Music of 2021 - Part 1

As another year comes to a close, it is once again time to reflect on the past 12 months. Looking back at my equivalent post from last year, I was very pessimistic for 2021 - particularly from a live music perspective. Yet another COVID-19-related lockdown was looming, and it really felt like not much was going to change - with the general view from the government being one of extreme negativity. Thankfully, however, things did start to change. After a couple of months, it became clear that the UK's COVID-19 vaccine roll-out was going to be a success. What was also apparent was that the vaccines themselves were effective, so much so that it was not long before a roadmap back to normal life was published by the government. There were some bumps and delays along the way, but life in the UK was essentially back to normal by the end of July. There are relatively few countries, particularly in Europe, that can say that - and the UK was able to enjoy much of the summer summer, the autumn, and the winter with live music. Considering that I only attended six concerts in 2020, the fact that I managed to attend 25 this year really felt like life returning to normal. 25 is still low compared to most years, but in 2021 it was certainly a success. Touring is still being disrupted, especially those tours which rely on a large number of shows in mainland Europe, but I am happy that I still managed to get to as many gigs as I did - many of which were from UK-based bands.

It is unclear yet what 2022 will look like from a gigging perspective, however. With the Omicron variant of COVID-19 taking hold in the UK, the threat of the re-introduction of restrictions is ever-present. So far, however, at least in England, the government has held fast - instead choosing to focus on expanding their booster vaccine campaign rather than re-impose a form of lockdown. Much of Europe, and even other parts of the UK, has re-entered some form of lockdown, however, so it may only be a matter of time before England follows suit. I hope not, however, as it would certainly feel like a failure after the relative success of the past few months. There would be no 'carrot' (which the vaccines provided previously) this time either, and I think that the UK government know this - which is why they have resisted so far. I fully expect there to be more disruption to gigs throughout 2022 however - particularly to those tours which rely on European shows and lots of international travel. I am hoping that 2022 will continue to be a success for UK-based bands playing in the UK, however, and I will certainly make the effort to get to as many gigs as I can. In the meantime, however, it is time to turn my attention back to 2021's new music. I review a lot of new albums throughout every year on this blog, and I always like to cover a handful of others that I did not manage to get to for whatever reason before the year's end. I have picked five albums/EPs that I would like to talk about, and each one is reviewed in précis form below. As always, too, I have also discussed my favourite live release of the year - a format which I do not routinely cover here.

The first album that I would like to talk about is the twenty-first studio album from Alice Cooper: Detroit Stories. The PR for this album confused me, as I thought for quite a long time that Detroit Stories was a covers album. Covers albums do not really interest me, so I did not pick it up when it was released back in February. A couple of months later, however, I found out that, while the album does have a handful of covers on it, it is largely made up of original material. I rectified my original mistake and bought a copy, and found the album to be very solid indeed. I enjoyed 2017's Paranormal (which I reviewed here) quite a bit back when it was released, and Detroit Stories very much feels like its natural successor. Cooper's modern sound actually harks back to his classic 1970s output quite a lot, and the raw, garage rock sound of Detroit Stories brings the best out of his scratchy voice - as well as the large amount of talent that joins him throughout. As with Paranormal, there are appearances from members of Cooper's original band from the 1970s - as well as lots of others who have worked with him throughout the years. The handful of covers here, from Detroit bands such as MC5 and The Velvet Underground, are integrated well within the album; and many of Cooper's new originals here are catchy and full of his usual punky attitude. Cooper fans will find a lot to like throughout the album, and at 73 he seems to be showing no signs of slowing down.

Up next is Holy Ground, the fifth album from The Dead Daisies. It is hard not to be cynical about The Dead Daisies, considering that the band is essentially just multi-millionaire guitarist David Lowy's vanity project - but Holy Ground is easily the best thing that the band (if The Dead Daisies can really be called a band in the traditional sense) have put out. The band has always consisted of a revolving door of well-known, but B-List, musicians, but with Glenn Hughes now fronting The Dead Daisies Lowy has snagged his first genuine A-Lister. Hughes does not seem to stick with any project for a significant amount of time these days, so I do not know how long he will stay in The Dead Daisies, but Holy Ground is as good as it is thanks to his talents. Former Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich pulls his weight too, and it is clear that him and Hughes have already struck up a strong songwriting partnership. Holy Ground is 1970s-style hard rock done right, and it helps that someone who was a big part of that era wrote most of it. The Dead Daisies' previous albums have often felt like pretty soulless pastiches of that era, and I often felt that the band survived on the revolving door of 'names' that passed through its ranks, but Holy Ground feels like a proper, well-written album that ticks all the right boxes. It helps, too, that Hughes is still a force of nature vocally. He sounds as good now as he did in the 1970s, and his performance throughout Holy Ground showcases his evergreen talents perfectly.

Followers of this blog should know by now that I am a big fan of power metal, but one band that I have never really given a lot of love to is Germany's Orden Ogan. I have been a casual fan of the band for a while, and I own a few of their albums, but this year I really wanted to cover them here as I loved the two singles that preceded their seventh album Final Days. Amazon clearly had other ideas, however, as my copy of the album finally arrived about two months after it was released - despite pre-ordering it well in advance. In fairness, I think that there was a problem with AFM Records at the time, as an U.D.O. live album that came out around the same time was also delayed, but by the time Final Days arrived it was too late to review it - the world had moved on! It is an album that I have listened to quite a lot this year, however, and it might well be my favourite Orden Ogan album yet. It is certainly the album of theirs that I have listened to the most, and the sci-fi themes that run through it are perfectly suited to the band's cinematic, and somewhat progressive, brand of power metal. Frontman Sebastian Levermann sounds as great as ever vocally, and the new-look guitar tandem of former bassist Niels Löffler and newcomer Patrick Sperling churn out enough memorable riffs and solos for multiple albums. Orden Ogan have been a well-respected band for a number of years at this point, but I feel that Final Days has the potential to push them to the next level. It has certainly made me take more notice of them, and I am looking forward to properly working my way through their back catalogue in due course.

Up next is a bit of a strange one. Mainstream-sounding pop is not something that I cover on this blog, but I wanted to give a shout out to The Sun's Gonna Shine - the debut EP from Sam Ryder. Ryder has become quite well known on TikTok for covering famous pop songs, but for those of us in the know he is more well known for fronting The Morning After - a band that is sorely missed. The Morning After mixed metalcore, glam metal, and power metal to create some of the catchiest music that I had heard in my teenage years. They released two albums: You Can't Hurt Steel in 2009 and Legacy in 2011; both of which are fantastic, but fizzled out not too long after touring Legacy in 2012. Ryder was also a part of the American 1980s-inspired metalcore act Blessed by a Broken Heart for a time, contributing to their 2012 release Feel the Power, but that band soon fizzled out too. Sadly for those of us who loved The Morning After, Ryder seems to have abandoned metal a long time ago. Maybe one day he will return to it, but it seems that he operates in totally different circles these days. It is a real shame, but it is great to see that he is still making music. I picked up The Sun's Gonna Shine to support him due to my love of The Morning After, but in truth it is not really my thing. That being said, however, that voice that made The Morning After so good is still there - and he powers his way through five catchy. stripped back pop songs with ease. Whirlwind is easily my favourite of the five, with its gorgeous chorus and subtle harmonies. There will certainly be an audience for this stuff, and I would not be surprised to see Ryder make a success of it, but Lost in Time or Stream of Stars this certainly is not!

The final album that I want to cover is the quiet comeback of Touch, with their second (or third?) album Tomorrow Never Comes. Touch made minor waves back in 1980 with the release of their self-titled debut album, and are probably most famous for opening the first ever Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park that same year. A second album was recorded, but it was never officially released. Those songs have since been released through various unofficial and official channels, but never as a stand-alone album in their own right. Last year, however, all four of Touch's original members reunited to write and record a new album - which was released back in March under the title Tomorrow Never Comes. Anyone who was a fan of Touch, will instantly love Tomorrow Never Comes. The band's brand of melodic hard rock, with touches of pomp, prog, and yacht rock, sounds as good in 2021 as it did in 1980; and Tomorrow Never Comes is packed full of hooks and clever songwriting. There is a reason why keyboardist Mark Mangold went on to bigger things after Touch originally split up. His songs have been recorded by people such as Michael Bolton, Cher, and Laura Branigan - plus he has spearheaded a number of other projects such as Drive, She Said and The Sign. Touch was the one that resonated with me, however, and the band's debut album is a lost gem in the melodic hard rock and AOR worlds. Whether Tomorrow Never Comes is Touch's second or third album is somewhat immaterial, and anyone who loves classy melodic hard rock should certainly give it a go - and pick up that classic debut too!

Anyone looking for some last minute 2021 listening can do a lot worse than sample the above five releases. All are worthy of some attention, and before I sign off for the year I would also like to shine a light on my favourite live release of the year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there have been relatively few live albums released this year. With very few shows taking place last year, this cause an obvious knock-on effect in live album production. There were still a few good ones, however, but some of the year's most notable live albums were actually archival releases. It is one of those that I am going to talk about today, as my favourite live release of the year is Live at Knebworth '76 by Lynyrd Skynyrd. There are so many Lynyrd Skynyrd live albums out there, but the vast majority of them have been released by the various reunion line-ups that have been touring since 1987. Live at Knebworth '76 features the band's classic, pre-crash line-up - and feels like something of a condensed version of the classic double live album One More from the Road - also from 1976. What sets Live at Knebworth '76 apart, however, is the inclusion of the full hour-plus set on Blu Ray - in excellent quality. Parts of the set have been available online for years, and often in questionable quality, but Live at Knebworth '76 presents the full show in pristine quality - with full remixed and remastered sound to go with it. There is relatively little recorded footage of Lynyrd Skynyrd at their peak out there, and this is why Live at Knebworth '76 is a real treat for southern rock fans. The setlist contains no real surprises, but the performance is fiery - and it shows why many believed that Lynyrd Skynyrd blew The Rolling Stones off stage that day. It is great to finally have a proper video memento of a band that could have been one of the biggest in the world, and every southern rock fans needs to pick up a copy of this essential release.

