HammerFall's 'Hammer of Dawn' - Album Review

Despite having a bit of an identity crisis at the beginning of the 2010s which resulted in 2011's Infected (which I happen to like quite a lot) and a brief hiatus, Sweden's HammerFall have long been one of the poster children of modern power metal. The band's first two albums, 1997's Glory to the Brave and 1998's Legacy of Kings, were very important milestones in the power metal genre. Whilst the genre was not exactly dead throughout the 1990s, it was certainly playing second fiddle to other, heavier, metal subgenres - so much so that even the power metal bands that found success were generally at the heavier end of the spectrum (e.g. Helloween and Blind Guardian). HammerFall came along and reminded everyone that metal could be fun and upbeat again, while still retaining enough of an Accept-esque crunch to please those who like their music to have some weight. I think that most would agree that the band's early work is their best, but for me HammerFall have generally been remarkably consistent. Similar to the aforementioned Accept, you generally know what you are going to get when a new HammerFall album drops. The band's up-tempo, anthemic power metal has remained largely intact since the beginning - with only the darker Infected taking something of a different path. Even Infected, however, still largely sounded like HammerFall - but its experimentation led to quite a lot of criticism, so much so that many would probably list it as their least favourite of the band's albums. I like Infected quite a lot, however, and for me the band's weakest album is 2016's Built to Last (which I reviewed here).Whilst not exactly different from anything else that the band has done, Built to Last just sounded uninspired. It did not help that it followed 2014's (r)Evolution (which I also reviewed here), a strong release that saw the band feeling fired up once again following their brief aforementioned hiatus. Luckily, however, Built to Last was a temporary blip - as the band followed it up in 2019 with the strong Dominion (which, again, I reviewed here). Dominion is certainly no classic, but it is textbook HammerFall. A number of the album's song's became live staples on the band's 2019 and 2020 tours - and it is likely that some of these anthems are likely to remain live favourites going forward thanks to their hooky nature. HammerFall do not tend tend to leave it too long between albums and last month they released their twelfth studio album Hammer of Dawn - which has proven to be another solid entry in the band's catalogue. For me it is not quite as strong as Dominion, but there is still plenty to enjoy here - and the whole album has a snappiness to it that means that it really flies by. It seems that band really sought to cut away all of the fat this time, and the result is very enjoyable.

The album kicks off with one of its singles, Brotherhood, an anthemic track that certainly sums up exactly where the band are in 2022. The song's main riff is mid-paced and packed full of crunch, while drummer David Wallin (on this third album with the band) works his way around the kit. The main riff is deceivingly mid-paced, however, as the song itself feels much more up-tempo. The guitars of Oscar Dronjak and Pontus Norgren lay down a machine gun rhythm, while frontman Joacim Cans sings atop them in his usual smooth manner. Cans' voice has lost nothing of its unique tone over the years, and his performance throughout the album is as good as ever. He always manages to come up with memorable (if simple) vocal hooks, too, and Brotherhood is as memorable as it is thanks to his efforts. The riffing is not as memorable as many of the band's songs of the past - so this is a track that relies very much on its pace and Cans' excellent vocal performance. The chorus is very memorable, with a mid-paced anthemic rhythm, and there are also sections that feature wordless choral vocals - which will no doubt go down well live on the band's upcoming tour. Lead single Hammer of Dawn follows, and it opens in a slower fashion with some melodic strings that are a little on the grand side. The song's opening works well, however, and the vibe does not last for too long - as soon a staccato, fist-pumping main riff kicks in. This riff very much channels Accept, and the chanted chorus vocals also bring that band to mind. It is a chorus that is certainly designed to be played live, with a crowd singing the fist-pumping melodies back at the band, but there is still a smoothness to the rest of the track - with Cans' vocal style during the verses taking a brighter path. The song's solo is on the busier side, and actually takes a couple of little melodic deviations which are not expected. It starts out fairly predictably, but some of the note choices are somewhat different from the norm - and it helps the song to remain memorable as a result. No Son of Odin takes a heavier path. The song opens somewhat slowly, with a soaring guitar lead and stop-start power chords, but soon gets going thanks to a flurry of drums and the introduction of a snappy riff. This riff forms the basis of the song's verses, and it has something of an old-school vibe - similar to the sort of riffs that Jesper Strömblad used to write with the band. Listening to the song takes me back to the band's first few albums, and the overall heaviness of the piece also reminds me of the band's early era. They are generally not quite as heavy these days, but No Son of Odin turns the clock back - and is complete with another excellent chorus which slows things down and introduces some excellent vocal melodies that keep me coming back.

