Vega's 'Anarchy and Unity' - Album Review

Only of the very few positives that can be gleaned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that the enforced touring hiatuses that were imposed on essentially every band in the world have led, in some cases, to additional bursts of creativity. It is quite common these days for bands to have a two or three year gap between each album, but 2021 has seen more than a handful of bands releasing a new album only a year or so after releasing one in 2020. It is great that so many bands used the downtime in a productive and creative way, and 2021 has been another really strong year for new music as a result. One such band that has been busy of late is the UK-based AOR act Vega - a band that I have become a big fan of over the past couple of years. I had been a casual fan for a few years, but seeing the band three times as a support act in 2019 really elevated them for me. They are a band that can bring stadium rock energy into small clubs, and their shows are always great as a result - even if they only often get around 30-40 minutes on stage. Last year however, the band showcased their heavier side with the appropriately-titled Grit Your Teeth (which I reviewed here); which was their sixth studio album overall. The gritty album was not significantly removed sound wise from Vega's usual fare - but there was certainly a bit more weight behind the riffs. As Def Leppard are one of the band's biggest influences, it seems fitting to say that Grit Your Teeth was more High 'n' Dry than it was Hysteria - but to me this slight toughness was no bad thing. It helped the band to showcase a different side of themselves, and this sound has been somewhat continued forward into Anarchy and Unity - the band's seventh studio album which was released earlier this month. There is a toughness about parts of Anarchy and Unity, but there is also a real sense of cinematic scope. Vega's AOR has always been more soundscape-based than pomp-based, but Anarchy and Unity, at least in places, pushes this sound even further than before. As such, the album sounds quite different from the norm in part - but the classic Vega melodies are still present and there are still plenty of hooks to die for. Between the releases of Grit Your Teeth and Anarchy and Unity there have been some changes in the band too - with guitarist Mykey Kew and drummer Martin Hutchison both leaving the band last year. Filling their places are guitarist Billy Taylor (Inglorious; Deever) and drummer Pete Newdeck (Eden's Curse; Tainted Nation; Midnite City) - both of whom have brought their songwriting experience to the band. Anarchy and Unity is the first Vega album to be credited as being written and produced by Vega as a whole, which is probably part of the reason for the album's somewhat different overall sound. The hallmarks of the band's core songwriting trio, consisting of the Martin brothers and frontman Nick Workman, are still present - but with everyone mucking in the Vega of 2021 is a bit of a different beast.

The opening track, Beautiful Lie, showcases both the band's newfound toughness and old-school cinematic approach perfectly. The opening riff is a real driving motif, thanks to Taylor and lead guitarist Marcus Thurston, while Def Leppard-esque gang vocals and a more stripped-back verse showcase more overt melody. The song really is Vega down to a tee, and there are plenty of hooks throughout that make it an instantly memorable cut. I can see this song being the band's opening number on their upcoming tour, as it would really get the shows off to a great start with its roaring riff and hooky chorus. The shredded guitar solo brings the best out of Thurston too, who always dials things up a notch, but there are some twin-lead guitar moments too that show what Thurston and Taylor can do together. This new guitar duo is already showing real promise for Vega - and the amount of riffing and soloing throughout Beautiful Lie is only the tip of the iceberg (even if one of the riffs is borrowed from Michael Jackson's Beat It). Sooner or Later is similar, but the heaviness is reined in somewhat to allow the big AOR hooks to shine brighter. Like the opening song however, there are some great wordless gang vocal hooks; as well as plenty of strong guitar moments - with some soaring guitar leads often sitting in the transitions between the different sections of the song. A catchy chorus brings everything together, with layers of harmony vocals making everything sound huge - which is always welcome. End of the Fade slows the pace somewhat, and goes for a much more overtly-cinematic sound - which is classic Vega. James Martin's keyboards take on a much more prominent role this time, especially during parts of the verses where most of the rest of the band drop out. This gives the song a very atmospheric feel, but it also allows parts of the song to sound more powerful - such as when the tough guitar rhythms kick in just before what is another great chorus. The chorus is one of the most classic-sounding Vega moments here for me, as it really shows off Workman's knack for a smooth melody. He is a great singer, and the chorus has been designed to showcase his talents. There is little sonic clutter, which places the emphasis on his melodies in a big way. Ain't Who I Am opens in the vein of a more upbeat rocker, but this vibe is short-lived as the song is another relatively dynamic piece that has slower verses and more upbeat choruses. James' keyboards are once again a big part of the verses, while his brother Tom Martin propels everything with his pulsing and rhythmic bass playing. This is a sound that has served Vega well over the years. Being an AOR act, anything that places emphasis on a song's chorus is always going to be welcome - and ramping up towards it often works well for the band.

Welcome to Wherever is similarly structured again, but there is a much greater Def Leppard vibe utilised this time - with constant harmony and backing vocals adding plenty of depth. The chorus is also less riff-based, with the whole song largely maintaining a laid back vibe to allow big guitar arpeggios and shimmering keyboards to shine. The song is certainly not a ballad, but it has the pace and overall feeling of one - but the depth keeps the song feeling like a strong slab of melodic rock as a result. The chorus is another great one, with subtle vocal harmonies and some great chiming guitar melodies. The guitar solo, which again contains a few dual-lead guitar harmonies, really helps to spice the song up further - with Thurston and Taylor cutting through the synths and pulsing bass to add some cutting rock grit to the piece. Bring the Riot ups the heaviness, and the song sounds more like the opening couple of numbers than much of what has followed. There are shades of the toughness of Grit Your Teeth here too, but James' shimmering keyboards are much more prominent which keeps the song firmly grounded within the sound of the album. It is great to hear the band really rocking out again here though. Newdeck's drums have plenty of punch behind them, while the guitar rhythms throughout are much more in-your-face and aggressive. As a result, the song is packed full of energy which is likely to make it another live favourite. It is blessed with another strong chorus too, and it is one that is sure to excite any live crowd. Live for Me is a real throwback to the 1980s. The big drum intro that leads into a mournful opening guitar lead could have sat on any 1980s AOR or hair metal album, while James' piano-led verses are packed full of emotion. Piano-led songs are fairly rare for Vega, who tend to take more of a soundscape approach to keyboards, so the song stands out as a result. Given Vega's overall sound however, a piano-led pseudo-ballad certainly fits the bill nicely. The pace is nice and slow, and the song ramps up just enough to allow the chorus to make an impact - which again is packed full of soaring vocal harmonies and counter melodies. Despite the song's overall slowness however, its solo is a real shred-fest. The song unexpectedly ramps up in a big way following the second chorus - which allows Thurston to really cut loose. The choice to do so works really well however, and it is one of the most effective moments on the album as a result. Once the solo has finished however, the pace is slowed down once again for a final reprise of the epic chorus. Kneel to You is more upbeat, and makes more use of James' piano in a driving hard rock context. The song's opening has Roy Bittan vibes (think Bruce Springsteen or Meat Loaf), and the use of the piano throughout helps the song to have more of an organic feel despite its 1980s-esque AOR sound. Due to the driving piano and a snappy chorus, the song is one of the album's hookiest songs. There is a real energy throughout the piece, and as a result the song feels like another that would go down really well live.

Glow opens with a low-key guitar riff and some effects-heavy vocals, but it is not long before the song explodes into another strong mid-paced rocker. Newdeck's drums really drive the song, and the drum sound that he has harnessed throughout the album is a big part of what makes it great. Anarchy and Unity is probably the band's biggest sounding album, and a big part of that is likely down to Newdeck and his hard-hitting drumming style. He makes the harder rocking songs really tick, and Glow is a great example of what he brings to the table. Elsewhere however, the riffing throughout is also very strong. There are quite a few melodic leads to keep adding new tricks to the song, while the general rhythms are a perfect compliment to Newdeck's drums. Another great chorus ensures that the song is big sing along number too; and again perfect for being played live. C'mon opens in a slightly strange manner with some old-school swing/jazz vibes - but this feeling does not last too long as riffs and soaring melodies soon kick in. The song maintains something of a swing throughout however, with Newdeck's drumming taking a slightly more laid back approach - which works well in the context of the piece. The song is certainly something different for Vega, but there is still enough of the band's core sound present to make it work. The choruses are classic Vega, just with added swing, while the verses are mix of new and familiar. The experiment works for me however, and it is good to hear the band pushing their sound somewhat. Had Enough returns to something more familiar however, with another big Def Leppard-esque guitar rhythm early on that is augmented by some sparkling synths. The song is, however, largely fairly simple sound wise. It does not seem as layered as usual, but this only allows the guitars to cut through the mix nicely. James always takes the opportunity to use some more old-school and organic keyboard sounds - which contributes to the song's driving rock sound. There is less of the band's usual cinematic approach here, but I like the way that the song sounds - especially as there is some great organ playing towards the end, which is always welcome. The album's closing cut, 2Die4, goes for a bit of a slower overall approach at first - but the song soon builds up into a diverse song that fuses bluesy hard rock with soaring cinematic moments. The mix is a bit of a strange one, but the overall arrangement works well. The guitars occasionally launch into big bluesy riffs, while elsewhere James' keyboards are all-encompassing and fill every inch of the song with shimmering melodies. It is not the hookiest song on the album, but it is certainly one of the most interesting from an arrangement perspective. Its mix of sounds, and occasional moments of real soaring rock, make it a strong album closer - and it ends the album on a high and somewhat experimental note. In some ways, however, that is a description that could be applied to the whole album. There are a lot of familiar sounds here, but there are also some forays into the unknown - but Vega have managed to make everything hang together and make the album sound cohesive. This new line-up of the band really seem to have clicked, and I hope that these six guys stick together as I would love to see where they take their sound next.

The album was released on 17th September 2021 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Sooner or Later.