My coverage of Lynyrd Skynyrd essentially wraps up my overall discussion of the new releases of 2021. I will publish my Albums (and gigs!) of the Year list tomorrow, as is tradition, but I would also like to look forward to 2022 - as it is already shaping up to be another great year for new albums. I already have 17 albums pre-ordered, as well as more on my radar which I need to order. It is amazing how so many of my favourite bands continue to deliver on a regular basis, and my first review will be from one of those dependable bands: Magnum, who's new album The Monster Roars comes out on 14th January. Some other albums that I am looking forward to include Jethro Tull's first studio album since 1999, The Zealot Gene, Amorphis' latest opus Halo, and An Hour Before It's Dark from Marillion. There are so many more that I have ordered, many more that I need to order, and no doubt many more still that are yet to be announced. I will continue to cover as much new rock and metal as I can throughout 2022 - as well as all of the gigs that I am able to get to. I have a lot planned, but who knows at this point which ones will actually take place! Either way, however, please continue to visit here occasionally to catch up on some great new albums - and thank you to all who have taken the time to read any of my reviews this year.

Rhapsody of Fire's 'Glory for Salvation' - Album Review

Even those of us who follow the Italian symphonic/power metal band that was formed in 1993 under the name Thundercross can struggle keeping up with all of its disparate parts. Following the split between guitarist Luca Turilli and keyboardist Alex Staropoli in 2011, there have always been at least two versions of the band out there. Turilli had Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, then was a part of Rhapsody's 20th Anniversary Farewell Tour, and is now currently a member of Turilli/Lione Rhapsody. Staropoli, however, has kept it consistent. He kept control of the 'main' band, Rhapsody of Fire, and has been leading the charge ever since - albeit with a shrinking (and now totally dry) pool of classic members. Frontman Fabio Lione and drummer Alex Holzwarth stuck with Staropoli for two albums, but then jumped ship and teamed up once again with Turilli. This essentially left Staropoli as the only long-term member of Rhapsody of Fire left, meaning that the band had to be rebuilt. I had wondered if Staropoli would call it a day, but he recruited a new frontman, Giacomo Voli, and carried on. The result was 2019's The Eighth Mountain, an album which I did not hear until a few months ago. It came out very early in 2019, during a time when CDs really shot up in price here in the UK for a short while - with some albums being almost impossible to track copies down of. I think that this was all tied to HMV's impending closure (which did not end up happening), but there were some albums that came out during this period which I ended up missing out on. The Eighth Mountain was one, and I think that part of the reason that I did not pick it up more quickly was because I was not, at the time, all that interested in hearing a Rhapsody of Fire album without Lione. Lione had been the voice of the band since the beginning, so with him heading back to camp Turilli my allegiance (for want of a better word) went with him. I was only ever really a casual listener of the two Luca Turilli's Rhapsody albums, instead giving my main support to Rhapsody of Fire. What I should have done from the beginning was just to properly follow all the various versions of the band from the off - as all of the albums that have been released since the 2011 split have been very good. I will certainly be doing so from now on, and I picked up Rhapsody of Fire's thirteenth studio album Glory for Salvation when it was released last month. Glory for Salvation is the band's second album with Voli, who is a superb replacement for Lione, and the first to feature drummer Paolo Marchesich (Sinestesia) who joined the band last year. While The Eighth Mountain sounded like classic Rhapsody of Fire, with its lengthy songs and over-the-top orchestrations, Glory for Salvation feels uncharacteristically streamlined. It still sounds like Rhapsody of Fire, but with some of the fat trimmed - and more of a focus on mid-paced anthems than lengthy power metal romps. It feels somewhat akin to the sound that the band attempted on 2013's Dark Wings of Steel, but less gothic and pulled off more successfully. It is an album that flies by as a result, and it is also one of the band's easiest to digest.

The fact that the album lacks an instrumental scene-setter showcases from the off that Glory for Salvation is a Rhapsody of Fire album with a difference. Instead, the opening moments of Son of Vengeance act as the album's intro - but it is less symphonic than usual, and instead sounds like something from a progressive metal album with dramatic rhythmic stabs and some flashy keyboard leads. Despite the slight change of focus, however, there are still a lot of classic Rhapsody of Fire sounds here. Voli might not quite have the character of Lione, but his range is fantastic - and he is the perfect singer for a band as epic as Rhapsody of Fire. This is probably the band's most vocally-focused album too, which means that he gets plenty of time in the spotlight. The song's mid-paced, anthemic chorus showcases his talents perfectly - but it is possibly the more low key bridge that sees him shine the most. This portion of the song sees everything stripped back to its orchestral roots, which Voli sings over with great control. A lengthy guitar solo from Roberto De Micheli, on his fourth album with the band, follows - which again takes on more of a progressive metal feel, in contrast to the band's usual neo-classical stylings. The neo-classical sound returns for The Kingdom of Ice, however, as the song picks up the pace during the intro with a knotty lead run. The song is not a pure burst of speed, however, as once the verse starts things slow down again thanks to a crunching riff. The song is pretty dynamic though, and changes throughout. The verses are generally pretty slow-paced, with the aforementioned heavy riff and Staropoli's synth stabs creating something of a groove, while the choruses pick up the pace to accommodate some classic-sounding Rhapsody of Fire chorus vocal melodies. The Kingdom of Ice's chorus is easily one of the album's most old-school sounding Rhapsody of Fire moments - and this is all down to Voli's theatrical vocal melodies. These melodies make the song one of the album's catchiest moments, and it is sure to become a live favourite going forward. The album's title track is next, and it opens with a mid-paced modern-sounding riff which is augmented by Staropoli's keyboards. Another thing which sets this album apart from many of the band's other albums in my opinion is the fact that Staropoli's keyboards are much more important than usual. This may sound strange for a symphonic metal band, but usually the strings and orchestrations are so overpowering that the more 'organic' keyboard work gets lost. This is not the case here, and Staropoli's keyboards often fill the job of the huge orchestras of the past, which actually brings the band's very early albums to mind. There are still strings and choirs made use of throughout, and the title track's dense chorus is a good example of this, but they are used more sparingly - which actually allows Staropoli to shine more regularly, and it is also why the album has more of a progressive metal vibe overall.

Following the short, folky spoken word piece Eternal Snow, which comes across as ham-fisted as these sort of things usually do (especially as the late Christopher Lee is no longer around to deliver them), the single Terial the Hawk gets underway in a similarly folky fashion. Rhapsody of Fire seem to need to have at least one upbeat, folky rocker on each album (see The Village of Dwarves for reference), and Terial the Hawk serves that purpose here. The song mixes folky verses, with flutes and uilleann pipes backing up Voli's storytelling vocal style, with heavier choruses. The choruses really stomp along with a folk metal-esque energy, with anthemic vocal hooks and big keyboard melodies which ape some of the lines played by the flutes previously. Due to the big hooks throughout, the song is likely to be another live favourite going forward - and it is one that will really allow Staropoli to show off by re-creating many of those folky melodies. Maid of the Secret Sand ups the pace again, and goes for a more traditional Rhapsody of Fire sound. De Micheli's busy guitar lead drives the song early on, while Marchesich rarely lets up the pace throughout. There is a lot of double bass drumming throughout the song, and the energy this creates makes the track a powerful one. Most Rhapsody of Fire albums are packed with songs like this, but the focus on a more streamlined sound makes Maid of the Secret Sand a relative rarity. The style sounds as good as ever, however, and the current line-up of the band are still capable of sounding like the Rhapsody of Fire of old - even without two of its key players. The album's lengthy epic Abyss of Pain - Part II follows, and this is where the band's tweaked progressive metal sound really shines. I am not sure why The Eighth Mountain's intro track needed a ten-plus minute sequel, but the song itself is a great example of the album's more streamlined style - albeit stretched out and presented in a much more epic fashion. The song is probably the album's heaviest too, and this is apparent from the off. Following a gothic-tinged intro, packed with choirs and strings, the first verse gets underway with a mid-paced crunching riff and Voli's gritty vocals. He sounds quite different from the norm during parts of the song, and he takes on something of a rasp. While not exactly bona fide harsh vocals, the edge in his voice makes the song sound much heavier than is typical for the band - and it suits the guitar-heavy arrangement that it has. The strings instead tend to take a backseat here, which allows the song to maintain its tough, gothic vibe throughout. There is still time for Staropoli to shine, however, as the song includes a lengthy instrumental section that sees him and De Micheli trading solos back and forth. The crunchiness of the track, and the great instrumental moments throughout, stop it from feeling over-long too - and the song is an epic album centrepiece as a result.

Infinitae Gloriae returns to the album's more typical sound, and is built around another heavy-sounding guitar riff which is then embellished by Staropoli's strings and synth stabs. Despite this, however, some of the grittiness of the previous song remains. Voli's harsher vocals remain in spots, providing a call-and-response for the verses, but on the whole the song is smooth and packed full of melody. The choruses are very old-school sounding - with romantic strings and some soaring vocals from Voli. This is a song that mixes a heavy sound and a more flowery one together nicely. The verses are certainly very riff-driven, with the aforementioned vocal diversity adding to the heaviness, but the choruses take that very smooth path that only Italian power metal bands can truly tread successfully. Magic Signs starts of similarly, with a soaring guitar lead set against a backdrop of strings, but it soon morphs into an epic power ballad. A Rhapsody of Fire album needs a big ballad to feel complete, and Magic Signs is a strong addition to the band's canon. The verses are very stripped back, with classical guitar melodies providing the main base for Voli's emotionally-charged vocals, but the choruses do ramp up somewhat - with the rest of the band joining in to add some extra power to the piece. Magic Signs may be a ballad that nearly every power metal band going (including Rhapsody of Fire) has written before, but it still sounds good within the context of the album. Voli's emotional vocal delivery makes it work, and it provides a lull in pace before the album's final two songs. I'll Be Your Hero instantly ups the pace, and opens with some heroic guitar playing that fills the speakers with De Micheli's runs. At first it seems like the song will be another mid-paced, crunching track - but the pace soon increases thanks to some more urgent riffing, that is perfectly backed by Staropoli's pompous keyboard stabs. This is another song that shines the spotlight on Staropoli quite a lot. There are a lot of keyboard melodies throughout the song, and these would have likely been handled by the orchestra on previous Rhapsody of Fire albums. It is great to hear the keyboards pushed to the fore again, and Staropoli's little flourishes really help the album to stand out. The album comes to a close with Chains of Destiny (Quingdar), which is another real throwback to the band's classic sound. It is a fast-paced power metal anthem with lots of double bass drumming, busy keyboard work, and a dramatic vocal from Voli. It is amazing, though, that this is only really the third song on the album that sounds like this. Rhapsody of Fire albums of old were packed with songs of this nature, but on Glory for Salvation the sound is used sparingly. I quite like that, however, as it allows the album to feel more dynamic and varied than usual. It is still great to hear the band sounding like their old selves, but the album as a whole benefits from its more mid-paced, progressive metal vibe. It is great to hear, though, that Rhapsody of Fire are still sounding fresh thirteen albums into their career - and now without both Turilli and Lione. If the current line-up follows this more progressive metal direction going forward then the band could successfully reinvent themselves sound-wise - and Glory for Salvation shows that they are more than capable of doing so, or at least diversifying themselves somewhat.

