks of dining out on exotic goodies, listening to the California-based five-piece Armored Saint can often feel like coming home. Whilst sometimes considered part of the US power metal scene alongside bands like Riot and Metal Church, as well as having an influence on the thrash scene that came later on the in decade, Armored Saint were just one of those 1980s metal bands that did not fall into any of the popular subgenres at the time - and just played hard, heavy, and melodic metal that never made them world-beating superstars but gained them huge respect with metal fans the world over. Whilst the band's frontman John Bush later became a bit more of a household name due to his tenure with the thrash legends Anthrax throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Armored Saint have generally remained something of a cult band - but any self-respecting metalhead should be familiar with the band's early releases at least, with 1984's debut release March of the Saint and 1991's Symbol of Salvation both cult classics. The 1990s was quiet for the band, as this was during Bush's stint with Anthrax, but since the turn of the millennium Armored Saint have essentially been a going concern again - with sporadic periods of activity early on and a busier period more recently. They might not be as active as some bands, but over the past decade or so at least they have been pretty busy - with new albums coming every few years, alongside touring and festival appearances. I have seen the band live four times, twice back in 2015 on consecutive days and then twice more recently - with shows in 2024 and 2025. They always deliver live, with their no-nonsense metal sound and a chemistry that comes from the same five musicians having played together since 1989, and their recent albums have all been enjoyable - even if they do not quite touch those best moments from the 1980s. It had been feeling like it was time for a new Armored Saint album for a little while, though. Their last album Punching the Sky (which I reviewed here) was released six years ago back in 2020 - but it was not until 2024 that the band made it over the UK to play some of those songs live, partly due to the pandemic. The band have often talked about the follow-up in interviews, and I think that new songs had been in the works for a while - but last month they finally released the successor to Punching the Sky in the form of ninth studio album Emotion Factory Reset. If anyone was hoping that Armored Saint were going to experiment on their next album, then Emotion Factory Reset will be a disappointment - but anyone hoping to hear more of the band's trademark form of riffy, chunky, and hooky metal will be very pleased with album number nine. Like everything that has come before it, Emotion Factory Reset is full of big riffs, shredded solos, and anthemic choruses - alongside accessible song structure, the band's usual slightly quirky approach to lyric writing, and that somewhat hard to pin down blue collar vibe I generally associate with them. The band's longest-serving line-up returns here as always, too, with original members Bush, guitarist Phil Sandoval, bassist Joey Vera, and drummer Gonzo Sandoval joined by guitarist since 1989 Jeff Duncan.

Bush and Vera have handled the bulk of the songwriting as is typical, but everyone has chipped in to make this album what it is. Production-wise, it follows the same trends as the band's previous efforts - big-sounding, but with a raw edge and very little sparkle. I think that is that blue collar vibe I mentioned before. There is nothing flashy here really - and there is an honesty to what Armored Saint do. Kicking off with lead single Close to the Bone, the band get off to a powerful start. Atmospherics soon give way to a snappy little clean guitar motif, over which punchy chords and drum hits are soon laid - before a barrelling, fast-paced riff kicks in and the song gets underway proper. Whilst not exactly thrash pace, the song shows why Armored Saint were an influence on all things fast and heavier than them in the late 1980s - and there is a real energy throughout this track. The mix of powerful guitar riffing and intricate lead lines shows that the guitar duo of Phil and Duncan is one of the genre's more underrated partnerships - whilst Vera's bass is often high in the mix to allow for a rumbling, heavy sound. Bush sounds as good vocally now as he did in the 1980s. He may not be the most varied of singers, but there is a pleasing honesty and power to his melodic delivery - with enough grit that can be applied when necessary. That is the case during the faster verses here, with Gonzo's powerful drumming propelling everything, whilst the chorus feels a little smoother thanks to plentiful guitar leads. Dual guitar leads and harmony solos are thrown in later on, whilst the pace remains high, and I can see the song becoming a concert favourite on the band's upcoming tour - likely acting as a powerful set opener. Opening with a strange bass riff, Every Man-Any Man goes for something of a groovier approach. The bass and drum combo which sets the scene early on really forms the basis of the song - as when the guitars kick in they generally add colour with hung chords and clean guitar melodies whilst the bass adds the weight. The song feels less heavy than the opening cut as a result, but there is nevertheless a strong metal groove and a more restrained energy here that settles in from the off - which allows Bush to sing in a slightly lower and pulled back manner during the verses, before a crunchier chorus feels a little heavier. The song does get weightier as it moves along, with some later verses feeling a bit riffier - but the core bass groove never really goes away, and the later guitar solo section is a bit more melodic and less shredded thanks to some Thin Lizzy-esque lead lines. Not on Your Life feels like a real hark back to the band's first album in my view. There is something pleasingly simple about the song, with Vera's bass really cutting through the mix and a slab-like mid-paced riff that builds on the NWOBHM influences the band inevitably were channelling during the early 1980s to create something hooky and memorable. Verses with juddering riffs and accented lead lines stick in the brain, whilst a shuffling chorus with bluesy guitar leads and a simple vocal refrain is one of the album's best moments for me. The slight sharpness to the lead guitar tone harks back to the 1980s, too, as does the lengthy shredded solo that is later thrown in. Despite the overall simplicity, there is a great melodic and metallic quality to the song that harks back to the band's early days than many of their other more recent efforts - despite the Armored Saint core sound being long established and still rooted in those albums.