Black Stone Cherry - Exeter Review

The last couple of months have certainly felt like the return of normality. I have managed to attend quite a few concerts since July, but having two in two days really felt like the return of normal life - at least for me. In the past two (or more) gig weekends were fairly commonplace. Being from the South West, I often have to make trips out of the area to see bands live - so it makes sense to tie gigs together if possible. Living in the South West of late has not been as barren as usual however, as a number of bands have come down to Plymouth and Exeter over the past couple of months. The latest visitor to Exeter to interest me was the Kentucky-based southern rock act Black Stone Cherry - who had not played a gig in the city since 2009. I first got into the band around the time that their second album Folklore and Superstition was released in 2008, and I saw them the following year in Bristol. For some reason, the Exeter show was not on my radar at the time - but the band put on a great show in Bristol. It was clear at the time that they were on the cusp of bigger things, and over the next few years the band's star only rose higher. The next time I saw the band, in 2014, they were headlining one of the large arenas in Birmingham - and the show was filmed for an eventual live album/DVD release. It was a great thing to be a part of, but since that show I have not had the opportunity to see the band live again. Black Stone Cherry have always been popular in the UK, and tour here regularly as a result. It was just the case that every tour that they announced since 2014 took place during very busy times for me - with their gigs often clashing with others that I already had tickets for. It was always disappointing, but I have long resigned myself to the fact that you cannot do everything. It was with excitement then that I greeted the announcement of another Black Stone Cherry tour in early 2020 - especially as it contained a show at Exeter University's Great Hall. The Great Hall is a criminally underused venue, and one that I have only been to a handful of times as a result. A band with Black Stone Cherry's popularity would easily fill it, but of course expectations had to be tempered when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the concert to be postponed. The show was essentially delayed by a whole year, but with the UK now essentially open for business the American band were able to travel and play their lengthy set of UK shows - even though shows scheduled in the rest of Europe have been postponed again. The length of the UK tour made it worthwhile for the band to still visit, and with sold out shows up and down the country it would seem that Black Stone Cherry are as popular as ever.

Prior to Black Stone Cherry taking the stage, the growing crowd was treated to a strong showing from the Kris Barras Band - who romped through a nine-song set with ease. Being from Torquay, Exeter was the closest thing to a hometown show for Barras and there were clearly quite a few fans of his in attendance. I was familiar with some of Barras' work, but with the majority of the set taken up with new material from an album that is set to be released next year much of Barras' set was unknown to me. This did not hamper my enjoyment of it however, as the new songs were strong. Opener Dead Horses in particular stood out, and gave an indication of where Barras wants to go next. With bandmate Josiah J. Manning (guitar/vocals) having recently switched from keyboards to guitar, the Kris Barras Band are clearly now going for a somewhat heavier sound. I did miss Manning's Hammond organ, which has always been a big part of the band's sound, but the twin-guitar attack worked well too - and gave Barras an opportunity to indulge in the odd twin-lead guitar harmony. These moments certainly pleased the crowd, as did Barras' many excellent guitar solos. The atmosphere throughout was great as a result and due to the amount of fans in attendance there was plenty of singing to be heard. The chorus of Ignite (Light It Up) was sung back at the band loudly, while even one of the newer songs My Parade attracted plenty of attention. Despite moving away from his bluesy roots somewhat with his new songs, Barras' blues credentials were highlighted during a strong version of the old blues standard Going Down - but for me the overall highlight of the set was the rousing closing number Hail Mary. I knew that the song was one of Barras' signature tunes, but I had not heard it before the concert. Hearing it live for the first time, however, was great - and the bluesier side of Barras' playing was again on display with some occasional slide licks. The chorus also featured plenty of singing from the crowd, and during the song it was easy to forget that the Kris Barras Band were not headlining the night - such was the reaction. It was a great end to a strong set, and I will definitely be checking out the band's new album when it is released next year. The setlist was:

Dead Horses

Rock 'n' Roll Running Through My Veins

Ignite (Light It Up)

What You Get

Who Needs Enemies

My Parade

Going Down [Moloch cover]

These Voices

Hail Mary

Half an hour or so following Barras' set, the stage was cleared and the lights went down. The cheer from the crowd was the largest that I had heard in a while (this was the biggest gig that I had been to for quite some time after all) and it really set the tone for the rest of the evening. Black Stone Cherry are a band that are great at whipping up a crowd, and their live sound is much heavier and freer than how they present themselves on their albums. From seeing their Facebook posts, the rest of the tour had been great - and the band were full of energy when they hit the stage with Me and Mary Jane. The crowd were instantly singing the song back at them - and this is something that happened during basically every song of the set. It was clear too that, given the postponement of the original tour, that the band really wanted to give the crowd their money's worth. An 18-song set that covered all of the band's seven studio albums was certainly worth the price of admission - and it was great to hear a mix of the band's classic tracks as well as newer numbers and some deeper cuts. Early on the newer hits came thick and fast, with Burnin' and Again keeping the energy levels high, before the first deeper cut in the form of the old b-side Yeah Man took me back to that Bristol show in 2009. With the exception of a couple of slower songs later in the set, the rest of the set was upbeat and hard-rocking. Even the band's more country-tinged songs such as In My Blood and Like I Roll were rocked up with extended jams - as well as plenty of soloing from Chris Robertson (vocals/guitar) and Ben Wells (guitar/vocals). In fact most of the songs were stretched out somewhat, and it was great to hear the band really going for it. There were some 1970s-esque jam band vibes at times - particularly during the funky Cheaper to Drink Alone which featured plenty of riffing as well as some additional percussion from roadie Jeff Boggs.

A real highlight for me however was the inclusion of Devil's Queen - which has always been one of my favourite Black Stone Cherry songs. I had never seen the band play the song live before, and the loose version played really hit the spot. It lacked the roaring Hammond organ of the studio version, but the shredded guitar leads more than made up for it - with Robertson and Wells closing the piece with a lengthy back-and-forth solo. This led into a drum solo from the flamboyant and hard-hitting John Fred Young - which again was a trip back to the 1970s when such things were commonplace. By this point the band were about three quarters of the way through the set, so all that was left was bona fide classics. Robertson's solo rendition of Things My Father Said was poignant, but for me it was tracks like Blind Man, White Trash Millionaire, and the closing southern metal of Lonely Train that really took the roof off at the end of the night. The classic tracks were a powerful way to end the set; which made the choice to encore with a ballad, Peace Is Free, somewhat strange. The song is a good one, but following such a relentless barrage of energy the choice was an odd one - especially as Robertson's voice was somewhat ragged at the end of a long set of hard rockers. It would have been better to have included the song earlier in the set, and encored with something heavy to really end the evening on a high. This was the only criticism I could level at the band however, as they owned the Exeter stage during their time in the city - and the large crowd certainly went home happy after such a powerful showing. The setlist was:

Me and Mary Jane

Burnin'

Again

Yeah Man

In My Blood/Island Jam

Ringin' in My Head

Like I Roll

Cheaper to Drink Alone

Hell and High Water

Soulcreek

Devil's Queen

Drum solo

Things My Father Said

In Love with the Pain

Blind Man

Blame It on the Boom Boom

White Trash Millionaire

Lonely Train

-

Peace Is Free

Despite having been to a few gigs so far this year, Black Stone Cherry was the first on the bigger side that I have managed to get to - so it felt like more of an event as a result. While I think that some of the other performances that I have seen this year so far have been better overall, it was great to be back in a larger venue with a lot of people watching a big touring band. It was also great to see Black Stone Cherry live again, as it had been seven years since my last experience of them in concert. They are a band that will always put on a good show, and are always worth seeing if the opportunity presents itself.

Mason Hill - London Review

It is funny how things can change in the space of a few years. In 2018 I saw Mason Hill and Hollowstar opening for the Dan Reed Network in Bristol - and neither really did a lot for me. Fast forward three years however, and I am travelling to London from the South West to see both bands as part of a lengthy UK tour supporting Mason Hill's strong debut album Against the Wall. Sometimes it can take a while to appreciate a band, but also bands can come a long way in the space of three years - especially early in their career. Since that Bristol show in 2018, both Mason Hill and Hollowstar have released their debut albums - and both are really starting to make names for themselves here in the UK. It is always great when new rock bands from the UK start making waves. There are still a number of bands from my teenage years whose losses I still mourn. There just did not seem to be the audience for new rock bands in the mid/late-2000s, but thankfully things are different now. There are a quite a few new UK-based rock bands that are finding their feet and establishing themselves - so much so that there is a genuine scene on the rise at the moment. That is great to see, and I hope that the success of bands like Mason Hill will inspire more to form bands and put albums out. Despite this, however, it took me a while to come around to Mason Hill. Following the 2018 gig I essentially put them from my mind, but earlier this year I was recommended the video to one of their recent singles on YouTube. I was really surprised to find myself enjoying the song, so I decided to pre-order Against the Wall. It is an album that I have been enjoying quite a bit since its March release - so much so that I decided to buy a ticket to the band's tour. There were closer shows, but London was the easiest logistically - and shows at Camden's Underworld are always enjoyable. The place always seems to be able to conjure up a strong atmosphere, and I have had many memorable nights in there over the years. I did wonder, however, given the amount of shows that tour contained, whether the band had stretched themselves a little thin. The pictures on Facebook of various shows seemed to put that fear to bed however, and the London show attracted a healthy crowd - one that seemed to delight all three of the bands on the bill.

Opening the show was Empyre, a band that I knew very little about prior to the gig. The four-piece only had around half an hour to play with, but plenty of people had turned up early - meaning that there was a strong atmosphere from the off. There were clearly a few in attendance who were already familiar with Empyre too, which meant that the reactions to the band's songs were strong. In contrast to the more riff-based sounds of Mason Hill and Hollowstar, Empyre's sound was more atmospheric. There was something of an alternative rock vibe throughout their set - with bands like Soundgarden and even Anathema coming to mind at various times. The main focal point throughout was Henrik Steenholdt (vocals/guitar), who's commanding voice really carried the band. Empyre's sound is fairly minimalist for a rock act, so it could have all fallen flat on its face if the vocals were not there to really take the lead. Thankfully, though, Steenholdt's deep voice really brought the songs to life - and everything really revolved around him. That is not to take anything away from the rest of the band however, particularly Did Coles (guitar/vocals) who's atmospheric leads and chords created the textures for Steenholdt's voice, but Empyre are a band that know were their strengths lie and play to them. As a result of the band's somewhat strange sound I was initially sceptical - but by the end I was hooked. The song that really did it for me was the lengthy pseudo-ballad Only Way Out, where the band's sound really clicked for me. By the time the bands set ended I knew that I had to hear more, so I went and bought a copy of the band's debut album Self Aware from the merch table. I will enjoy listening to the album over the coming weeks, and Empyre are a band that I will be keeping a close eye on going forward.