The album was released on 26th November 2021 via AFM Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Chains of Destiny (Quingdar).

Exodus' 'Persona Non Grata' - Album Review

Getting a new release from one of the legends of the thrash genre is always something of a treat. Few of the genre's classic big hitters, at least from the American side of the thrash divide, with the exceptions of Testament and Megadeth (although they have slowed up of late too), regularly release new material these days - which is a real shame as most of the newer releases that have come from classic American thrash acts have been strong. Slayer no longer exist, Metallica do not seem to enjoying writing new songs, and both Anthrax and Megadeth have been working on fabled new albums for so long at this point that it is hard to believe that they actually exist. Testament buck the trend, however, and still release new albums pretty regularly - with last year's excellent Titans of Creation (which I reviewed here) being probably the best thrash album of 2020. The fact that I have reviewed no true thrash albums so far on this blog in 2021 is certainly testament to the above statement regarding the slowness of output from many of the genre's classic bands (as well as my relative inexperience with the genre's newer talent); but my penultimate piece of the year turns the spotlight on Exodus - who released their eleventh studio album, Persona Non Grata, last month. While not as popular as the venerated Big 4, or even Testament, Exodus are one of the most important bands in the history of the thrash genre. They formed back in 1979, which probably makes them the first true thrash band, and they were a big part of developing the Bay Area thrash scene of the early 1980s. All of the bands who formed after them, including Metallica, looked up to Exodus, but sadly this cult-like status never translated to anything like the level of success that many of their peers enjoyed. I do not think it helped that it took Exodus six years to release their debut album, however. By the time Bonded by Blood, which is rightly regarded as a thrash classic and one of the genre's most important albums, was released in 1985 Metallica had already released two albums, as had Slayer. Megadeth also released their debut in 1985, but they were a much newer band than Exodus, and Anthrax were already established and about to release their classic sophomore album Spreading the Disease. If Bonded by Blood had come out in 1983, alongside Kill 'Em All, would things would been different for Exodus? It is hard to know, but they have remained popular throughout the years - even if they have largely remained a club band. The quality of their albums has always been strong, however, and Persona Non Grata is another excellent entry into their canon. It comes seven years after Blood In Blood Out, and it is the band's second album to feature the current line-up. It is very much classic Exodus in style, and it is refreshing to see that the band still sound as fiery and as potent as ever. Exodus rarely disappoint, and Persona Non Grata is an album that plenty will enjoy.

As with most of Exodus' recent albums, Persona Non Grata is quite lengthy. I find it strange that modern thrash albums are often long, but in fairness to Exodus Persona Non Grata rarely drags. The quality is pretty consistent throughout, so its overall length is not a problem for me. The 12-track album opens with the seven-plus minute title track, and wastes no time with pleasantries of any kind. There is no atmospheric build-up, with the first of the album's many riffs crashing in from the off - and the song carries on with a similar ferocity from there. Exodus have always stood apart from their peers due to the riffing style of guitarist Gary Holt. His style is instantly-recognisable, with a tone that is really heavy - yet still easy on the ear. He has always been the band's main songwriter too, and much of Persona Non Grata has come from him. It is fitting, then, that the album's title track is a real tour-de-force of Holt's talents and writing style. Mixing both fast-paced sections and groovy riffing, the song showcases everything that is great about the band from the off. Frontman Steve 'Zetro' Souza, on his seventh album in three stints with the band, sounds as unhinged as ever vocally. His Bon Scott-on-speed vocal style suits Holt's songwriting style perfectly, while the rest of the band provide plenty of hard-hitting gang vocals throughout - with the song's groove-based chorus benefitting particularly from this approach. A lengthy guitar solo section, with melodic leads from both Holt and fellow guitarist Lee Altus, adds some virtuosity to the piece too - with shredded melodies sitting perfectly atop a crawling, mid-paced chug. R.E.M.F is similar, but generally sticks to a faster pace thanks to its shorter runtime. All-out fast-paced tracks are a relative rarity here, but R.E.M.F never really lets up at all - with a choppy Holt riff leading the charge. Souza sounds as demonic as ever here too, but credit must also go to the band's long-standing rhythm section. Drummer Tom Hunting, the band's only remaining founding member, and long-time bassist Jack Gibson really make the song tick. The mix, courtesy of the legendary Andy Sneap, allows everyone in the band to shine, but Gibson perhaps benefits from his talent the most. Gibson's bass sounds great, and there are lots of great basslines throughout R.E.M.F - all of which compliment Hunting's busy drumming perfectly. Slipping into Madness is the only song on the album not to be written (or even co-written) by Holt - as it was composed by Altus, with lyrics from Souza. It does not sound significantly different to the classic Exodus sound, however, and it focuses on the groove-based side of the band's sound - as does much of the album. The chorus chugs along, with some great gang vocals adding depth, while a snaking pre-chorus has a very early-1990s sound to contrast nicely with the faster verses. There are a lot of nice little musical flourishes throughout the piece too, with my particular favourite being the main guitar refrain which is then often repeated by Gibson on the bass. This little melody resurfaces on occasion throughout the song, and it works well as an additional hook.

Elitist is another more mid-paced piece, but it is one of the heaviest songs here - with a real death metal influence rearing its head at times. The early portions of each verse certainly feel more extreme than is typical for Exodus. Souza takes on more of a growling vocal style during these early vocal lines, and gradually transitions back to his typical style as the verses move along. This vocal diversity works well, especially against the heavier backdrop that Holt, Altus, and particularly Gibson provide. Once again, Gibson's bass is very high in the mix - and his playing during the heaviest sections of the song is largely what makes them sound so heavy. A great, fluid Altus solo pulls everything together - and the song is a creepy and heavy effort as a result. Prescribing Horror continues on with the creepy atmosphere of the previous song and builds on it to create a spooky depth, which is something a bit different for the band. The song builds up quite slowly. It starts with some melodic playing from Gibson, before Holt and Altus take over with a slow-burning riff that certainly has some old-school Mercyful Fate vibes. Subtle synths and a tolling bell add depth, and the song continues with this horror-influenced vibe throughout. The pace never really picks up, with lumbering riffing and Souza's barked vocals instead filling the speakers. It is a song that sounds different to Exodus' typical sound, but it works well in my opinion. It is probably the slowest song here, and the horror vibes throughout make it a track that stands out against the crowd. The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves), however, is classic thrash through and through. With many of the songs on the album so far largely being quite groove-based, the sixth song here is just over three minutes long and is relentless pace-wise. When people think of thrash, they think of a song like The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves). The riffing throughout is pummelling, and Hunting's drumming makes use of plenty of fast double bass patterns. Gang vocals once again drive the chorus, and a shredded solo section ups the energy further with some light-fingered playing. The Years of Death and Dying, with lyrics from Hunting, slows the pace again and goes for another strong groove throughout. Gibson's bass is, once again, high in the mix - with the early portions of the verses really shining the spotlight on his playing. Souza sings against his rumbling bassline perfectly, before the guitar riffing starts up again to carry the verses with more overall weight. The highlight of the song for me, however, is its chorus. It has a very old-school sound, that brings the NWOBHM era to mind. There is a big guitar lead that constantly sits behind Souza's voice, which is something that is not typical of Exodus' sound. It gives the song a much more melodic feel than usual, which I for one certainly welcome.

Clickbait ups the pace again, and the piece is another fairly typical slab of old-school thrash. The chorus is pretty anthemic, thanks to the pace slowing down somewhat and some gang vocals, but on the whole the track is one of relentless riffing and Hunting's fast footwork. It is a song, however, that really shines the spotlight on Souza as a vocalist. Some have always been turned off by his voice, but to me he is one of the classic vocalists of the genre. He has a real snarl to his delivery, but he is clearly still influenced by a lot of classic rock singers too. He really does sound a lot like the late Bon Scott, and a song like Clickbait really showcases this - with his throaty snarl driving the old-school thrash song perfectly. Following the short acoustic interlude Cosa Del Pantano, the album's longest song Lunatic-Liar-Lord forces itself into view. The eight-minute long piece is a real epic, and it features some of the album's best guitar work. Both Holt and Altus shred throughout, but they are joined by Rick Hunolt, an alumnus of Exodus' classic 1980s period, as well as Kragen Lum (Psychosis; Prototype; Heathen) - the latter of whom played live with Exodus during the years that Holt was off touring with Slayer. All this guitar talent would be wasted, however, if the song was not up to much - but the track is another winner. It mixes faster-paced sections with groovy riffing perfectly and, like the album's title track, it is another great example of all that Exodus do well. The four-part guitar solo is the highlight of the song, however, with everyone taking a turn. Perhaps it is Hunolt's really melodic display that impresses the most, but the whole instrumental section hangs together well. The Fires of Division is another largely groove-based piece, but there are plenty of influences from both traditional metal and more extreme metal throughout. Souza's somewhat harsh vocals make a return, which gives the song a real heaviness, but there are also some more nods to the NWOBHM. There are lots of little lead guitar flourishes that recall that era, including some excellent twin lead guitar moments that are packed full of melody. Even the song's main solos ape this style, and the mix of extreme and classic influences make the song another strong addition to the album. Antiseed, the album's final song, picks up the pace again - and ends the album on a true thrashing note. It does open somewhat slowly, and builds up with some layered riffing, but once it gets going the track is one of the album's most relentless cuts. With much of the album being crunching and more mid-paced, Antiseed reminds everyone why Exodus are one of the premier thrash bands in the world. A little more of the band's faster side would have probably been a welcome addition to the album, but the more groove-based sound is typical of what Exodus have been doing over the past couple of decades. They can still play old-school thrash as well as anyone, however, and Antiseed demonstrates this perfectly - with Holt unleashing a number of relentless riffs to bring the album to a close. The long wait between Exodus releases certainly made Persona Non Grata a highly-anticipated album, but I do not think that there will be many fans who will be disappointed by it. As mentioned, a couple more faster tracks would have probably been welcome - but Exodus' patented heaviness and groove is packed into every corner of Persona Non Grata, and it is an album befitting of the band's legacy.