Hit a Moonshot ups the pace again, creating a kinetic energy from the off and again showcasing that slightly thrash-adjacent sound that Armored Saint helped to pioneer. Despite the song overall feeling on the faster side, the overall arrangement is bit more dynamic than is sometimes the case. The verses are chunky and pretty fast-paced, with punky vocals from Bush and chugging rhythm guitars - but a later pre-chorus section ups the pace further, with some snappy drumming from Gonzo and some harder-driving riffing. The chorus is then slower, going for a groovier approach overall, which works nicely following the pace of what came before. This variety of pace helps the song to stand out somewhat - whilst the vocal melodies during the chorus have a pleasing grinding quality to them. Buckeye opens slowly, with some drawn-out clean guitar melodies and strange, laboured vocals from Bush. I am not really a huge fan of this intro, as it does not really bring the best out of Bush - but once a slow, heavy riff kicks in the song gets better, with Bush's slower delivery sounding better against a heavier and slightly southern backdrop. This is certainly no doom track, but there is a bit of a darkness to the slow riffing that differs from the band's core approach - whilst occasional southern grooves and slide melodies are utilised well. The chorus might not be the catchiest here, but it is still memorable thanks to the southern overall approach and some decent melodies - but the instrumental sections feel a bit more laboured. The slide soloing should work well, but it feels a bit too low in the mix to have a real impact. As such, the song is a strange one overall. It does something a bit different without quite sticking the landing. Compromise returns to something a bit more typical of the band's core sound, with a faster riff kicking in from the off and Vera's bass is once again very prominent in the mix. There is quite a bit of energy whipped up throughout this one, and it is one of those song that largely focuses on its riffs and overall speed to hook people in. There is not much of a chorus here to speak of, aside from Bush repeating the song title over a bit of a barrelling riff - but guitar-wise there is a lot to like here including some discordant clean guitar additions and a great instrumental section later on that mixes powerful riffing, high-octane unaccompanied shredded guitar leads, and even some bass leads. There are better songs here to sing along with, but from a guitar playing perspective the song is perhaps one of the album's best - and I really like the instrumental section in particular as it shows off what the band's instrumentalists can really do. It's a Buzzkill is more of a mid-paced number, with slightly laboured verses that revolve around some pretty busy drumming from Gonzo and a somewhat more atmospheric approach to guitar playing. This is certainly a song that reins in the heaviness overall, instead laying down some bluesy grooves with a slightly grungy overall approach. The drum and bass grooves provide that blues vibes, whilst the cleaner guitars and chord-heavy approach create a grungy atmosphere. Riffing is largely pushed to one side here, although there are still some strong guitar leads at times - including a pretty melodic and cinematic solo. There is something quite pleasing about the shout-along, mid-paced chorus, too. There are some similarities between this song and Buckeye in terms of pacing, but I feel that this song does this slower paced approach better - with the bluesy, grungy sound working surprisingly well as a point of difference.

Throwing Caution to the Wind picks the pace back up again and returns to the core Armored Saint sound nicely. There is a bit more of a smoother, melodic overall sound on display, though, which reminds me somewhat of the style adopted throughout Symbol of Salvation. Melodic guitar leads are utilised quite often throughout to provide another hook alongside Bush's powerful vocals - so there is a good mix of heaviness and melody here. I feel that the song feels heavier the more it moves along, too, especially as there is quite a weighty instrumental section later on that introduces some busier riffing and plentiful soloing that feels tougher than the overall approach taken elsewhere. Ladders and Slides opens with Gonzo drumming alone, laying down quite a hollow and weighty groove - under which some distant guitar riffing starts up. Once the guitars kick in proper, though, the drum groove feels a little less hollow - although there is certainly a bit of a Black Sabbath vibe throughout this number. The chorus is more anthemic, more typical of the core Armored Saint sound, but the main riffs and verses have a little bit of a darker overall tone - with some of the riffs having shades of Tony Iommi's approach at times. Despite this influence, the overall approach is very much typical of the band's core sound - even if some sharper, clean guitar melodies are utilised during parts of the song to also create a strange, atmospheric sound. There is a good mix of riffing and melody here, then, with the chorus being one that stuck in the brain from the off even if it is not traditionally the sort of chorus one would describe as anthemic. There is a pleasing groove here, though, and Gonzo's busy, percussive drumming under the later guitar solo helps to reinforce this. Bottom Feeder also opens with some interesting drumming - with another percussive and busy groove the basis for some more chunky riffing to kick off, which morphs into something more lumbering and mid-paced when it kicks in proper. Some of the riffing here might well be some of the album's heaviest moments - and the chunky riffing has a groove that is nicely infectious and really sticks in the brain. This riffing style also allows for a few different approaches throughout, including some stop-start moments during some of the verses and a more atmospheric, bluesy approach elsewhere. The chorus is another shout-along moment, too, with a grinding approach to riffing that makes the whole song sound much heavier. Songs called Epilogue are usually short, closing instrumental pieces, but this album's closing song of that name is a proper effort - and one that ups the pace compared to the previous number. It is not as fast as some of the fastest tracks here, but there is an energetic feel throughout - largely thanks to some kinetic riffing and another pretty infectious chorus that brings the best out of Bush. Snappy riffing and hard-hitting drumming keeps things moving, whilst a bigger overall vocal arrangement sees the band making fairly rare use of vocal harmonies during the verses - and some moments of gang vocal power as the chorus is approached. It feels like the sort of song that is just supposed to be memorable and anthemic, then, which works well given that the song closes the album out. It is a memorable way to leave things off, and the band's great mix of heaviness and melody really shines. Whilst a new Armored Saint album is always never really going to surprise, it is always pleasing to hear more from this band - as their core sound delivers and largely feels timeless. There is no real sense of age or the band slowing down here, and they sound as vital and as potent as ever. A lot of these songs would work well live, too, so I hope that they return to the UK soon for a proper tour.

The album was released on 22nd May 2026 via Metal Blade Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Close to the Bone.