Venerate Me opens with a creepy guitar lead, which soon morphs into another crunching verse. The song very much sounds like HammerFall, but it has something of a spooky vibe throughout thanks to some of the guitar melodies. The addition of King Diamond (Mercyful Fate) on guest vocals helps to amplify this vibe - although HammerFall have not suddenly become Mercyful Fate here. Diamond's contributions are relatively small, as he largely just harmonises with Cans (in his usual over the top manner), and the soaring chorus is very much out of HammerFall's go-to handbook. There are little hints of spookiness here and there though. Diamond's occasional vocals add his typical edge to the song, while the aforementioned guitar melodies and harmonies spice things up somewhat - and ensure that the song is a bit different from the norm while still sounding very much like HammerFall. Reveries continues the slightly spooky vibes, but is this is largely just achieved by slowing things down somewhat during the song's verses. Venerate Me is spookier, but Reveries helps to keep the vibe going somewhat with a darker tone and a relatively slow pace. This is only really evident early on, however, as the song builds over time - and the additional instrumentation detracts from the creepy vibe and instead moves the song closer to the band's core sound. This still works well, however, as there are plenty of hooks here - including some great wordless vocal sections that are sure to go down well live. Too Old to Die Young picks up the pace again, and very much returns to HammerFall's core sound after a couple of minor deviations. The opening twin-guitar lead is very much out of the Iron Maiden playbook, while the focus throughout is definitely on bright, catchy vocal melodies. Sometimes HammerFall can turn people off due to their overly upbeat approach, and Too Old to Die Young falls into that category. Cans' voice is very much the focus throughout, and some of his melodies are extremely heroic-sounding - with a few very high-pitched moments. Despite this, however, the song is still very much a strong power metal anthem. The overly upbeat side of the band has never really bothered me, as HammerFall always have the hooks to pull that sound off - and Too Old to Die Young has a good mix of crunchy pace and soaring melodies to make it work. Not Today takes more of a ballad-esque approach. The opening is slow, with guitar arpeggios that Cans croons over in his usual smooth style. HammerFall have written a number of ballads over the years. They have written more memorable ones than Not Today, but the slower song still works well in the context of the album. The hooks are not as strong for me, however, and it lacks the killer chorus that ballads need to really shine. It is not as atmospheric as it could be, either, but the guitar playing throughout is great - with an excellent two-part solo coming towards the end of the piece which is packed full of emotional playing.