The album was released on 19th November 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves).

Swallow the Sun's 'Moonflowers' - Album Review

Whilst I am fairly well-versed in the world of metal, one subgenre that I have never paid a huge amount of attention to is doom. The only doom band that I listen to with any sort of regularity is Paradise Lost, and the slow-paced, murky genre has largely eluded me. I think that this is because, largely, I enjoy my music to be full of soaring melodies. This is why I have never significantly explored death and black metal either, as sometimes songs that are oppressively and relentlessly heavy can be a bit much. I am always willing to try new things, however, and in 2019 I started listening to the Finnish doom band Swallow the Sun. When it was announced that they would appear at the 2019 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air I picked up a copy of 2019's When a Shadow is Forced into the Light (which I briefly discussed here). It is my understanding that When a Shadow is Forced into the Light is generally considered to be one of the band's finest works. It was written during a particularly hard time for the band, as main songwriter Juha Raivio's partner Aleah Stanbridge died of cancer in 2016. When a Shadow is Forced into the Light deals with Stanbridge's passing, so as such it can, at times, be quite a harrowing listen. That being said, however, the album still contained a handful of uplifting moments, which is an allusion to its title, and I found it to be something of a surprisingly melodic listen. Raivio has always been the band's main songwriter, but When a Shadow is Forced into the Light brought the best out of all six members of Swallow the Sun. Frontman Mikko Kotamäki perfectly conveyed Raivio's sorrow, and occasional hope, thanks to his mix of harsh and clean vocals; while the synths of Jaani Peuhu, on his first album as an official member of the band, added string-fuelled depth. It was an album that touched me on a number of levels, and it is one that I have returned to semi-regularly since. I have also picked up a few of their other albums, but I am yet to really dive into them. My interest really lay in how the band would follow up their 2019 effort, and this question was answered last month with the release of their eighth album Moonflowers. If anything, Moonflowers is even darker than When a Shadow is Forced into the Light. There is certainly a lot of COVID-19 isolation to be found throughout the album's eight songs - and this is a release that is packed full of uncertainty and self-doubt. The stark album cover was even created by Raivio with his own blood - which should sum up the overall vibe that Moonflowers goes for. All who performed on When a Shadow is Forced into the Light return here, although Peuhu only contributed backing vocals to the album (which he often did before becoming a member of the band) due to on-going commitment with his other bands. All of the album's keyboards are instead handled by Raivio.

After a brief, cold-sounding synth intro, the album's first track Moonflowers Bloom in Misery opens with a slow-burning guitar melody, which Kotamäki soon starts to croon over. The vibe is instantly very similar to that of the Swallow the Sun's previous album, but the band choose to showcase their more stripped back side early on. Stings, performed by Trio N O X, add depth, but the early portion of the song is all about Kotamäki's voice. His clean vocals are not as deep as is usual for the genre, and instead he often sounds a little like how Vincent Cavanagh used to sing during Anathema's mid-1990s/early-2000s period. There is sorrow in his voice, but the fact that he does not sing in the genre's traditional rich baritone allows the band to stand out. His growls are fierce, however, and the moments when the band launch into a heavier section are really brought to life by the harsh vocals. Moonflowers Bloom in Misery is largely sung clean, however, and the song is melancholic on the whole rather than heavy. Heaviness does punctuate the gloom, but the song is largely one that is packed full of Marillion-esque guitar leads/atmospherics, and the gothic-tinged string backing. In contrast, Enemy is much heavier from the off. Swallow the Sun's version of heavy is rarely fast, as is typical for the doom genre, but their riffing still manages to be crushing. Raivio and fellow guitarist Juho Räihä whip up some strong mid-paced riffs early on, which are growled over by Kotamäki and backed up by the strings and synths. There is a much greater focus on harsh vocals throughout Enemy, but there is still a balance between Kotamäki's two vocal styles. Even when he is singing clean, however, he is largely singing against a much heavier backdrop - which makes the song different from the album's opening number. There are few atmospheric sections this time, although there are a handful of short moments that break up the riffing somewhat. There are more Marillion-esque guitar leads too, and Raivio filling the speakers with aching melodies on occasion - which make so much out of only a handful of notes. Marillion's Steve Rothery actually performed a guitar solo on one of their songs a few years ago - so someone in Swallow the Sun is clearly a Marillion fan. Woven Into Sorrow is similar to Enemy, but the pace is slowed down further - with the classic doom trope of snail's pace songwriting on full display here. Kotamäki actually sings in a slightly lower register than is typical for him here during parts of the song, which give those moments a slight Paradise Lost vibe - but the on the whole he sticks to his usual range. There is a lot going on musically throughout the song too. The general riffing is quite simple, but there are a few melodic motifs that often resurface throughout - and the use of piano to add depth works well. The final part of the song is much heavier too, with Kotamäki's growled section feeling like the moment that the rest of the piece has been building towards.

Keep Your Heart Safe From Me ups the pace, at least early on, and compared to the last couple of tracks parts of the song sound positively fast! Drummer Juuso Raatikainen even manages to throw in some moments of brief double bass drumming, while the riffing of Raivio and Räihä is energetic and accented by the odd pinch harmonic. Despite this injection of pace, the song is still pretty dynamic - and on the whole it remains fairly slow. The intro soon gives way to a slower verse, packed with keyboard depth and Kotamäki's gorgeous vocals, and even the heavier choruses do not quite match the ferocity of the intro - with slower riffing and less of a hard-driving sound. The highlight of the song for me, however, is the two-part guitar solo. Swallow the Sun make use of guitar leads a lot, but full-blown solos are not a given. The one in Keep Your Heart Safe From Me is lengthy, however, with lots of soaring note bends - and is part of a wider instrumental section than includes some great keyboard melodies. All Hallows' Grieve is next, and it is probably my favourite track on the album. It features Cammie Gilbert (Oceans of Slumber) duetting with Kotamäki throughout, and their two voices work well together throughout the slow-burning, atmospheric song. Gilbert is one of the best melancholic singers in metal at the moment, so her inclusion on a Swallow the Sun album should not really come as a surprise. She carries emotion in a similar way to Kotamäki too, which make their harmonies very effective. Piano is again put to good use throughout the song, and Gilbert is actually introduced against a simple piano backing. Heavier moments are kept to a minimum here too, with melancholic guitar arpeggios and the strings creating the vast majority of the song's depth while the rhythm section lay down a sluggish groove. This is a song that is all about the vocal melodies, however, and the melodic chorus is one that is sure to stick in the brain. The Void is pretty similar, but there is also a strong 1980s goth vibe throughout. It is one of the few songs with a prominent bass presence from Matti Honkonen, who's snaking playing is actually the dominant musical feature of the verses. The guitars still do their typical arpeggios and occasional leads, but the bass is left to do the heavy lifting this time - which is partly where the gothic vibes come from. Gothic music often has busy bass playing to create grooves, which allows The Void to have something of a throwback feel while still fitting in nicely with the album's core sound. There is limited true heaviness here too, with Kotamäki sticking to his clean vocals throughout - even during the choruses which do ramp up somewhat.

The Fight of Your Life opens with some simple acoustic guitar melodies, which Kotamäki soon starts to sing over. It is probably the album's most low key moment, but it is amazing how such a simple arrangement can still carry the full weight of the band's usual emotional range. The acoustic opening is still instantly-recognisable as Swallow the Sun, and other instruments are soon gently added into the mix to add depth. Occasional piano melodies and string swells create Marillion-esque layers throughout, and it is amazing how much of the British progressive rock band can be heard throughout this doom album. Some of the melodies really do recall Marillion's typical style, which makes listening to the song's opening section a real joy. The song does get heavier, however, which is welcome after a couple of tracks that were essentially devoid of real heaviness. Gothic strings and soaring guitar leads herald the transition into heaviness, while Raatikainen ups the pace by laying into his double bass pedals. Kotamäki's growls sound even more powerful following their absence from the last couple of songs, although they are still used relatively sparingly here. The heavy sections contrast really well with the acoustic-led parts, however, and the song has a great dynamic range thanks to this. The album comes to a close with This House Has No Home, which is probably the heaviest thing here. Is certainly has the album's fastest riffing and drumming, with Raatikainen laying down some blast beats during a recurring black metal-esque section. This hits particularly hard following the gentle, plucked string intro, and it is great to hear the band go full-tilt throughout the song - as the overall heaviness has generally been reined in somewhat throughout the album. There is still plenty of heaviness, however, but this is generally more of an atmospheric album. This is what makes This House Has No Home so great though, as it showcases the heavy side of the band in all its glory. The clean vocal-led sections generally act as interludes this time, while the blast beat-driven parts are easily the most memorable. There is still plenty of heaviness away from the bona fide blast beats too, and Kotamäki's screams are equal to that of any black metal vocalist. It is a great way to end an album which largely focuses on atmosphere over heaviness, and it is as if the band wanted to remind everyone what they are capable of after filling the rest of the album with such dense soundscapes and melancholic vibes. It is a testament to the album as a whole that the song does not feel out of pace too, but Moonflowers is another great release from the Finnish doom band. As someone who does not know an awful lot about the genre, I have been enjoying this album a lot over the past month. I am now intending to properly explore the band's back catalogue, and on the strength of this album and the 2019 effort I am expecting to find a lot more to enjoy.

The album was released on 19th November 2021 via Century Media Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Enemy.