Hollowstar were up next, and I have become something of a fan of the four-piece since the 2018 show. I saw the band again the following year, on a bill topped by Skid Row, and they really impressed after going in with low expectations. I have been enjoying their self-titled album since. Due to my familiarity with the band's material, this set was the best from the band that I have seen yet - and their eight-song performance went down really well with the crowd. Pretty much the whole set was drawn from the band's debut album, with the riffy Take It All getting things off to a strong start. While Joe Bonson (vocals/bass guitar) is a great singer and likeable frontman, for me the real star of the show is Phil Haines (guitar/vocals). The guy is such a talent, and his tone throughout was to die for. He drove every song with his strong riffing, but he really came alive during his numerous solos - which were all expertly crafted and well-phrased. There was little shredding for its own sake, and each song was enhanced by its solo - as well, of course, by Bonson's great vocal melodies and hooky choruses. Due to the quality of the songwriting, the set really flew by. Invincible was another stand out, as was the more politically-charged Money. The crowd loved every minute, and I think that there were portions of Hollowstar's set where the crowd was actually at their loudest during the entire night. A mid-set rendition of Free's Wishing Well prompted a bit of a sing-a-long, but it was the set's closing couple of numbers where the energy levels really rose. The first, Good Man Gone, dedicated to Haines' late father, was probably the highlight of the set overall. The song is extremely melodic, and its solo is one of the band's best. It was a song that really got everyone going, and the cheer that erupted when it finished was huge. It was left to All I Gotta Say to close out the set, which is one of the band's hookiest pieces. It has the sort of chorus that is easy to latch onto, and nearly everyone in the room seemed to know it. As a result, the sing-a-long that followed was excellent. It was a powerful end to a great set that everyone in the room enjoyed. I would not be surprised to be Hollowstar headlining venues similar to The Underworld in due course - and if they do get that chance then they will have deserved it. The setlist was:

Take It All

Let You Down

Invincible

Money

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) [The Proclaimers cover]/Wishing Well [Free cover]

Overrated

Good Man Gone

All I Gotta Say

Despite Mason Hill being the evening's headline act, the crowd had already had a great time before the Scottish five-piece took the stage. The evening really was one that celebrated all three of the bands on the bill, but Mason Hill took things up a notch in terms of showmanship and stagecraft. With a backdrop and other on-stage props, Mason Hill's set felt like one of a headline act - and the large crowd lapped up every minute of the show. With only one album and an EP to their name, Mason Hill do not have a massive catalogue to draw from. The whole of Against the Wall was played, alongside one older number from their debut EP and a choice cover. As such, anyone familiar with Against the Wall was assured a good time - and all the highlights from the album translated well to the live setting. The band took the stage to the sounds of Reborn playing over the PA - before they launched into a great double-salvo of No Regret and D.N.A.. These two high-energy tracks were a great way to kick off the set, but in truth much of the evening was taken up with driving rock numbers. The gang-vocal led We Pray was an early highlight, with frontman Scott Taylor encouraging the crowd to join in, as was the tough Find My Way. The band have a real knack for crafting memorable choruses - and their overall sound that fuses modern and classic rock elements is one that really works. In James Bird (guitar/vocals) the band have  real guitar hero too, and his solos were a big part of the night. This is not to take anything away from Marc Montgomery (guitar/vocals) however who's rhythms and more atmospheric approach to the guitar are also a big part of the band's sound. Bird usually drives the song with a riff, while Montgomery's arpeggios and clean sections add a real sense of depth. The styles of the two guitarists are a big part of the band's sound, and this is particularly evident on more dynamic pieces like Who We Are and Broken Son. By the time the band launched into their cover of the Foo Fighters' Best Of You however, the majority of the rest of the set was all about energy. Best Of You certainly got everyone singing along, before the more old-school hard rock of Now You See Me from the band's past was dusted off. It had more of a classic rock vibe than much of the rest of the set, but this helped to inject further energy into the night - before the rousing Against the Wall took things even further. By this point, there was only one song left - and it was left to the slow-paced and emotional Where I Belong to close the evening out. By this point you could see just how much the evening had meant to the band, particularly Taylor who was clearly having the time of his life on the stage. The emotional song was a great closing number too, as it builds towards a climactic solo - which Bird owned as he had done a number of times previously throughout the set. There was a huge cheer as the band took their bows at the end, and it was clear to everyone in attendance that Mason Hill are a band that are potentially on the cusp of something much greater. The setlist was:

Reborn

No Regret

D.N.A.

Out of Reach

Hold On

We Pray

Who We Are

Find My Way

Broken Son

Best Of You [Foo Fighters cover]

Now You See Me

Against the Wall

Where I Belong

Reborn [Reprise]

A great night is always had when every band on a bill really delivers, and that is what happened in London on Friday night. Every band really stepped up to the plate, and the large crowd made their appreciation heard throughout. All three bands deserve to push on in their careers, and I hope that this lengthy tour will further cement that. The tour can only do wonders for each band's fanbase and popularity - and those who are seeing any of the remaining shows on the tour are really in for a treat!

Anette Olzon's 'Strong' - Album Review

Every symphonic metal fan worth their salt with be familiar with the work of Anette Olzon. While she has been a part of a number of projects over the years, she is best known for her five-year stint fronting the Finnish band Nightwish. The Swedish singer, who up to that point was better known in melodic rock circles for being the singer of Alyson Avenue, was catapulted to fame overnight - along with all the pros and cons that her new role brought with it. Nightwish had not long broken into the big time - at least here in the UK. The band's fifth album, 2004's Once, had been a big deal; but all was clearly not well in the ranks. So much so that, following the conclusion of their biggest tour to date, Nightwish publicly, and dramatically, fired their talismanic lead singer Tarja Turunen - who's classically-trained voice had been a big part of their sound to that point. Olzon, with her poppy voice, had the unenviable task of replacing Turunen - and attempting to impress the band's dedicated and, at times, rabid fanbase. In my opinion, Olzon was more than up for the task of fronting Nightwish; and she owned the stage when I saw the band live for the first time in 2009. I think that it is fair to say, however, that there was an element of the band's fanbase that she never managed to win over - and looking back I wonder if she never really meshed with the personalities of the rest of the band either as, after five years and two albums, she met a similar fate to Turunen, and was sacked unceremoniously part-way through an American tour. Following her sacking from Nightwish, Olzon largely stepped back from the music business. Her debut solo album Shine was released in 2013 to little fanfare, and it essentially slipped from view a few weeks after its release. I still have not heard Shine, which I need to rectify, but that goes to show how little was made of it at the time - as Olzon had become one of my favourite singers during her time with Nightwish. In recent years, however, Olzon has been more active again - particularly in the metal world. In 2017 she launched The Dark Element with former Sonata Arctica guitarist Jani Liimatainen, a Frontiers Records project with which she has now released two excellent symphonic/power metal albums: 2017's The Dark Element (which I reviewed here) and 2019's Songs the Night Sings (which I also reviewed here). Now that Frontiers Records have their claws in Olzon, she has started to show up all over the place. Last year she was part of an album with Symphony X's Russell Allen called Worlds Apart, and earlier this year she sung on a metal opera by the new act Heart Healer. Both of these projects were spearheaded by one of Frontiers' in-house writers/producers Magnus Karlsson (Last Tribe; Starbreaker; Primal Fear; The Ferrymen), so it was almost inevitable that he would team up with Olzon on a project of her own. The result of this inevitable pairing is Strong, Olzon's second solo album, which was written by Olzon and Karlsson. It is not hugely dissimilar to the two The Dark Element albums - albeit with a bit of a heavier, more gothic vibe throughout. There are still plenty of hooks and symphonic flourishes however, and the album is very enjoyable as a result.

Those familiar with the two The Dark Element albums will instantly recognise the style of the opening number Bye Bye Bye. The poppy symphonic metal sound that Olzon forged with Liimatainen has been re-forged here with Karlsson - and the song is memorable thanks to Olzon's infectious vocal hooks and Karlsson's symphonic trappings. As with most of Karlsson's projects for Frontiers, he is responsible for most of what is heard throughout. He handles the album's guitars, bass guitars, and keyboards - with support coming from drummer Anders Köllerfors, who essentially spends his time drumming on all of Karlsson's albums for Frontiers. The main difference between Strong and The Dark Element however is the inclusion of harsh vocals in many of the album's songs. Olzon's husband Johan Husgafvel (Pain) provides the growls, but sadly they are one of the weakest elements of the album. Husgafvel, who is primarily bass player, does not have a great harsh vocal delivery - and his additions to the album fall a bit flat for me. His barked bridge during Bye Bye Bye certainly feels a bit weak, and the song would have been better off without it in my opinion. Sick of You is similar in style, but reins the overtly-poppy hooks and instead goes for a more epic overall approach which pushes the album's heavier, more gothic tinges nicely. The chorus is still very hooky, but the rest of the song is much darker on the whole with an emphasis on strings, double bass drumming, and lots of shredded solos. Being such an accomplished musician, it is unsurprising that Karlsson regularly takes the opportunity throughout the album to show off his talents. Symphonic metal is usually fairly devoid of big soloing, but there is a lot of lead guitar throughout the album. Karlsson's solos are always welcome, and he helps to add a harder, more virtuosic edge to the album as a result. I Need to Stay opens with some choral vocals and strings, but it is not long before a fairly typical symphonic metal rhythm kicks in with rolling drums and sparkling synths. As much as the album tends to take a slightly heavier road, there are still songs here that sound like exactly the sort of thing that Olzon's fans have come to expect from her. I Need to Stay is very much a typical symphonic metal track. The guitars rarely take the lead, instead providing tough rhythms, while the vocals and synths/orchestrations drive the song melodically. Songs like this always allow the vocalist to shine, and Olzon sounds great throughout - whether this be during the wordless multi-layered choral sections or while she is belting out the chorus. The album's title track follows, and it takes a slightly more industrial, groove-laden path with a strong drum performance throughout and a prominent bass presence. Karlsson's guitar riffing throughout is quite mechanical, and the song's overall pace brings Sabaton to mind at times - although the sound is less bombastic and more groove-based. The change of style allows Olzon to showcase a different side of her voice, which works well, and the song is a standout cut as a result. I would like to see her trying more songs like this in the future, as they provide a change from her usual symphonic metal style.