Orange Goblin - London Review

Every year has to come to an end from a gigging perspective. December is traditionally filled with memorable gigs, with bands full of Christmas cheer, and 2021 has been no different. Despite rising COVID-19 cases, and the agitating for restrictions which that inevitably leads to, December has been fun from a live music perspective. It was not as busy as it often is, but filling the weekend before Christmas itself with two great gigs was certainly a fun way to usher in the holidays. Last Friday saw me in Bilston, taking in an excellent show from Vega (see this blog's previous entry for further details), while Saturday took me down to London - for an evening with Orange Goblin at The Underworld in Camden. Despite having to navigate a rather widespread tube strike, which meant that getting back to Acton after an evening in Camden was rather frustrating, London was much the same as usual. Despite the Mayor declaring an emergency (whatever that actually means in practice) in the capital due to COVID-19, most people seemed to still be going about their business. It was warming to see so many revellers out and about on the town, too, and it was certainly something of an antidote to the ever-present doom that has slipped back into the media and public consciousness again over the past month or so. The pessimistic part of me wonders if Saturday's trip to London will be my last gig for a while, but those of us who love live music have to stay positive. Orange Goblin certainly were not going to let the doom dampen their spirits however. Despite losing one of the evening's support acts, Urne, to a positive COVID-19 test, the sold out evening was a night to remember. Writing that, it is funny to think that I have only really become an Orange Goblin fan over the past year or so. I did see the band at one of the iterations of Bloodstock Open Air a few years ago, but it was a gig down in Cornwall back in July that made me a proper fan. I largely went to see Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, but I also saw it as an opportunity to check out Orange Goblin properly. The band's no-nonsense headline set impressed, however, and since July my appreciation of the band has only increased. I now own most of their albums, and I am pretty well-versed in their music. I certainly have more to learn about the band, but their abrasive brand of old-school heavy metal ticks all of the right boxes - and live is the way to experience them at their best. Many others clearly agree, as the Camden gig was sold out. There were probably a few no-shows, however, but the place was packed out - and the atmosphere throughout was excellent as a result.

Despite being a support act down, the large crowd still had something to enjoy while waiting for Orange Goblin to take to the stage. King Creature, who I have been familiar with for some time being from the South West, are a band that are constantly growing in stature, and their performance was the perfect taster for what was to come later. I saw the band in 2019 supporting Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, but they seem to have improved since then - and they set about laying waste to The Underworld with their tough brand of heavy, yet melodic, metal. There is a certainly a slightly grungy edge to the band's sound, largely thanks to some Alice in Chains-esque vocal harmonies, but mostly they just play old-fashioned heavy metal - with a slightly more modern twist thanks to some Pantera-inspired riffing. The band's songs are still melodic however, and a big chorus is never too far away. Dave Kellaway (vocals/bass guitar) possesses a powerful voice, which has just enough grit to make him sound like a bona fide metal frontman - but he can still belt out a hook when required. Songs such as Wrath and the relatively low key The Storm included big choruses, many of which also involved the drawling vocal talents of Matt Vincent (guitar/vocals). Kellaway and Vincent's voices melded together nicely throughout, and the songs had real character as a result. Both Vincent and fellow guitarist Mike Stennett made sure that there was plenty of time for soloing too, with all of the song featuring extended guitar workouts - the shredded style of Stennett mixing nicely with Vincent's slightly bluesier edge. It did not take the crowd long to really start appreciating what King Creature were doing either. There was a lot of enthusiasm for the band during the set, and I think that it is fair to say that King Creature made a few new fans as a result of their strong performance.

Although I enjoyed Orange Goblin's set in Cornwall, I was not prepared for just how powerful their set was going to be. Seeing the band at a mini (and sparsely attended) festival is one thing, but seeing them in a club packed full of the Orange Goblin faithful was on another level entirely - and I now understand why the band are seen as living legends of the British metal scene. The show was the last night of the tour, so the band were certainly out to have a good time, and it was the second of two nights in London. Friday night's show had featured songs from the band's first five albums, whereas this one focused on their latest four. I did not know that this was going to be the case, but I was certainly happy to find this out - as the band's more recent work is easily my favourite period in their history. This meant that the stoner/doomier sound that characterises their early albums was largely absent, with the set instead focusing on anthemic, riff-heavy metal - in that old-school style that Orange Goblin truly master. There was still time for deep cuts, however, but the set kicked off in fine fashion with two big sing-a-long numbers. Sons of Salem and the Motörhead-esque The Filthy & the Few got everyone in the mood from the off. The crowd was loud, there was plenty of singing, and the band were on top form. Frontman Ben Ward's voice powered through the venue's speakers, while the riffing and soloing of Joe Hoare (guitar/vocals) drove everything. At one point during the show Ward referred to Hoare as one of the most underrated guitarists of all time, and he is not wrong. Hoare impressed throughout the set, and the lengthier pieces such as the Lovecraftian The Fog and The Ballad of Solomon Eagle showed him at his best - with bluesy solos creeping into every nook and cranny of the songs. The faster-paced rockers allowed him to focus on his riffing, however, with The Wolf Bites Back and Renegade in particular (the latter being dedicated to Lemmy) impressing on that front. New bassist Harry Anderson, who played his first show with the band in Cornwall, has already integrated well with the rest of the band too. He played well in Cornwall, but seemed much more confident in London - often engaging in banter with the crowd, while also laying down the band's snaking basslines with ease. It was great to hear the band pull out a few deeper cuts too, and the latter part of the set included excellent renditions of the heavy Cities of Frost and Death of Aquarius. Elsewhere, however, They Come Back (Harvest of Skulls) had everyone singing - as well as moshing around the venue's large support pillar that is stuck in the middle of the main dancefloor. This was fun to see, and by this point the atmosphere was at an all-time high. Following Death of Aquarius, however, the curfew was looming - but there was time for two more. The furious The Devil's Whip had everyone singing again, and the band's traditional set-closer Red Tide Rising brought a crushing 80 or so minutes of music to a powerful close. The setlist was:

Sons of Salem

The Filthy & the Few

Acid Trial

The Fog

The Ballad of Solomon Eagle

The Wolf Bites Back

Stand for Something

Cities of Frost

Into the Arms of Morpheus

Renegade

They Come Back (Harvest of Skulls)

Death of Aquarius

The Devil's Whip

Red Tide Rising

I had expected to enjoy my night with Orange Goblin, but the band's performance was so powerful and the atmosphere was so good that it turned into a really memorable night. The band might not be one that I listen to all the time, but I have really enjoyed properly getting into them of late. I will certainly make the effort to go and see them as a headline act again, and with a new album on the way there will be more music from the four-piece to look forward to next year.

Vega - Bilston Review

When I look back on 2021, at least from a gigging perspective, it will be a year that certainly helped to make the best of a bad situation - and make up somewhat for lost time. Having only attended six gigs in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the second half of 2021 was certainly busier. Gigs have been a regular occurrence again here in the UK since the summer, and I have been spending as much of the past few months as possible in busy music venues catching many of my favourite bands live again. This past weekend saw 2021 as a gigging year come to a close, however. I undertook one of my trademark multi-gig weekends away, which saw me visit both Bilson and London. London's adventures will be detailed separately, with this piece instead focusing on another excellent trip to The Robin 2 in Bilston. I have visited the Midlands venue a handful of times over the years, with my previous visit coming only last month - when I and many of the faithful took in a fantastic performance from Mostly Autumn. In fact, with the exception of a Uriah Heep show there a few years ago, all of my previous visits to The Robin 2 have been for Mostly Autumn shows. That was until Friday, however - when I visited the venue for Vega's final gig of the year, which was billed as their Christmas party. The AOR act have often made a habit of celebrating Christmas in the Midlands, usually at The Robin 2, and 2021 saw the tradition revived. October and November saw the band touring their newly-released seventh album Anarchy and Unity, with The Robin 2 show seeing the successful tour (which largely remained unblighted by COVID-19) come to a close. I was really looking forward to the show as, despite seeing the band a handful of times previously, it was going to be my first experience of Vega as a headline act. I saw the band three times in 2019, and once a few years prior, but their headline shows have always eluded me. Their tours tend to be rather northern-centric, with the odd London or Midlands date - which makes making a plan starting from the South West not always easy. A Friday night in Bilston, which tied into some existing gigging plans, certainly made sense, however - and I made my second visit to the West Midlands town within the space of a month. The Robin 2 has its own hotel, too, which means that you can essentially fall out of your room and into the venue - which ensures that gigs in Bilston have something of a homely feel.

Before Vega took to the stage however, the growing crowd was treated to sets from two support acts. Up first was half an hour or so from local rockers Shyyne, who clearly listen to a lot of hair metal - and aim to be Wolverhampton's answer to bands like L.A. Guns and Warrant. I have heard many better hair metal revival bands, but it was hard not to be taken in by Shyyne's upbeat attitude. They were clearly just out to have fun, and they seemed pleased that people had actually turned up early to watch them. While the crowd did grow during Shyyne's set, I think that it is fair to describe the venue as sparse early on. This did not seem to phase the band however, and their infectious energy shone through - even if their songwriting was somewhat rudimentary. Guitarist Mark Wilkins did impress however, with a great throwback tone and some on-point shredded solos - but the songwriting did not really back him up. The band's set contained some good riffs, and some of the choruses had decent hooks, but nothing really jumped out at me from a melodic perspective. A lot of the set felt quite generic, and there was quite a lot of hair metal box-ticking going on, but as alluded to there was still fun to be had. It is hard to be a true Grinch about a band when their hearts are in the right place - and Shyyne clear love what they do, and sometimes flashes of a much better band shone through. Perhaps with a bit of work and a bit more original thinking the band could develop further, but they still added to the overall vibe of the evening - and helped to warm the crowd up for what was to come.

Liverpool's Revival Black, who have been playing with Vega throughout the year, were the evening's main support act. By the time that they took to the stage, the room was much fuller - and the five-piece went on to deliver an impressive set that everyone in attendance seemed to enjoy. I had heard of the band prior to the gig, but had not listened to them previously. The band play retro bluesy hard rock, which seems to be the typical go-to sound for a lot of modern rock bands, but there was something a little different about Revival Black's take on the genre. There seemed to be a lot more swagger in the band's sound than is typical, and the bluesy elements seemed much more authentic than they usually are. It helped, too, that frontman Dan Byrne has a great voice. He commanded the stage during the band's whole set, which rocked from start to finish. The songs could have been a little catchier, but the overall sound that the band have conjured up really works. Every song had plenty of strutting energy, while Byrne's soulful voice led the charge - it was just a shame that none of the band's choruses really stuck with me. Tweaking the vocal melodies a little and going for more of a hook-laden chorus approach may improve the band somewhat - as all of the ingredients are there otherwise. For me, the modern band that does this sound the best is Bad Touch. Revival Black are not too dissimilar sound-wise, but for me Bad Touch have really mastered how to write a strong hook - which is what sets them apart for me. Despite this, however, I still really enjoyed Revival Black's set. The riffing throughout was excellent, and as already motioned Byrne's voice was full of power. The set even included a slowed-down bluesy take on Deep Purple's Burn, which was rearranged somewhat to make it sound more like a Free song - but the song worked well in that format.

The crowd enjoyed the two support bands, but it was Vega that everyone was there to see. While not exactly full, a decent-sized crowd filled the hall when the six-piece took to the stage - and the atmosphere throughout the show was strong as a result. I am sure that there had probably been a few no-shows given the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, but those of us who turned up were not going to let that hinder our night out. The band were clearly out to have a great time too, and their 17-song set was packed full of soaring AOR anthems - with all seven of their albums represented. It was my first time seeing the band's current line-up, too, and the new-look Vega impressed. The current six may well represent the best line-up of Vega yet, with the quality of the band's big vocal harmonies seeing a marked improvement. Both Billy Taylor (guitar/vocals) and Pete Newdeck (drums/vocals) have added their voices to the band's sound, and they constantly backed up frontman Nick Workman throughout the set. These three voices melding together was a real cornerstone of the set, and it was great to see the impact that the two new band members have already made. This would be for nothing if the songs were not up to scratch, however, but the set was packed with many favourites. The heavier Blind, from last year's Grit Your Teeth, opened things up, before a couple of older favourites in Worth Dying For and Stereo Messiah saw the band dipping into their back catalogue. On the whole, however, the setlist was largely very forward-thinking. Of the 17 songs played, nine came from the band's latest two albums. It was great to hear so much new material, and the remaining old favourites popped up every so often to remind the crowd that Vega have been great from the off. Poppy tracks such as Every Little Monster sat nicely alongside anthemic numbers like Bring the Riot. There was also time for plenty of big riffs too, with Taylor often joining forces with Marcus Thurston (guitar/vocals). Both the strutting Man on a Mission and Explode were songs that brought the best out of both guitarists - and it was great to see that the two have already struck up a great relationship. Live for Me was the only ballad featured, which saw Workman strap on an acoustic guitar for added depth, and the rest of the set that followed it was essentially filled with anthems. Kiss of Life and White-Knuckle Ride turned the clock back to the beginning, with both songs whipping up the crowd during their big sing-a-long choruses, while the live debut of Kneel to You was packed full of strong riffs and modern hooks. (I Don't Need) Perfection was the set's last heavy moment, before White Flag and the future classic Sooner or Later brought the set close to the end. Given that it was the band's Christmas party, however, there was one final treat left. As Def Leppard have always been one of the band's main influences, it was fitting that a powerful cover of Animal closed out what was an excellent set. Vega's rendition was spot on, and it gave the crowd one last chance to sing along before the night came to a close. The setlist was:

Blind

Worth Dying For

Stereo Messiah

Beautiful Lie

Every Little Monster

Bring the Riot

Man on a Mission

Explode

Live for Me

Kiss of Life

Kneel to You

Ain't Who I Am

White-Knuckle Ride

(I Don't Need) Perfection

White Flag

Sooner or Later

Animal [Def Leppard cover]

Having been a Vega fan for a few years, it was great to finally see the band headline. They were on great form during their time on stage, and the new material sounded really powerful live. It was also great to see that the band's current line-up have already gelled so well together, and I hope that these six musicians stick around going forward - as I would love to see where they take the band's sound next.

The Darkness' 'Motorheart' - Album Review

When it comes to pure fun, there are are few bands out there that excel in that field more than The Darkness. While there are some that still do not get The Darkness, or choose not to get them in some cases, there is a reason why the band still remain popular here in the UK. The band are not as big as they used to be, with much of the period between the release of their 2003 debut album Permission to Land and their break up in 2006 seeing them fill arenas here in the UK, but they are still a big draw - especially live. I always think that it must be hard for bands who achieve such a large amount of success so quickly. Overnight success must be tricky to navigate and cope with, and I would imagine that it is more preferable in the long run to build success over time. Permission to Land was such an instant hit, and I would not be surprised if this instant catapult to fame contributed to the band's split three years later. While still a success, 2005's One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back did not reach the heights of Permission to Land - both critically and commercially. I actually think that it is the stronger album, but it was always going to be hard to capture lightning in a bottle twice - at least from an imapct perspective. The break probably did the band the world of good, however - and since reforming in 2011 The Darkness have been on a great run of form. COVID-19 notwithstanding, they have rarely been off the road - and they have released new albums on a pretty regular basis since relaunching with 2012's Hot Cakes. While, in my opinion, none of the band's 'newer' albums quite match up to the greatness of their first two, the band's recent albums are still great - with 2015's Last of Our Kind (which I reviewed here) and 2019's Easter is Cancelled (which I also reviewed here) being particular highlights. There is definitely more of a rawness to the band's recent work, but that suits The Darkness as they currently stand. Guitarist Dan Hawkins' big-sounding but relatively stripped back production style helps to bring the best out of the band - and there seems to be less of a desire to go for a full-blown Queen/Def Leppard-esque sound these days. That being said, The Darkness are still melodic, theatrical, and over the top - as their newly released seventh studio album Motorheart can attest to. It is early days, but Motorheart might be my favourite thing that the band have put out since One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back - which considering the quality of both Last of Our Kind and Easter is Cancelled is high praise indeed. If it is not the best overall, then it certainly contains some of the best individual songs that the band have written for many years - some of which benefit from a slightly lusher production than has been common of late. The album is still relatively stripped back, however, but the band have allowed themselves the odd flirtation with a larger sound again this time.

Proving that the band's trademark humour is still very much intact, the album opens with the tongue-in-cheek, and surprisingly heavy at times, Welcome Tae Glasgae. I am not sure that anyone outside of the UK will really understand what the song is about, and Justin Hawkins' accent will likely upset some Scottish people, but the song is a short stab of fun - which is what The Darkness have always been best at. It is certainly not the best song here, but there is plenty of energetic riffing to enjoy - with heavy sections that are the most powerful that the band have sounded in years. Before the heaviness, however, a pulsing bassline from Frankie Poullain and some bagpipes herald the entrance of the song's verse - which is full of Justin's silly lyrics, and followed by a pre-chorus that features some excellent falsetto vocals. The heaviness comes in for the chorus, with a riff that could have come from the band's debut album - with Justin taking on a gruffer vocal style than usual, to bark the simple chorus lyrics in something of a mock Scottish accent. The song will definitely turn off anyone who has never got The Darkness, but for those of us familiar with the band's style the song opens the album in fine fashion. The quality instantly shoots up, however, as It's Love, Jim is one of the best songs here - and one of the band's best songs ever, in my opinion. The song's main riff is packed full of classic rock attitude, with a stop-start pattern that sees both the Hawkins brothers locked together to whip up an energetic storm. The song continues on in the same vein too, and the track is a high energy piece that is packed with hooks. The chorus is very catchy, with a great falsetto vocal hook and some melodic guitar intricacies - but with all the hooks the energy and classic rock strut never fades. The song might be a little on the short side, and would have been even better with a solo and a final chorus reprise, but as it stands it is still great - and as mentioned previously it is a real album highlight. The album's title track is next, and following two relatively quick and straight forward songs it takes a slightly different path. The song is still classic Darkness in style, but the riffing and the main guitar leads feel a little more involved than usual. Special mention should also be given here to the drum performance of Rufus Taylor, who is now on his third outing with the band. The drumming throughout is full of energy, and the strange rolls that follow the song's main riff add some percussive energy to the piece - and help the song to stand out. I also like how the third verse takes on a different sound, with Justin instead delivering the lyrics in a largely spoken word manner. This also helps the song to stand out and, when the catchy chorus is also taken into account, the track is another highlight.

The Power and the Glory of Love takes on a bit of a smoother sound, and definitely channels the vibe that was established throughout Easter is Cancelled. While it does not have the acoustic guitar presence that really characterised many of that album's songs, the overall smoothness certainly brings the band's 2019 release to mind. This more laid back approach is welcome however, following three harder hitting tracks, and the song allows both Justin's voice and Poullain's bass to shine. The bass really drives the verses, with the guitars adding colour, while Justin sounds great vocally thanks to some AOR-esque vocal melodies - as well as the occasional burst of screaming falsetto in the chorus. I also really like the occasional harmony guitar leads, which usually act as a join between the different parts of the song. The band's Thin Lizzy influence has always been visible, and the guitar work throughout the song (as well as the overall smoothness) certainly bring the Irish band to mind. Jussy's Girl is similar. It does inject a bit more of a hard rock feeling back into the album, but there is still a smoothness - along with an arrangement that makes more room for occasional synths. The acoustic guitars from Easter is Cancelled return too which, along with the synths, help to give the song real depth. Things move back and forth between riffier sections and parts that are more atmospheric; which showcase the band's songwriting skills perfectly. While most of the band's songs are short, they are often interestingly arranged and packed with twists and turns that might not be expected. Jussy's Girl certainly has that feeling, with the chorus in particular sounding quite different from the rest of the song - along with a lengthy guitar solo that is set against a subtly industrial backing. Sticky Situations is something of a ballad, but in the somewhat bombastic manner which The Darkness' ballads have often taken previously. It also flirts with some of the Queen-esque vibes that the band have made use of previously - particularly in the way that the song has been layered and some of the choir-esque backing vocals. Piano and acoustic guitars add a lot of depth, while subtle slide guitar swells compliment Justin's voice nicely - but it is the chorus were the Queen elements are at their most obvious. Everything really comes together in the choruses, with walls of guitars, synths, and backing vocals joining forces to create a larger-than-life sound.