Parasite ups the pace again and returns to something close to Olzon's trademark sound, but heavier and with a greater sense of urgency. Husgafvel actually opens the song vocally, and parts of the track are sung in a call-and-response style - which is a better way of using Husgafvel's voice in my opinion as in small doses his flat-sounding growl works well as a contrast to Olzon. That being said however, Olzon sings the song is a much gritter way than usual and it is probably one of the most powerful vocal performances that she has ever laid down. The song itself is great too, and is a strong mix of melody and metal grit. Parts of the song are very Nightwish-esque, with rolling piano to back the guitar riffs, while other sections have a slightly more modern sound - but everything comes together nicely and the song is a real highlight as a result. Sad Lullaby opens rather grandly, with soaring strings, and the ballad-esque piece acts as a real change of pace following a couple of heavier numbers. The song's opening is sung by Olzon alone, backed only by the strings, but the rest of the band do eventually kick in to back her up and add some overall power. Even though this makes the song heavier, the pace never increases. As a result, the song retains its ballad-esque style - the slower pace allowing Olzon to lay down an emotionally-charged vocal performance. She has always sung ballads well, and Sad Lullaby is another excellent addition to her collection of slower songs. Fantastic Fanatic ups the pace again however, and the song is another poppy track that sounds like it could have sat on one of The Dark Element's albums. There is a jaunty vibe throughout the song that is a bit different to most of the other songs here, with the darker feelings that permeate the rest of the album being largely absent. The chorus is one of the album's biggest, and it was one that really jumped out to me on first listen. Lots of the songs here are memorable, but it is an album that needed a few listens to fully appreciate for me despite the melodies throughout. Fantastic Fanatic however was a song that stood out from the off, and its chorus has become a real earworm for me. It is one of the more predictable songs here, but that is not a negative in my opinion - as the hooks make it a winner. Who Can Save Them is another very melodic track, but it is less poppy and more bombastic. The gothic tropes are back, and the strings overall have a much darker feel - with the main refrain being extremely hooky and backed nicely by Karlsson's guitar. The guitar is generally pretty prominent throughout the piece too, with the heaviness of the instrument helping to bulk out the song. There are even a few pinch harmonics thrown in to add some dynamics to the piece - which is something that is not commonly heard throughout the album.

Catcher of My Dreams was another song that stood out to me on my first listen to the album, but that is probably because it could have been an outtake from Nightwish's 2007 album Dark Passion Play - Olzon's debut with the band. Karlsson has really nailed Tuomas Holopainen's songwriting style: from the folky inflections to many of the melodies to the slightly choppy rhythm guitar presence. Olzon even sings the song in the style that she used throughout Dark Passion Play. She tends to sing in a somewhat poppier way now, but the grittier Nightwish approach serves the song well - and it helps it to sound even more like a Nightwish outtake as a result. The giveaway that this is not a Nightwish song however is some of the shredded guitar leads, which are far flashier than the vast majority of Nightwish's guitar solos, but they are short-lived so the illusion is not wholly broken. The song is another highlight as a result of this throwback sound - and it takes me back to properly discovering Nightwish with Dark Passion Play back in 2008. Hear Them Roar is more typical of the album's core sound, with dancing gothic strings and a chorus that is packed full of pop hooks. There is an urgency to the song however, with lots of great riffing throughout and some of the most prominent traditional synth playing on the album. The synths throughout are usually used for depth, or to simulate strings, but there are a few synth riffs and leads in the song that briefly shine the spotlight on the instrument. While Karlsson is primarily known as a guitarist, he is also an accomplished keyboard player and I am glad that he took the opportunity to show off his keyboard playing a little during Hear Them Roar - as it makes it stand out somewhat despite its overall sound being pretty typical of the rest of the album. The album's closing number, Roll the Dice, again largely sticks to the album's core sound - but it does have a slightly more epic feel than much of the rest of the album. This is appropriate given the song closes the album, but the differences are not significantl. Olzon's vocal performance certainly feels a little more heroic than usual, and the song has been designed in a way to show her off - with a slower chorus and more grand strings. There are still plenty of pop hooks however, and the melodies are easy to latch onto. This helps the song to fit in with the album's core sound, while also allowing it to feel like a fitting closing coda. Everything about the song just feels a little bigger than what came before, and the album ends on a high as a result. In fact, most of the album is a high. Despite my reservations with some of the harsh vocal-led sections, the vast majority of Strong is very good indeed. There is just enough variety to keep things interesting, and the songwriting throughout from Olzon and Karlsson is consistent. It is a pairing that seems to work well, and I would like to see the two teaming up again in the future for a follow-up album.

The album was released on 10th September 2021 via Frontiers Records. Below is Olzon's promotional video for Parasite.

Iron Maiden's 'Senjutsu' - Album Review

There are few bands in the world, from any genre, that command the respect that Iron Maiden do. While Metallica are probably the biggest metal band going, Iron Maiden are certainly not far behind - and their overall influence and legacy is undeniable. Ever since the band released their self-titled debut album in 1980 they have been setting trends, and have had an influence (either directly or indirectly) on the vast majority of metal bands to have followed. From spearheading the NWOBHM movement during the early 1980s, through superstardom of the rest of the 1980s and the relative lows of the 1990s, to the band's current position as one of metal's elder statesmen, Iron Maiden have taken every leg of their career in their stride - and they deserve their position as one of the most-respected bands in the world. It helps that the band have remained creative throughout their veteran years too. With so many older bands happy to rest on their laurels and trot out near-identical greatest hits sets year on year, Iron Maiden have kept releasing quality albums. Since the band's current line-up was cemented in 1999, Iron Maiden have now released six albums - which on the whole have added positively to the band's legacy. While some bands have been more prolific, there are far more that could only dream of matching such an output. It is certainly true that the band's most recent albums can be somewhat divisive, but for the me there have been more recent highs than there have been lows. 2000's Brave New World is one of my favourite Iron Maiden albums of all time, and every album that has followed since has had its share of excellent songs - even if some self-editing would have been beneficial at times. Even the band's longest studio album to date, 2015's The Book of Souls (which I reviewed here), had its share of quality - although its 90-plus minute runtime means that I do not revisit it too often. Iron Maiden are clearly not subscribers to the 'less is more' philosophy, and in fairness this has sometimes served them well. All of the band's recent albums have sold well and received critical acclaim, and this has not changed with the release of the band's sixth album by the band's current line-up, and seventeenth overall, Senjutsu. Senjutsu, which roughly translates from Japanese as 'tactics and strategy', is the band's second double studio album - although it is about ten minutes shorter than the mammoth The Book of Souls. Despite its relative svelteness, there is still a lot of music to digest and its overall length (as well as the album's overall structure) is its biggest downside. That is not to say that everything on Senjutsu is business as usual however, as there are a few interesting moments that change things up somewhat - including the presence of a darker atmosphere throughout a good portion of the album which recalls the band's 1990s output at times. The production, courtesy of long-time associate Kevin Shirley, is once again very organic and 'live sounding' in style, which has its pros and cons, but the overall sound is very similar to what Iron Maiden fans have come to expect of late. The album does sound a bit muddier than usual however, which is another overall drawback for me. There is a lot about Senjutsu to enjoy, but it is probably the first album of the band's recent run where I find myself actively agreeing with some of the common criticisms that are levelled at Iron Maiden in the 21st Century. 

The album's opening title track, written by guitarist Adrian Smith and bassist Steve Harris, is one that really showcases the aforementioned darkness that permeates the album. The song forgoes the band's usual galloping, riff-based approach for a more atmospheric sound - which sets the tone for much of what is to come. Nicko McBrain's off-kilter drumming and some dense keyboards open the song, but it is not long before the guitars kick in. Rather than the song really taking off with the introduction of the guitars however, they instead lay down a slow-paced chug; which fit perfectly alongside McBrain's grooves. The song never really takes off in a traditional sense, and it instead it settles for a meandering, creepy atmosphere throughout. Iron Maiden have not really gone for a sound like this very often, with the closest example that springs to mind being Sign of the Cross from 1995's The X Factor. Frontman Bruce Dickinson, who's voice is certainly deeper than it was, even on The Book of Souls, sounds great throughout - with his lower register delivery perfectly complimenting the song's slow pace and keyboard-heavy atmosphere. Occasional cutting guitar leads add some screaming melody to the song, but on the whole Senjutsu is a piece that is happy to let its atmosphere do the talking. For those scared that Iron Maiden had decided to totally change their sound, Stratego will serve to put those fears to bed - even if its energy is one of the few genuine examples of pace on the album. The single, co-written by the enigmatic guitarist Janick Gers, is much more upbeat that the album's opening number - and it is quite similar in overall style to some of the punchier numbers found on the band's other recent albums. McBrain's trademark drumming style propels the song from the off, and there is a real energy throughout - which hits harder due to the previous song's reliance on atmosphere over riffs. Stratego is a real ear worm too, as its chorus is one that really sticks in the brain - and the guitar leads throughout the verses are also full of hooks. Dickinson sounds quite strained these days when he goes to hit the higher notes, but he still sounds better than some of his peers. He is a little buried in the mix throughout the song however, particularly during the verses; and I wonder if this was a slightly deliberate tactic to help mask his aging tones somewhat. While this could be the case, it is more likely a by-product of the album's more live-sounding production style - which has been a feature of the band's more recent albums, much to the chagrin of some of their fans. Sometimes this style works and sometimes it does not, and there are times throughout the album where the overall mix lets it down - and Stratego's verses are some of those moments.

Lead single The Writing on the Wall follows. The mid-paced riff-based track divided fans when it was released, but I liked it from the off. Lots of fans were acting like the band had not made use of folky, Thin Lizzy-esque guitar leads previously - and that somehow The Writing on the Wall was something radically different for the band. For me, however, the song is typical of what Iron Maiden have always done. The folky nature of the song's main riff may be more prominent than usual, but the melody is classic Iron Maiden, and the chorus showcases some heroic vocals from Dickinson - who sounds powerful despite still sounding somewhat strained. There is a lot of excellent guitar playing throughout the song, with variations of the main riff popping up all over the place - while a lengthy, melodic guitar solo recalls the sound of the band's 1980s heyday. It is after these three strong opening numbers, however, that the quality takes a dip with the lengthy Lost in a Lost World. It is the first of four songs on the album that Harris has penned alone, and it is the only one of the four that clocks in at under 10 minutes (although only just). In my opinion, the album did not need four lengthy songs like this - and structurally they are all quite similar. All open and close slowly and atmospherically, with acoustic guitars, keyboards, and bass chords, and all plod along in a mid-paced manner. Sometimes this style works, as I will discuss later, but other times it does not. For me, Lost in a Lost World is one of the album's weakest numbers. There are few memorable riffs throughout the song's lengthy duration, and the handful of melodic guitar leads featured are sadly short-lived. Dickinson also sounds his weakest throughout, particularly during the choruses. He does not seem comfortable trying to hit the higher notes, and as such he sounds quite weedy - which is certainly not a word I would have used to describe him in the past. It is a shame, but age will catch up with us all one day! When he sings in his low and mid ranges he still sounds great however. He actually sounds at his best when singing the song's low-key outro - which is probably the best moment of the song overall for me due to its memorable vocal melodies and dark atmosphere. Following the bloat of Lost in a Lost World, an injection of pace is necessary and thankfully Days of Future Past turns up to provide one. The song is the album's shortest cut, clocking in at just over four minutes, and its hard-hitting style is certainly welcome. As much as I do like some of the band's longer songs, I do wish that they would write more shorter songs that have the punch of Days of Future Past. The song's chorus is majestic and soaring, with Dickinson still sounding great despite his aging voice, while the riffing throughout is in-your-face and weighty. It is a song that makes the most of the band's three guitarists, with plenty of rhythms constantly present to back up Dickinson and the numerous short bursts of lead guitar. It is the sort of song that is sure to go down well live on the band's next tour - and it provides a welcome change of pace in the context of the album's overall murk.

The Time Machine is another relatively lengthy piece, but it is a big step up from Lost in a Lost World. Some of the haunting atmosphere from the album's title track returns, but it is woven into the band's trademark sound. This mix works well, and the fact that the guitar playing throughout is really interesting helps to keep the song moving. As much as Gers is criticised by sections of the band's fanbase for his on-stage antics and his chaotic guitar playing style, for me he is one of the band's most consistent songwriters in the modern age. I love most of the songs that he has written for the band, and The Time Machine is a great example of his songwriting partnership with Harris. His songs always have more going on from a guitar perspective, and there are lots of excellent riffs and melodies throughout The Time Machine that help it to stand out. There are a few left-field turns throughout that help to keep the song interesting, as well as a couple of noisy moments that could only have come from Gers' fingers. It is a winner as a result, and one of my favourites on the album. Darkest Hour is another more atmospheric piece, but this time it takes more of a ballad-esque route - and the less cluttered arrangement makes it something of vocal showcase for Dickinson. I have criticised him at times in this review, but still possesses a powerful voice. He sounds great when he sings in a range that is comfortable for him, and Darkest Hour allows him to use his powerful mid-register to his advantage. It helps that the song is one of the three on the album that he co-wrote. This allowed him to write to his strengths, in a way that I am not sure that the other band members have always mastered on this album. There is no straining at all from him here, and the song is all the better for it. Dickinson's performance, combined with one of the album's best guitar solos, makes the song another standout cut. The album's final three numbers are the other three aforementioned Harris-penned songs - all of which are over 10 minutes in length. This can make the album's closing half an hour something of a slog, and from where my main criticisms of the album stem. The first of the three, Death of the Celts, is the easily the strongest of the bunch. All of my issues with Lost in a Lost World have essentially been fixed here, despite the two songs having a similar structure, and there are lots of memorable moments throughout. The slow-paced opening is more energetic than usual, and once the guitars and drums kick in the song has a bit more of a bite to it. This helps the energy to be sustained throughout, but another reason that the song shines is because it actually makes use of its length. Some of Iron Maiden's longer songs do not have the ideas to fill them, but Death of the Celts does. There are lots of twists and turns throughout, and it does not rely on one riff or melody endlessly. Modern Iron Maiden has often been called progressive, but to me a long song is not automatically progressive if its length is derived from a lot of repetition and padding. Death of the Celts, however, sounds truly progressive to me, as there are a lot of strong ideas throughout - and the instrumentation is dynamic and varied, which leads to the creation of a lot of memorable hooks. The song flies by as a result, and it is another highlight.

The Parchment is another more atmospheric piece, and it again harks back to the darkness of The X Factor. There are definitely similarities to the Blaze Bayley era throughout the song, and I wonder if it would have sounded better sung in Bayley's deep baritone. That being said, however, the song is still enjoyable. There are Eastern-esque melodies throughout, and the swirling keyboards add quite a lot of depth to the song. There are hints of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir throughout, although the overall crawling pace and the regular guitar breaks root the song firmly in Iron Maiden's wheelhouse. The song is not as varied as Death of the Celts, but atmospherically it works nicely. If there is one word that sums up this album, then atmospheric could be it. There are more synths and keyboards used here than on any other Iron Maiden album which has its pros and cons. I can see what the band were going for, and sometimes it works well, but not every song needs to be an epic. The Parchment works well as a dark, meandering piece; but there are few hooks throughout which, for me, stops it from being one of the album's stronger cuts. Something similar can be said about the closing number Hell on Earth, but it is harmed by being the third very similar song in a row. By the time Hell on Earth opens with yet another slow bass melody and keyboard backing the fatigue has set in. Any one of the three closing songs when heard in isolation will sound strong, but hearing all three back-to-back only serves to harm them. It just shows how structurally similar that they are, and it makes me wish that Iron Maiden would work with a producer that had the courage to tell Harris to rein it in sometimes. Despite The Book of Souls being a longer album, Senjutsu feels more egregiously bloated by having songs that are long for the sake of it. Songs can be long and be great, as Iron Maiden have proved numerous times in the past, but the last half an hour of Senjutsu shows why some restraint is sometimes needed. The irony here is that Hell on Earth is not even a bad song. There is more energy here than throughout the previous two songs, but it suffers from a 'been there, done that' vibe. The guitar playing throughout is excellent, but it is a shame that by this point a lot of people will have either turned the album off or their mind will be wandering. My mind certainly wanders during the album's closing half an hour, which to me shows that the overall structure of the album does not work to serve its songs. As such, Senjutsu is a bit of a puzzling album. On the one hand I really like a lot of the songs here and there are a few moments that sound like the band has made an effort to try something new. When it is at its best, the album shines - with songs like Stratego, The Time Machine, and Darkest Hour being modern classics. What lets the album down for me however is the bloat, and Harris' pseudo-progressive songwriting that rehashes old ideas which he then hits you with back-to-back. The album did not need to be as long as it is, and it certainly could have been structured better to make the ending less of a slog. It feels like more of a slog than The Book of Souls, which is a longer album, and that goes to show that structure and overall dynamics are key - and the lack of both lets Senjutsu down despite some excellent songs.

The album was released on 3rd September 2021 via Parlophone Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Writing on the Wall.

Inglorious - Plymouth Review

Being a new hard rock band from the UK has often meant that the path to any kind of meaningful success is a treacherous one. When I was teenager there were so many new rock bands that I got into, only for them to split up a few years later. It was really hard for any new band to take a foothold, but thankfully over the past few years things have changed somewhat. This is not to say that success comes easily to new UK-based hard rock bands now, as it certainly does not, but there seems to be a much more willing audience for new hard rock bands now - as the NWOCR movement can attest to. There are a good handful of UK-based hard rock bands that are starting to make a name for themselves, and the band that is possibly leading the charge is Inglorious who were formed back in 2014. Inglorious' road has not always been an easy one, although some of their hardship has likely been self-induced, but the band are really now starting to reap the rewards of the hard work of the past few years. The band now have four albums of original material to their name, and have also recently released the covers album Heroine - which features covers of songs by female artists. Heroine followed hot on the heels of We Will Ride, the band's latest album of original material, meaning that the back end of 2020 and much of 2021 has been busy for Inglorious - despite being kept off the road by the COVID-19 pandemic. To promote We Will Ride, the band were originally supposed to be touring back in April - but the tour was inevitably postponed. When the tour was postponed even the replacement September dates seemed unlikely, such was the COVID-related negativity and malaise at the time, but this was not to be as last night there were a lot of us crammed into The Junction on Mutley Plain in Plymouth enjoying a storming Inglorious set. The Junction has been pulling it out of the bag recently, and it was the third excellent gig there in the space of a month that I attended. It is one of those venues that occasionally manages to book someone that would usually play bigger venues, and the bands always seem to come away loving the experience of playing to an enthusiastic crowd in a sweaty old-fashioned rock pub. The Junction is probably one of the smallest venues that Inglorious play on this lengthy tour, as they are capable of playing some decent-sized venues these days, but I am sure that the band will remember their first ever gig in Plymouth.

Before Inglorious' set however, the growing Junction crowd was treated to half an hour or so of spiky rock from the Scottish/Italian band Mercutio. Mercutio were also the support act when I saw Inglorious in Exeter in 2019, but this time the band fronted by the former Spandau Ballet frontman Ross Wild were out with Inglorious for the whole tour. I remember the band somewhat impressing last time, and that was also the case in Plymouth. While the band's songs, on the whole, do not really grab me - Mercutio are certainly an entertaining live act. Wild is a diverse and active frontman, and he covered every inch of the small stage throughout the band's set, while the other three band members created a strange tapestry of sounds not common for a three-piece. Guitarist Fabio Staffieri mixed traditional rock riffs with a range of other sonic experiences - many of which involved turning his guitar into a synth to add some depth to a track, while the bass and drums supplied the rhythms. Mercutio's sound is certainly not typical, but I like the band's ambition. Being a support act with a limited soundcheck however, the band's sound mix was not always the best - and Mercutio's sound seems to be one that needs to be heard pristinely for it all to make sense. I imagine that some of the nuances are lost when the band play live, especially with a somewhat iffy support band mix, but despite this they were well-received by the crowd. At first I was disappointed that Inglorious' support act was going to be the same as it was last time, which I always feel to be a lazy choice by headliners, but I enjoyed my 30 or so minutes with Mercutio - as did much of the Plymouth crowd it seems.