Nobody Can See Me Cry injects some more energy back into the album after three smoother tracks. The energy from Welcome Tae Glasgae is reprised here, but the overall sound from the smoother tracks is still also somewhat retained. Parts of the song are fast, almost punky, and packed full of energy - but there is still a lot of depth. Acoustic guitars still make their presence felt, and the choruses are again quite epic sounding - with melodic guitar arpeggios backing up Justin's vocals. The song is a bit of a strange mix of sounds as a result, but it is again a testament to the band's compositional skills. I particularly like the song's guitar solo, which sees the tempo behind it gradually increasing as it progresses in a comical fashion. It works well in the context of the varied song however, and this part mixes the punky and grander sides of the song together nicely. Eastbound is more typical of the band's core sound, however, and is built around an AC/DC-esque riff that drives things throughout. The band have done heavier tracks, but there is a great classic rock strut throughout. Poullain's bass helps this strut to really shine, but there are also more Thin Lizzy-esque guitar harmonies that add further injections of melody throughout the song. Anyone who likes the band's first two albums will love Eastbound, as it really channels the vibes found there. It is a song that wears its influences on its sleeve, but in truth The Darkness have never shied away from doing so - and, for me at least, this is all part of the charm. The song sounds like the perfect mash-up of AC/DC, Queen, and Thin Lizzy, with a spoken word section about a pub crawl thrown in. The album comes to a close with Speed of the Nite Time, a more atmospheric song that allows Justin to channel his love of The Cult. Open Fire did this back in 2015, and Speed of the Nite Time feels like a spiritual successor to that track - while shifting the focus onto The Cult's 1985 release Love. Some of the guitar motifs throughout are very Billy Duffy in style, while the strong keyboard presence and Justin's relatively restrained vocal performance recall The Cult's gothic period. The song is easily the most atmospheric piece here, and it is possibly the most gothic that the band have ever sounded. The sound suits the band, however, and the keyboard-heavy track is a great way to close out what is a very varied album - despite its short length. In fairness, however, varied albums are what we have come to expect from The Darkness. They have never truly stuck to one sound, which is what makes some of the criticism that they still face so laughable - as it is clear that those people have never listened to the band properly. For those of us in the know, however, Motorheart is another excellent album. There is not a weak song here, and the melodies throughout are as infectious as ever. The band's great run of form shows no sign of abating either, and for those who love a good time: Motorheart is for you.

The album was released on 19th November 2021 via Canary Dwarf Limited/Cooking Vinyl Limited. Below is the band's promotional video for It's Love, Jim.

Crazy Lixx's 'Street Lethal' - Album Review

Despite the fact that I was quite into the Scandinavian hair metal revival that took place throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, Sweden's Crazy Lixx were not a band that I really listened to at the time. I remember a friend somewhat being into their 2007 debut album Loud Minority a year or so after it came out, but I recall thinking that it was extremely derivative of Mötley Crüe - and I thought that the band's name was ridiculous. I did end up picking up 2012's Riot Avenue, the band's third album, a year or so after its release when I had become more open to properly giving the band a go - but outside of a few songs it did not really do that much for me. For ages I paid the band no more attention as a result, but last year I decided to give them another go - and picked up a copy of their 2016 live album Sound of the Live Minority. I am not sure why I decided to do so, but I am glad that I did as the live album really impressed. I think that part of the reason why I revisited the band was because Andreas Eriksson, who's work with Inglorious I enjoyed, was Crazy Lixx's guitarist for a while. He has not been in the band for quite a few years at this point, but whatever the reason I am glad that I finally properly entered the world of Crazy Lixx. Better late than never, as the saying goes, and over the past year or so I have been filling my Crazy Lixx connection. I am still missing a couple of their albums, as some of them seem quite hard to track down (as is often the case with older Frontiers Records releases), but I now own most of them - all of which I enjoy. Crazy Lixx have moved on from the extremely derivate Mötley Crüe-esque sound of their debut - and now operate in more of an arena rock/AOR style. There is still plenty of hair metal in Crazy Lixx's sound, but the band are closer to bands like Bon Jovi these days than they are to Mötley Crüe - but with a slightly cinematic edge, a style that founding member and frontman Danny Rexon's songwriting has expanded into in recent years. 2019's Forever Wild, the band's sixth album, felt like Rexon's best set of songs to date. The mix of arena rock, AOR, hair metal, and cinematic synths came together perfectly; and it is an album that I have returned to quite a lot since picking up earlier this year. Last month it was the turn of the band's seventh album Street Lethal to be released - something which I was looking forward to being a newly-minted Crazy Lixx fan. Despite the album containing some strong songs however, for me it is a bit of a step down from the heights of Forever Wild. Forever Wild was pretty much all killer no filler, whereas Street Lethal feels a bit patchy in comparison. There were also a slew of outside songwriters involved this time around, something which has generally been quite rare for a Crazy Lixx album in the past given Rexon's songwriting prowess, and I do wonder if Street Lethal has suffered from something of a too many cooks-type situation rather than playing to the band's strengths.

The album opens with the instrumental piece Enter the Dojo, the first of two synth-heavy scene setters that, for me, add little to the album overall. Crazy Lixx are the sort of band who should open their albums with a big riff (with a huge chorus not too far away), but instead the album's powerful kick off is delayed. The Oriental melodies make the song sound like something from the Karate Kid soundtrack, which might have been the intention, but these themes are never revisited throughout the album - so its inclusion feels somewhat tacked on. The album's opener proper, Rise Above, is a great track, however, and is how the album should have started. A huge drum intro from founding member Joél Cirera heralds the album's first of many big riffs, which both Chrisse Olsson and Jens Lundgren nail - who are both on their third studio outing with the band here. The song is everything that the band's fans will have come to expect from Crazy Lixx over the years - and their trademark mix of arena rock and hair metal sounds great. The chorus soars with AOR-esque hooks, and Rexon's synths constantly add a cinematic depth. The guitars dominate however, and the verses have a real strut to them thanks to a sleazy riff - before a lengthy shredded solo adds some melodic virtuosity. Anthem for America continues in a similar vein, but the sleaziness is dialled up even further - and the track is a real throwback to the 1980s hair metal era. Rexon has clearly written the song to be a bit of a tongue-in-cheek tribute to that era, as well as what has gone wrong since, and it captures that vibe perfectly. The riffs have a great mix of groove and sunny melody, while every vocal hook has been crafted to sound anthemic - with Cirera's crashing drums accenting each big anthemic hook perfectly. The chorus walks the line between sleaze and AOR perfectly, and it is one of the album's hookiest moments as a result. A stripped back version of the chorus that appears towards the end of the song, complete with big, staccato drums, showcases this - and the track is sure to become a live favourite for the band going forward. The Power reins in much of the sleaziness of the previous two songs, and instead goes for a flat out arena rock vibe with a big keyboard presence and plenty of big Def Leppard-esque vocal harmonies. In fact the song is a like a mix of Hysteria-era Def Leppard and 1987-era Whitesnake - with a chorus from the former and a verse from the latter. The verse's chord pattern is very hair metal-era Whitesnake in its smouldering power, while the choruses explode with a glam rock stomp and plenty of huge vocal harmonies. It is another powerful song that is made for the stage, and also showcases Rexon's love of the 1980s.

Reach Out follows, and it is the first of a couple of songs here that seem to have been written by a committee - with three outside songwriters credited, and Rexon only penning some of the lyrics. It is not a bad song by any means, but following three great tracks it falls flat. It lacks the band's usual bite, and instead sounds like typical Frontiers Records AOR fodder - although I do not recognise the names of most of the songwriters. The great thing about Crazy Lixx is that they have always managed to combine big AOR hooks with sharp riffing and an overall punchy sound - but Reach Out does not really sound like Crazy Lixx. Only Rexon's voice really keeps it from sounding totally out of place on the album - and I would have preferred the track to sound much heavier. The album's second synth instrumental Final Fury then follows, but again it adds little to the album. There are some good spacy guitar leads this time, but overall it feels like a bit of a time filler. The album would not have been overly short without both Enter the Dojo and Final Fury, so their inclusion feels a little pointless - especially as they do not even really act as proper intros for the songs that follow them. The album's title track, with lyrics co-written by bassist Jens Anderson, gets the album back on track however. It is a hard-hitting riff-driven song that ups the pace, and returns to the great sound of Rise Above rather than continuing on the overly poppy sound of Reach Out. Olsson and Lundgren rip it up throughout the track, their powerful riffs keeping the song moving, while Rexon really unleashes vocally with some throaty high notes and plenty of big hooks. Another big chorus hooks the listener in too, and there is certainly a little bit of the band's older Mötley Crüe-esque sound in it - albeit with sweeter vocal harmonies. Caught Between the Rock n' Roll is the first of two songs here written by Olsson. Rexon has pretty much always been the band's main songwriter, although a couple of the band's former guitarists also contributed a lot to their earlier albums, so it is nice to see Olsson getting involved here. His efforts are certainly better than the committee-led songs too, and the track is an anthemic stomper - which again recalls Def Leppard, although pre-Hysteria this time. The track is slightly heavier, but is packed with that 1970s glam rock-esque sound that Def Leppard really dragged into the 1980s. The chorus has a bit of a heavier Sweet vibe, with Cirera's staccato drumming punching through everything to give the song its strut. It is another song made to be played live, but the studio version it is still a lot of fun.

In the Middle of Nothing is the album's ballad, but it is a hard-hitting one in classic Crazy Lixx fashion. There is no stripping everything back to leave a lonely piano here, instead the band still rock pretty hard - with the pace slowed and the bite of guitars slightly reduced. There is again a strong Def Leppard vibe present throughout the track, but I also hear bits of bands like Warrant - especially in the big backing vocals and the soaring guitar solo that is packed full of melody. A lot of modern hair metal ballads can be a bit too sugary sometimes, but In the Middle of Nothing still wants to rock - despite also wanting to get somewhat more emotional. Rexon's somewhat gritty voice works well throughout the song, and there is plenty of emotion featured throughout - despite the tougher overall sound. One Fire - One Goal is another committee-written song. It is better than Reach Out in my opinion, but it still lacks that classic Crazy Lixx sound. It is amazing how close a Frontiers Record band is to sounding like a generic Frontiers Records project if a little creativity is given over to outside forces, but that being said the song is still enjoyable. The guitars lack their trademark crunch, but the chorus is pretty strong still - with some big hooks that will certainly stick in the brain. I just that the wish the song had the band's classic sound, as it could have been a great addition to the album rather than merely a good one. I feel the keyboards are too prominent here, which has rarely been Crazy Lixx's thing other than to create cinematic depth, and a more guitar-heavy sound would have been welcome. The lengthy Thief in the Night, written by Olsson, closes the album out. There is a lot to like about the song, but at just under seven and a half minutes long it drags a bit. It opens quite slowly, with some soaring guitar leads atop of a synthy bed, but it then morphs into a mid-paced rocker in the classic Crazy Lixx style. The riffing throughout the verses is packed full of subtle attitude, while the leads that back Rexon's vocals add a lot of depth. The choruses are powerful too, with driving keyboard stabs and some more big vocal harmonies. Crazy Lixx have always managed to pack their songs full of soaring harmonies, and this album is no different. In fact, some of the choruses here might be their most layered to date - and it helps the album to soar sound-wise. The song could have probably done with having some of its fat trimmed, however. Its closing fade out goes on for far longer than it needs to - and I am not sure that the slow-burning intro adds that much to the song, despite it sounding good in and of itself. That style is just not Crazy Lixx - but the song overall is strong and packed full of hooks. The Street Lethal album as a whole is strong one, but as mentioned earlier for me it is a step down in quality from Wild Forever. The synthy interludes serve little purpose for me, and there are a handful of songs that feel too generic Frontiers for me to truly latch onto. There's still a lot to enjoy however, and the great moments that are found throughout certainly make the album a worthy purchase for fans of hair metal and arena rock.