The changeover between the two bands was relatively quick, and half an hour or so after Mercutio left the stage Inglorious replaced them to a chorus of cheers - and immediately launched into She Won't Let You Go, the opening track from We Will Ride. With two new albums to promote, the setlist was very different to the one that I saw the band play in 2019. One thing that was the same, thankfully, was the band line-up. Following a few changes over the years, Inglorious now seem to have settled down. The current line-up is possibly the band's strongest yet - with founding members frontman Nathan James and drummer Phil Beaver joined by Danny Dela Cruz (guitar/vocals), Dan Stevens (guitar/vocals), and Vinnie Colla (bass guitar/vocals). Regular touring keyboardist Rob Lindop rounded out the line-up, and the six-piece performed their 16-song set with real vigour. Most of the We Will Ride album was featured in the set, with seven of the album's songs being performed, while three of Heroine's covers were also included. The rest of the set was made up of older favourites, but the crowd seemed to enjoy hearing so much new material. She Won't Let You Go got the set off to a great start, before the muscular Messiah showcased the pipes of James perfectly. Despite the heat, James' voice held up fantastically throughout the set - and he seemed to really enjoy playing in such an up-close and personal setting. The whole band seemed to be heaving a great time, despite being cramped on the stage, with the two guitarists in particular impressing with plenty of excellent solos. The rocked-up cover of Miley Cyrus' Midnight Sky was sung enthusiastically by the crowd, as was the strutting older single Read All About It. Where Are You Now? also featured some strong crowd interaction, with James encouraging the crowd to respond to the song's enquiring title throughout - which helped to stoke the already-strong atmosphere further. Heart's Barracuda and Alanis Morissette's Uninvited were then the final two cuts from Heroine to be played but for me it was the new originals that shone the brightest. The bluesy Medusa impressed a lot, due to Dela Cruz's strong slide playing, before the blues vibes were retained for the old-school Free-esque stomp of Holy Water. The song has always been a vocal showcase for James, and he owned it as he always does. With the exception of the Whitesnake-esque I Don't Need Your Loving, the rest of the main set was made up of new songs. The strutting He Will Provide included multiple excellent solos throughout, but the highlight for me was the closing number We Will Ride. The new album's title track is one of the band's most epic compositions yet, and it was great to hear it close out the set. Following a brief step away from the stage, the band returned to play one last tune - their debut single Until I Die, which raised the roof. Stevens' main riff elicited a strong cheer, and the chorus was sung back at the band with gusto. It was a triumphant end to a strong set, and one that certainly sent the Plymouth crowd home happy. The setlist was:

She Won't Let You Go

Messiah

Breakaway

Midnight Sky [Miley Cyrus cover]

Where Are You Now?

My Misery

Read All About It

Barracuda [Heart cover]

Uninvited [Alanis Morissette cover]

Medusa

Holy Water

He Will Provide

I Don't Need Your Loving

Eye of the Storm

We Will Ride

-

Until I Die

I had enjoyed the band's Exeter show in 2019, but I think that last night's experience in a packed Junction was the better night overall. The We Will Ride material is some of the band's strongest, and The Junction can really help to whip up a strong atmosphere when certain conditions are met. It is a shame that a mid-set acoustic segment that has been included at the other shows on the tour so far was not dusted off in Plymouth too - but the cramped stage and the heat in the venue probably would have made it tricky to pull off successfully. As such, the band's set was very much a hard-hitting affair, which meant that the pace rarely slowed at all - which helped to cement an excellent atmosphere throughout that the band really fed off.

The Night Flight Orchestra's 'Aeromantic II' - Album Review

I was going to open this review by talking about how the fact that I regularly referred to Tobias Sammet as metal's most consistent songwriter due to his excellent work with both Edguy and Avantasia became a bit of a running joke on this blog for a while. At one stage Sammet was releasing an album most years but, with Edguy's hiatus and Avantasia's most recent album being somewhat on the weaker side, he seems to have slowed down a bit of late. I was then going to say that this accolade should now probably belong to David Andersson, the guitarist of both Soilwork and The Night Flight Orchestra, who has written and released an unholy amount of music over the past few years. I then took a look at my review of The Night Flight Orchestra's 2020 release Aeromantic (which I reviewed here) and found out that I had essentially said the same thing last year! The fact that the thought entered my mind again over a year on however would suggest that it is true, and Andersson has released two strong releases since the release of Aeromantic that gives credence to the theory. Towards the end of last year he spearheaded Soilwork's sprawling concept EP A Whisp of the Atlantic, which funnelled the melodic death metal band down a more progressive path than usual, while earlier this month The Night Flight Orchestra's sixth studio album Aeromantic II was released. I was not expecting another album from The Night Flight Orchestra so soon after the release of Aeromantic, but the COVID-19 pandemic essentially kept bands off the road for the majority of 2020 and a large portion of 2021. Some musicians took the opportunity to be creative and write new music, but I had expected a to see a new Soilwork album before a new album from The Night Flight Orchestra. In fairness, A Whisp of the Atlantic was longer and more ambitious than most EPs, but its limited physical release made it slip under the radar somewhat. Strangely enough the EP has just been reissued in a much more widespread and traditional way, which is great, but it seems that Andersson's current focus is on The Night Flight Orchestra. Both bands of course feature the stellar vocal talents of Björn 'Speed' Strid, who also contributes to the songwriting, but Andersson has really taken the reins of late. Even in Soilwork, which is essentially Strid's band these days, sees Andersson dominate creatively - but the partnership between the two musicians seems to really work, both in a melodic death metal and an AOR context. With that said Aeromantic II is, as expected, very strong. When I first saw the album being announced and given its title I originally thought that Aeromantic II was an expanded edition of last year's release - but the album is the real deal and includes twelve original songs and a bonus cover. The band's core AOR sound sounds as good as ever, even if the synth-pop element of their sound has been pushed to the fore a little more than usual. The band's line-up is the same as on Aeromantic, although Aeromantic II sees the debut of keyboardist John Lönnmyr (Act of Denial) as a full-time member of the band - despite his session appearances on around half of last year's album.

The album kicks off with Violent Indigo, with its Oriental-tinged sparkly keyboard opening, which is a song that is very typical of what the band's fans have come to expect of them. A driving AOR keyboard riff soon takes over from the Eastern themes, which drives the song, while the pulsing bass of Sharlee D'Angelo and punchy drumming of Jonas Källsbäck adds some groove to the pompous melodies. The Night Flight Orchestra have always displayed influences from bands like Survivor, and Violent Indigo really showcases this - with the American band's mature 1988 release Too Hot to Sleep being a touchstone here. The song is packed full of melody, and Strid's voice carries the song perfectly, but there is also a sense of the band taking a less-is-more approach to the arrangement. The song sounds big, but it is perhaps not as bombastic as they can be - but this only allows the vocal hooks to shine brighter. This is a vibe that continues throughout much of the album, with a great mix of pomp and laid back songwriting being something of a theme. Midnight Marvelous is similar, although there is a bit more bombast present this time around. The grooves throughout from the rhythm section are hooky in their own right, while Lönnmyr's driving keyboard motif once again provides the song's main musical hook. The song sounds bigger however due to the greater emphasis placed on harmony vocals. The band's two resident backing singers, Anna-Mia Bonde and Anna Brygård, contribute a lot to the song as their voices mix well with Strid's - and this is particularly evident during the upbeat chorus. The highlight of the song for me however is the great instrumental section part way through - which starts with a strong synth solo before a shredded guitar solo takes over to add some additional bite. How Long ups the pace a little, and its opening gives the impression of it being a more guitar-heavy piece - before another big keyboard riff crashes in to change the mood. The synth-pop vibes mentioned previously are prevalent throughout the song, with the verses in particular being backed with those influences. The bass drives the verses, with electronic percussion and synths filling the void, while the chorus is more typical of the band's AOR sound with big vocal harmonies and a stronger guitar presence. What I have always liked about The Night Flight Orchestra's sound however is their ability to pull off a strong 1980s sound with a modern production. The band sound huge as a result, as the layers of synths throughout this song in particular showcase, with the members' metal backgrounds evident in the shredded solos. Burn For Me is one of the most old-school sounding AOR songs on the album. That accolade is unsurprisingly hard to give out, but the driving electric piano riff, the upbeat bounce, and the endless hooks that come from Strid's mouth certainly make the song a contender. There is a bit of a souped up yacht rock feel to the song, as it has all of the necessary laid back grooves and musical motifs - all it needs is some backing vocals from Michael McDonald! It is one of the album's catchiest songs as a result, and a great piano solo is the icing on the cake.

Chardonnay Nights shares a similar yacht rock vibe, but this time with disco influences thanks to some excellent bass playing from D'Angelo and plenty of jittery synths. At times the song reminds me a little of early Duran Duran, albeit with an American AOR sheen rather than a British new wave one. This is one of those songs that has grown on me a lot since first hearing it. It was one of the album's advance singles, and when I first heard the song it did not really grab me. Having heard the album a number of times now however, it has really sunk in. The chorus is very memorable, and the disco grooves help it to become very infectious after a few listens. There is some more great keyboard playing too, with a flashy solo that occurs just before the final chorus impressing. Change is the first of two customary contributions from guitarist Sebastian Forslund. His occasional songwriting contributions complement the efforts of Strid and Andersson nicely, and Change is a slab of in-your-face melodic rock with some great stomping drumming from Källsbäck and a chorus that is packed full of harmonies. The song is somewhat tougher-sounding than much of the album - although the word 'tougher' is used here in a relative sense. The song very much follows the band's core sound, but the guitars have a bit more weight to them - and the strong drumming helps the song to feel a bit punchier. There are still plenty of hooks and knotty keyboard lines however - and the song is another strong cut as a result. Amber Through a Window starts out a bit faster than many of the album's songs, but this pace is relatively short lived as the band soon drops away - giving the verses a lush, theatrical feel with Strid's voice backed by Lönnmyr's dense keyboards and the occasional Queen-esque guitar lead. I like the dynamic approach that the song takes, and it helps it to stand out somewhat from the pack. The band do not usually go for this extremely paired-back approach, but it works in the context of the song and it allows the choruses to hit harder as a result when the rest of the band kick back in to enhance to soaring vocal hooks. I Will Try get back to the band's core sound in a more traditional way, and the song has a strong Toto vibe throughout with a distinct groove throughout that reminds me of the late Jeff Porcaro. The Toto approach to production has also been taken here, with D'Angelo's bass high in the mix and Strid taking a more soulful route vocally. Strid's vocals throughout The Night Flight Orchestra's songs are usually in the booming, hooky AOR mould - but here he takes a somewhat smoother approach akin to Toto's Joseph Williams, with the ladies backing him up aptly during the fabulous chorus.

You Belong to the Night returns to the album's core sound in a big way. The disco-esque vibes of Chardonnay Nights returning. These are presented in a bit more of an organic way this time however, with some funky guitar riffing driving the song, while the pulsing bass and synths sits more in the background to add depth. This funky feeling is retained throughout the whole song, and as a result it is probably one of the album's most instantly-memorable cuts. The chorus is pure AOR goodness, and Strid's vocal hooks are some of the album's most soaring. It is a cliché to say this, but the song would have been a huge hit had been released in the mid-1980s - and I am sure that the song will become a live favourite when the band get back out on the road. Zodiac takes a bit more of an atmospheric approach, and I cannot help but think that there is some deliberate tribute-paying to Michael Jackson's Billie Jean here - at least during the verses. The song's chorus is more typical of the band's sound, albeit with a stronger bass presence and defining groove, but the verses are very Jackson-esque. The opening bassline and some of the guitar swells are similar to Billie Jean, while the funk vibes from the previous song have been retained - which helps to propel the song nicely with a strong groove. White Jeans in some ways feels like a companion piece to You Belong to the Night, as they have a similar overall structure. White Jeans is less funk-driven, but there is still more of a guitar presence and a big groove - while the chorus is an AOR-fest with soaring hooks that stick in the brain after only a couple of listens. As a result, the song was one that stood out for me on my first listen to the album. I think there are plenty of other songs here that I now prefer, but the hooks here still make me smile. The chorus lyrics feel like something of an afterthought, but the silliness helps to cement the authentic AOR vibe. The final original song here is Moonlit Skies; Forslund's second songwriting contribution to the album. Like Change there is more of a guitar presence, but this time in the form of intricate little riffs and leads - which sit nicely against a pulsing synth backdrop. The song is not as in-your-face, but its grandeur and soaring chorus make it an excellent closing number. The band do not always need to go all-out to hit home, and this song is a great example of their more laid back approach. The grooves do the talking, while the hooky chorus sticks in the brain with ease - with that aforementioned synth-pop vibe, particularly during a spacy keyboard solo, dominating. Most versions of the album, however, actually end with a bonus track - a cover of Cheap Trick's Reach Out from the Heavy Metal soundtrack. I am not familiar with the original, but The Night Flight Orchestra's version is strong. It is a bit less 'produced' than usual, thanks to Cheap Trick's more garage rock-esque sound, but the song still fits the album well - with a hooky chorus for Strid to bring the best out of with his trademark delivery. It is a fun end to an album that is packed full of highlights. There is a lot to enjoy here, and to deliver another winning album so quickly after Aeromantic is a big achievement. The Night Flight Orchestra really are becoming one of the 21st Century's premier melodic rock acts, and Aeromantic II is another stellar entry in the band's impressive canon.

The album was released on 3rd September 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Chardonnay Nights.

Blaze Bayley - Plymouth Review

While Plymouth has never been a particular hotbed of live music, at least in recent years, The Junction on Mutley Plain has been pulling it out of the bag of late. Last month the NWOBHM legends Diamond Head graced the venue to warm up for their appearance at Bloodstock Open Air, while Frank Turner made two appearances there over the August Bank Holiday weekend to make up for the cancellation of a festival. Next week the UK-based hard rockers Inglorious will be coming to Plymouth as part of their extensive UK tour, but the act that I am covering today is the eternal survivor of heavy metal: Blaze Bayley. Bayley is no stranger to Plymouth, and in fact played at The Junction as recently as 2019. Prior to that I had seen him a over a decade ago at the long-gone White Rabbit; but my memories of these shows are hazy as they were quite a while ago now and my knowledge of Bayley's catalogue at the time was not great. Since then however I have amassed his whole catalogue, and this collection in many ways culminated in 2019 with his last Plymouth show. The 2019 show was one of those that sticks long in the brain, both for the performance of the band as well as the atmosphere. The Junction was packed, and everyone in attendance was there to have a good time. There were plenty of die-hard Bayley fans in The Junction that night, and the atmosphere was so strong throughout that even Bayley seemed a bit taken aback at times. Plymouth is now back on the radar again for Bayley it seems too, as he has included it in all of this tours since. He was supposed to return last year as part of the 20 year celebration for his debut solo album Silicon Messiah, but that tour was inevitably cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bayley and his band took the enforced time off to write however, and the result was the strong War Within Me album that was released earlier this year. The rescheduled tour became the War Within Me tour, understandably, although it is a shame that the planned celebration of Silicon Messiah never happened - as hearing that album in full would be have been a lot of fun. War Within Me is a great album however, and it was right that it got its time in the spotlight. The tour also promised to include Blaze's most career-spanning setlist for a while too, with the touring cycle for the ambitious three-part concept album Infinite Entanglement now over. With Bayley's backing band also acting as the tour's support act under their own name, Absolva, the evening promised to be a great evening of old-school heavy metal.

Absolva hit the stage around an hour or so after the venue opened, by which time a decent-sized crowd had gathered. I had not seen Absolva before, but I saw Fury UK (the band that preceded Absolva) a number of years ago - and I had picked up a couple of Absolva albums in the run-up to the show. Absolva play old-fashioned heavy metal; and their eight-song set reflected this. They are certainly not the most original of bands, but they have a strong sound and they do what they do very well. Absolva released an album last year, Side by Side, so they were clearly enjoying the opportunity to finally play a few of the new songs live. Two songs from that album opened the set, with the soaring Advocate Your Fate and the crunchy Burning Star getting things off to a fine start. Advocate Your Fate is one of my favourite Absolva songs, with the excellent opening guitar lead from Chris Appleton (vocals/guitar) being one of the evening's hookiest. While the whole band are excellent, it is clear that Absolva is led by Chris. His brother Luke Appleton (guitar/vocals) added strong riffs and the occasional dual lead throughout, but Chris dominates the spotlight with his strong voice and excellent guitar skills. The rest of the band seem happy to back him up however, and there was a real tightness about the set as a result. Anthemic songs like Never a Good Day to Die and Rise Again sat nicely alongside crunchy tracks like Legion, and this slight variety helped to create a dynamic set. It was also clear a handful of songs into the set that it was not just me that enjoyed what Absolva were doing. The crowd seemed to get more and more into the band the longer that they played, and the cheers that greeted the last few songs were pretty loud - especially for a support act. I think that it is fair to say that the band made a few new fans with their performance, and the crowd interaction during the closing number Code Red certainly demonstrated this. I was impressed by the band, and I will definitely see them live again if the opportunity to do so arises. I will probably pick up some of the band's older albums too, as they have released a few at this point that are likely to be of interest. The setlist was:

Advocate Your Fate

Burning Star

Never a Good Day to Die

Legion

Rise Again

Never Back Down

The Sky's Your Limit

Code Red

The Absolva boys were back on stage half an hour so later, this time however they were backing Bayley. It must be a challenge doing double duty, but it is an arrangement that benefits all, and it keeps the COVID-19 tour bubble small. By the time Bayley took to the stage, the crowd had sadly not really grown at all. I was expecting more people to turn up, especially as it was a Saturday night and his previous Plymouth show had been very busy, but for some reason the numbers were down this time. This affected the atmosphere sometimes, especially as some who turned up clearly had no interest in the music and instead decided to talk very loudly throughout the whole show. I had hoped that the pandemic and the lack of live music over the past year or so would have made people more respectful, but sadly that does not appear to be the case. I would not be surprised if this annoyed Bayley too, but he was very professional about it and just got on with delivering a 17-song set with his usual gusto. He was perhaps a little more reserved than usual given the COVID-19 pressures, but he still delivered the songs in his usual powerful way. Three older songs kicked off the set - with two songs from the old Blaze band albums and an early solo cut getting big reactions from the crowd early on. Opening with the moody half-ballad Silicon Messiah was a big of a strange choice, but by the time Kill and Destroy kicked in the band were really rocking. Absolva are a great backing band for Bayley, and the sound was much fuller this time around with the addition of Luke's guitar. Most of the songs played were written with two guitarists in mind, so the expanded band certainly made a lot of noise.

Following a rare outing for Watching the Night Sky, Bayley pulled out some of the new material. Overall, six songs from the new album were played - and it was the title track that was the first to be aired. Pull Yourself Up and Warrior also went down well, but sadly the between-song chats were sometimes hard to hear due to the aforementioned talkers. They also ruined the quiet parts of some of the songs, such as Iron Maiden's Virus, but thankfully most of the set was loud enough to drown them out. The twin guitar leads of Speed of Light were certainly a good antidote to their rudeness; as was a stretched out 18 Flights which included drum, bass, and guitar solos - with the whole band getting a chance to show off - before Bayley kicked back in with the riff-heavy 303. By this point, however, it was clear that a few in the crowd had had a bit too much to drink, and there were a few out to cause trouble. One guy was repeatedly pushed away by a few people he was annoying (he was later kicked out for getting on the stage), and a bit of a fight broke out when someone decided to jump on the back of a security guard. All of this, combined with the talkers, just showed Plymouth in a bad light. I would not be surprised if Bayley decides not to return in the future, despite the excellent 2019 show, and I would not blame him if he did. This all marred the final third or so of the evening, but things got back on track with an excellent rendition of The Man Who Would Not Die - one of the songs that got me into Bayley in the past. Rather than going off and coming back on for an encore, the band decided to play straight through, and ended the evening with two songs from Bayley's time with Iron Maiden: Man on the Edge and Futureal. The two songs are pretty much ever-present in Bayley's sets, but they always go down well and the crowd certainly enjoyed hearing them - and there was plenty of singing to be heard which made a change from all the talking. It was a strong end to a strong set; and the ending felt like a real high after the disruption that had preceded it. The setlist was:

Silicon Messiah [Blaze material]

Kill and Destroy [Blaze material]

Watching the Night Sky

War Within Me

Pull Yourself Up

Warrior

Virus [Iron Maiden material]

The Power of Nikola Tesla

Speed of Light [Blaze material]

18 Flights

303

Life Goes On

Eating Lies

Infinite Entanglement

The Man Who Would Not Die

Man on the Edge [Iron Maiden material]

Futureal [Iron Maiden material]

Despite the poorly-behaved crowd, which certainly dented the evening's atmosphere, the overall performance form Bayley and his band was a strong one. Bayley always gives 100% whenever he steps onto a stage, and his continued passion for his craft always shines through. This is what made the incessant talking and the drunken behaviour to be all the more annoying, as the performance deserved a lot more respect than it got. I loved hearing such a diverse selection of songs from Bayley's catalogue however, some of which I had not heard performed live since those White Rabbit shows from the 2000s. I do hope that Bayley returns to Plymouth again one day, but I certainly would not blame him if he chose to go elsewhere next time!