The album was released on 5th November 2021 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Anthem for America.

Alestorm - Bristol Review

I have always had a bit of a strange relationship with the more overtly silly end of power metal. I am sure that some would say that all power metal is silly (which is hard to disagree with in truth), but there is a particular brand of it that really pushes the boat out when it comes to both humour and over-the-top attitudes. Scotland's Alestorm are one such band. While I cannot claim to have been a fan of the band when they were unsigned and called Battleheart, I did pick up 2008's Captain Morgan's Revenge, the band's debut album, not too long after it was released. As such, I have followed the band since near enough the beginning - and at one point they were regulars on my iPod. Both Captain Morgan's Revenge and 2009's Black Sails at Midnight were albums that I listened to a lot - but over time my love for the band has waned. For me, each album following Black Sails at Midnight (which the exception of 2017's No Grave but the Sea) has seen a drop-off in quality in comparison with what came before it - with 2020's Curse of the Crystal Coconut being a read nadir. Alestorm have always had their tongues firmly in their cheeks, but over time their modus operandi has moved from writing clever folk/power metal songs with a piratical theme to essentially becoming a living meme. Each album has got more ridiculous as a result, so much so that I wonder if Christopher Bowes' (vocals/keyboards) heart is really in it anymore. No Grave but the Sea showed that the band could still write strong songs, while having a laugh along the way, but Curse of the Crystal Coconut undid all of that good work - and contained some truly awful songs. That being said, however, each album (including Curse of the Crystal Coconut) has included some good songs - so I have kept up with the band's progress throughout their career, even if I no longer listen to them anywhere near as regularly as I used to. A post-lockdown gig in Bristol seemed like a good opportunity to catch up with the band again properly. Before last night, I had only seen the band live twice previously: once in 2012 supporting DragonForce in Nottingham, and once two years later in Plymouth where they headlined the much-missed Hub. I had the opportunity to watch them at the 2018 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air too, but I opted to see Voyager instead. Given it had been seven years since I had last seen the band live, I was looking forward to a night in Bristol with Alestorm. Helping to sweeten the deal too was the inclusion of Gloryhammer on the bill - who are essentially Alestorm's equivalent in the fantasy-themed power/symphonic metal world and have links to the Scottish band. The night promised to be a lot of fun if nothing else, and a trip to Bristol is always welcome.

With the doors opening at 7pm, three bands to get through, and an 11pm curfew, there was not much time to waste. The gig at the O2 Academy was sold out, and as such the queue to get in was lengthy. Due to me getting to the venue only around 15 minutes before the doors opened, I did not actually get into the venue until about 7:30pm - by which time the opening act Bootyard Bandits were already on stage. The country metal act, for want of a better description, did not have much time to work with, but the part of their set that I saw was quite fun. Fronted by Joel Peters (who I recently saw fronting Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons), and including drummer Paul White (who I have seen with both The Defiled and Aaron Buchanan and the Cult Classics in the past), the band's sound was pretty easily listening. They were not particularly heavy, and the country elements in their sound were not as strong as they perhaps could have been, but many of the songs were still quite memorable. There were quite a few decent choruses that encouraged quite a lot of crowd participation, especially for an opening act, and there were times when the banjo that was sometimes wielded by one of the band's guitarists was well-integrated into the songs (although there were quite a few times too where it did not really seem to add anything). Bootyard Bandits' short set was a fun introduction to the evening's music however, and they certainly got the crowd nicely warmed up for what followed.

Gloryhammer were up next, and had much more time to play with. It was only just over two years ago that the band pulled a healthy crowd in the city, at SWX, so I think that many in attendance were there as much for Gloryhammer as they were for Alestorm. I was certainly one of those, and in truth I prefer Gloryhammer these days. They are similarly silly to Alestorm, but they have not crossed over into full-blown meme territory yet - and still manage to tread the line between parody and deadly serious perfectly. This tour features something of a new-look Gloryhammer, however, as it is their first outing with new frontman Sozos Michael. While he has not yet mastered the band's trademark stage patter, as a vocalist he is a perfect fit - and in truth his super smooth voice might even be better suited to the band's material than Thomas Winkler's was. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the band's set was largely a condensed version of the 2019 tour's setlist - with many of the songs played being real crowd favourites. It kicked off with two anthemic tracks in the form of The Siege of Dunkeld (In Hoots We Trust) and Gloryhammer - both of which got the venue's capacity crowd heavily involved from the off. Gloryhammer's music is epic, but also extremely hooky - so much so that every chorus was sung back loudly at the band. Some of the songs go for a more cinematic sound, such as The Land of Unicorns, and there are even AOR-esque moments such as the soaring chorus of Legendary Enchanted Jetpack - a song that was debuted live on this tour. Being a Gloryhammer show, however, there was also some time given over to the pantomime of the band's overall concept. Each member of the band represents a character in the story; so James Cartwright (bass guitar/vocals) introduced The Hollywood Hootsman after downing a pint; and Paul Templing (guitar/vocals) played the pantomime villain perfectly to usher in the anthemic Masters of the Galaxy - which was sung loudly by the whole crowd. At times it was easy to forget that Gloryhammer was 'just' the support band, and that there was more to come. The band are masters of their craft at this point, and when Michael embraces his character more fully I think the band will reach new heights. I am looking forward to hearing new material with him, but vocally he has already got the band's classics down to a tee. They could do little wrong by this point, with the fist-pumping Angus McFife and the disco-influenced Universe on Fire feeling like victory laps. It was left to The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee to bring the set to a close - and the roar of the crowd certainly showed that the band had done their job. The setlist was:

Into the Terrorvortex of Kor-Virliath

The Siege of Dunkeld (In Hoots We Trust)

Gloryhammer
The Land of Unicorns

Legendary Enchanted Jetpack

The Hollywood Hootsman

Hootsforce

Masters of the Galaxy

Angus McFife

Universe on Fire

The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee

For me, Gloryhammer were the band of the night. However, and despite my general apathy for their recent direction, Alestorm still put on a great show. The band might be a living meme these days, but live they are professional - and the current line-up might well be their tightest yet as a live unit. Their 90 minute set got underway with the jaunty Keelhauled, an old classic, and proceeded to pull songs from all six of their studio albums in a fairly even manner. As the tour is somewhat for Curse of the Crystal Coconut, five songs were featured from it. Treasure Chest Party Quest was the first of the new numbers played - and it is one of the album's stronger cuts in my opinion. It is silly as anything, but the chorus is really catchy - and the stop-start riffing from Máté Bodor (guitar/vocals) works well. Elliot Vernon (vocals/keyboards) delivered the song's harsh vocals with ease too, and just generally looked like the most laid back man of all-time up there on stage behind his tilted keyboard. Alestorm became a much better live band when he joined, so much so that Bowes rarely touches his keytar these days - although he did still pull out a few impressive lead runs. Despite quite a few newer songs featured, for me it was the older songs that really shone. The keyboard-heavy The Sunk'n Norwegian was a highlight, with the whole crowd singing the chorus, while the fast-paced Shipwrecked was a great representation of what the band used to be about. Songs like Tortuga however, with its strange rap/dubstep elements, showcased everything that annoys me about modern Alestorm. It saw the first appearance of the night from Luke Philp too, who took to the stage as Captain Yarrface to do the rapped vocals. It was not long before the set was back on dry land though, as the epic 1741 (The Battle of Cartagena) pulled out all of the stops. The track is one of the band's longest, and it is a great example of folky power metal - with lots of pompous keyboards and shredded guitar solos. The song's chorus is one of the band's best too, and shows that they can be memorable without needing to always resort to jokes. In retrospect then, perhaps the band covering Taio Cruz's Hangover a few years ago should have been a red flag. Its inclusion in the set saw Philp wheeled out for more rapping, and the next chunk of the set, with the exception of the heavy Magnetic North was largely in the realms of overly silly with their cover of the old Eurovision song Wolves of the Sea and the poor Zombies Ate My Pirate Ship - the latter being from the new album. A rousing Captain Morgan's Revenge took me right back to 2008 however, and it was great to hear the song live again - as it was one of my favourite songs when the first album dropped. The main set was then finished with Shit Boat (No Fans), arguably the band's worst song yet, but it was sung loudly by everyone in attendance anyway. A three-song encore saw the band on firmer ground however. The old-school anthem Drink was a lot of fun, before Pirate Metal Drinking Crew from the new album came over well live despite its inane lyrics. Fucked With an Anchor (with Michael and Gloryhammer's keyboardist Michael Barber dressed up as Bowes - which was quite funny) then brought the evening to a rousing close - the profane song attracting possibly the loudest cheers and singing of the night. The setlist was:

Keelhauled

Treasure Chest Party Quest

Mexico

The Sunk'n Norwegian

Shipwrecked

Alestorm

Tortuga [w/ Luke Philp]

Nancy the Tavern Wench

Rumpelkombo

1741 (The Battle of Cartagena)

What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor? [Traditional sea shanty]

Hangover [Taio Cruz cover w/ Luke Philp and Joel Peters]

Magnetic North

Wolves of the Sea [Pirates of the Sea cover]

Zombies Ate My Pirate Ship

Captain Morgan's Revenge

Shit Boat (No Fans)

-

Drink

Pirate Metal Drinking Crew

Fucked With an Anchor [w/ Sozos Michael and Michael Barber]

Despite a setlist which included a bit too much of the Alestorm that does little for me, I had a great time with the Scottish band. The atmosphere was great throughout, and everyone in the O2 Academy was having a very good time. Alestorm's meme status is clearly not much of an issue for others, and I was probably in a minority wishing that songs like Tortuga, Hangover, and Zombies At My Pirate Ship could have been replaced with others from Alestorm's catalogue. The night was still a lot of fun however, with both Alestorm and Gloryhammer putting on strong showings to a packed house.