The Wildhearts' '21st Century Love Songs' - Album Review

I have always considered The Wildhearts to be a genuine enigma. With a chaotic history and a sound that is hard to define, the British four-piece really are a band that do things on their own terms - even if sometimes things end in disaster. I had been a casual fan of The Wildhearts for a while, and had picked up a copy of the band's 1993 debut album Earth vs. The Wildhearts a number of years ago, but in 2019 I started to get into the band in a bigger way. This was spearheaded by their excellent set at the 2019 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air, where they were a late addition to the bill - replacing a band that had dropped out. The band's 40 or so minutes on stage really did it for me, and I think that it is fair to say that they went down well with a field of heavy metal fans. The Wildhearts are certainly not a metal band, but they can be heavy when they want to be and there has always been an element of their fanbase that is made up of metalheads. Around the same time I picked up a copy of their 2019 release Renaissance Men, which was their first studio album in 10 years. I got Renaissance Men too late to review here, but I did discuss it in my 2019 round-up (which can be read here). It is an album that, if I had spent more time with it that year, could well have ended up in my Albums of the Year list for 2019. My opinion of it has only grown since then too - and it remains one of my favourite Wildhearts albums despite now owning most of their back catalogue. Lots of us dreamed of a follow up but The Wildhearts are known for being quite a volatile band, who have split up and reformed a number of times over the years - often quite dramatically. The band could be put on ice at any time, so the fanbase were never quite sure if a follow up would materialise. This question was answered last week however, as the band's tenth studio album 21st Century Love Songs was released. Given the 10 year wait between 2009's ¡Chutzpah! and Renaissance Men, a more traditional two year cycle has certainly excited the fanbase. Renaissance Men was well-received for its anthemic qualities and hooky songwriting, but it was difficult to know how the band would follow it up. Like everything that has come before however, 21st Century Love Songs is a real mix of hard rock, pop, and punk. This mix of genres forms the classic Wildhearts' sound, but the new album is a different beast to Renaissance Men. The 2019 release focused on big hooks and choruses, whereas 21st Century Love Songs is more varied, dynamic, and even progressive. It is not as instantly memorable for me, although there are still plenty of hooks to enjoy, but 21st Century Love Songs has a creative streak that shows the band kicking on from Renaissance Men in a big way.

This is an album that packs a lot into its 44 minute runtime. Some of the band's heaviest moments to date are included within, and the amount of strong riffs that are present is impressive. The album opens with its title track, a song which fuses riffy hard rock and a strong punk attitude with ease. As is usual with The Wildhearts, there is little musical showboating throughout the album. The riff is always king with the band, and the way that Ginger and CJ team up for the song's opening - while Ritch Battersby's rolling drum fills back them - is classic Wildhearts. Ginger and CJ have always played off each other perfectly, be it vocally or as guitarists, and 21st Century Love Songs is a great example of this. The mid-paced poppy verses see Ginger and CJ harmonising vocally in their trademark style, while the chorus is an explosion of attitude. The chorus ups the song's pace considerably, and it takes a side swipe into a much punkier direction - with fast-paced riffs and loud gang vocals. The transition feels a little jarring at first, but it all hangs together. The Wildhearts are known for taking such turns during their songs, and it is great to see that that creativity is still very much a big part of Ginger's songwriting. It might not be as anthemic as what came before, but in pure attitude terms the song works really as an album opener. Remember These Days is a bit more hooky, and recalls the sound that the band forged on Renaissance Men somewhat. It feels less heavy than the opening title track, with the band's ability to weave a pop hook around a tough riff evident. The verses steam along nicely, with a slight pop punk edge shining throughout, while there are occasional moments that see the heaviness drop out to be replaced by chiming clean guitar melodies and Ginger's gentle vocals. These little changes are again a core element of the band's sound, and they help to keep things interesting. Another standout moment in the song for me is the strange psychedelic section towards the end that sees Ginger and CJ playing some off-kilter guitar patterns that do not quite lock together - but it works well due to its weirdness. This leads into a really anthemic closing section that is certainly reminiscent of the band's last album - and the song is one of the album's most immediate cuts as a result. Splitter follows, and it is a great example of the band's punk side. The song is pretty uncompromising, and never really slows down throughout. The verses are driven by punky riffs and gang vocals;  while its chorus is somewhat more poppy and backed by a strong bassline from Danny McCormack. The clash between the hooky chorus and the in-your-face verses works well - and again is classic Wildhearts in style. The song might be my favourite cut here, as it just has a bit of everything that makes the band great - and the hooks are the sort that really lodge into the brain once they have been heard only a handful of times.

Institutional Submission ups the heaviness quite considerably, with the song's opening moments including some of the band's heaviest riffs. Battersby's drumming during the song's intro is almost a blast beat, and there are certainly extreme metal vibes throughout parts of the song. On the whole the song is typical of the The Wildhearts' sound, with punky riffing and Ginger's melodic vocals, but there are moments that veer back into heavier territory - with bursts of black metal-esque riffing that quickly punctuate the song's main bulk. These moments certainly help the song to stand out, as does the much slower, more melodic section that comes towards the end of the song - which even features a guitar solo. Solos are not commonly heard on the band's albums, but the melodies that solo adds here really enhance the song overall in my opinion - and add a moment of relative calm before the punk riffing kicks back in to close the song out. Sleepaway reins in the heaviness quite significantly, and instead goes for a poppier vibe. The song is very hooky as a result, and has a similar overall vibe to Let 'Em Go from Renaissance Men due to its emphasis on strong vocal lines and a much simpler arrangement. There is less in-your-face riffing this time around, although there are still punky sections throughout that feature prominent gang vocals and brief injections of pace. Given its emphasis on hooks, it is no surprise that the band filmed a video for the song. It is certainly one of the easiest songs on the album to digest, and the band have always been good at writing these poppier songs to break up the heaviness. You Do You returns to the band's core heavier sound, with an opening riff that recalls the album's title track. The verses have a strong stop-start vibe to them, with guitars and drum fills weaving in and out of each other to create a great rhythm, while the chorus is filled with hooks. It is a very short song however, so it is over before you know it. It is the band's heavy pop punk side shown off to a tee though, and it contains some of my favourite lyrics on the album - with Ginger's trademark sardonic humour on full display. I had expected Sort Your Fucking Shit Out to be a fast, angry punk song - but it is more melodic than that and it is a mid-paced pop punk track on a whole. This may have been a deliberate bait-and-switch, but the song overall works well despite it not really matching its title. There are moments that are somewhat heavier and faster, but on the whole the song plods along somewhat with a bouncy groove and one of Ginger's more overtly melodic vocal performances.

Directions is heavier, and again harks back to the sound established by the album's title track. The riffing throughout the song is strong, and the verses are often punctuated by little musical interludes. This helps the song to stand out somewhat, as Ginger's punky vocals lines are often broken up by these riffs. In some ways Directions is another representation of everything that constitutes the Wildhearts' core sound. There is heaviness to be found throughout thanks to some weighty riffing and a strong bass presence; a punk attitude that be heard in Ginger's vocal delivery; and plenty of pop hooks to pull everything together. The chorus is very catchy, which again harks back to the Renaissance Men sound somewhat, and it helps to add some light to a song that is otherwise generally full of shade. A Physical Exorcism is somewhat similar, although it is faster and punkier overall. It is a song that is pretty uncompromising throughout, with fast-paced drum beats and plenty of snappy riffs. The verses are pure punk, with gang vocals and Battersby's non-stop drumming, while the choruses do inject some of the band's trademark pop to lighten the mood. Despite this pop injection, the song never really slows down at all - and it is one of the album's most furious cuts as a result. This is the band operating at full tilt, and it is great to hear them still sounding so vital and furious after all these years. The album's final song slows things down after a couple of heavier tracks, and My Head Wants Me Dead is much more overtly melodic. The mid-paced song is not really punky at all, and instead has a much more traditional hard rock sound - with plenty of poppy melodies. Even the gang vocal-led sections during the chorus are more rock than punk, and the song feels less heavy on the whole. This works well however, and it helps the album to end on a different note than much of the album - which allows it to contrast nicely with what has come before. There are still bursts of heaviness however, but these are generally short-lived and act as punctuation rather than as core facet of the song itself. I like the band's more melodic side as it gives the band's hooks a chance to shine in a different way; but the song is not a pure pop track as it has one of the album's most interesting instrumental sections too. Towards the end of the song Ginger and CJ team up for a number of interlocking riffs and guitar leads, which inject a little virtuosity into the piece, before the song ends on a slightly heavier note. While the song itself is not that heavy, ending on the heavier note works well as it helps the album to come full circle. Much of the album is quite heavy however, and it certainly feels more aggressive on the whole than Renaissance Men. There are still plenty of hooks to be found throughout, but for me 21st Century Love Songs is an album that needs to be listened to a few times before it can be fully appreciated. There are a lot of moods throughout that need to be digested, but the songwriting is excellent and everything hangs well together despite the diversity. The album is another strong entry in the band's canon, and it is an album that is only going to improve for me over time.

The album was released on 3rd September 2021 via Graphite Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Sleepaway.