Following the respite provided by Not Today, Live Free or Die gives the album a bit of a kick in the backside. It reminds me somewhat of No Son of Odin, with a heavier energy throughout - which again recalls some of the band's earlier albums due to its pace and crunch. It is one of the heaviest cuts here, and it brings the best out of Wallin - as there is plenty of opportunity for him to impress with some fast footwork and a few interesting drum fills. A dual-guitar solo packs plenty of melody into the piece, and another soaring chorus allows Cans to come up with yet more catchy vocal melodies. The song is very much classic HammerFall, but the melodies and the infectious riffing make it stand out - with the excellent duelling solo pulling everything together. State of the W.I.L.D. is similar, and the pace conjured up throughout Live Free or Die is maintained here. The overall crunch is reduced a little, but the song still manages to whip up a lot of energy - and inject some of the upbeat melodies that the band is known for. Cans really shines here, but the band's two guitarists also ensure that they are heard with a few little melodies throughout the song - as well as another excellent, shredded solo. The best part about the song for me though is its chorus, which is certainly made for being played live. The song might not be a career highlight, but it contains a winner of a chorus - which showcases Cans' impressive vocal range and melodic turn of phrase. The album comes to a close with No Mercy, another fast-paced track that continues on the vibe of the previous two songs. The heaviness of Live Free or Die is re-introduced this time, however, and the song has plenty of Acceptisms throughout - with a fist-pumping chorus and a snappy riff recalling the work of the German band. The song is very typical of what has come throughout the rest of the album, but it still works well as an album closer thanks to its emphasis on crunchy riffing. This is not a song that feels overly upbeat, with the riffing and gang vocals helping to ground the piece somewhat. As such, it offers one last opportunity to rock out with the band - who have injected every last piece of energy into the song, as it really steams along with very little let up. In truth, though, much of the album has that vibe. Hammer of Dawn is very much an up-tempo album, with a few changes of pace thrown in here and there to keep things interesting. It also seems to be an album where the band's core sound has been focused on more than ever, and for me it really flies by thanks to the snappiness of its delivery. HammerFall have done better albums, but Hammer of Dawn is another strong one - and the band's fans are sure to enjoy it.

The album was released on 25th February 2022 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Brotherhood.

Martin Turner - Tavistock Review

The Wharf in Tavistock is easily the music venue that I have visited the most in my life. It was home to the very first gig that I went to back in 2006 and, despite catching bands in some of the biggest rooms and stadiums in the country, it is somewhere that I regularly return to. We are lucky in Devon to have a venue like The Wharf. The fact that I have been to it more often than to any of the Plymouth venues past and present should give a clue as to both its longevity and its pulling power. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, it is not a place that I have visited that regularly over the past couple of years. I saw a somewhat disappointing performance from John Coghlan's Quo there last August, but before that my previous visit to the venue was in 2019. I have quite a few trips pencilled in for this year, however, and I am looking forward to getting back to The Wharf more regularly - as nights out there are always excellent. Last night was my first trip to the venue of the year, and it was to catch Martin Turner and his band. Turner was one of the founding members of the British rock band Wishbone Ash, who launched proper with the release of their self-titled debut album in 1970. Whilst the band never achieved the fame of some of their contemporaries (Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, etc.), they were a huge influence on many bands who followed on their wake. The dual lead guitar approach brought to the masses by bands like Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden can be traced back to Wishbone Ash, and the band's varied sound made them hard to pigeonhole. Wishbone Ash have gone through many different line-ups over the years, and Turner has not been in the band since the mid-1990s, but he was there all throughout their run of classic albums during the 1970s. He was also a big creative force in the band, as well as one of their main vocalists - contributing to their trademark vocal harmonies. Despite no longer being a member of Wishbone Ash, Turner continues to tour regularly - with setlists that usually focus around the classic Wishbone Ash material of the 1970s. He has released two solos albums: 1996's Walking the Reeperbahn and 2015's Written in the Stars; but live he tends to focus on his career with Wishbone Ash. Turner's shows this year will focus on two of the band's classic albums: 1972's Argus and 1973's Wishbone Four; with the Tavistock show seeing the debut of this new setlist. 2022 is Argus' 50th birthday, so playing it in full made sense (despite this not exactly being a novel concept for Turner); whilst the addition of a full performance of Wishbone Four allowed the spotlight to be shone on a few lesser-played songs from the Wishbone Ash oeuvre. Joining Turner (vocals/bass guitar) on this tour were his regular bandmates Danny Willson (vocals/guitar), Misha Nikolic (guitar/vocals), and Tim Brown (drums/vocals) - who have been playing together for a number of years at this point.

The evening was essentially split into three parts: Argus, Wishbone Four, and an extended encore that featured other Wishbone Ash material. Neither Argus nor Wishbone Four were played in their respective original running orders, but both sets featured all of the songs from each. Argus was played first, with the band opening with the lengthy Time Was to warm applause. I have seen The Wharf fuller, but I have also been there surrounded by far fewer people. It was a shame that a few more had not turned up, but the crowd was enthusiastic throughout and made itself heard. The relatively low turnout did not seem to affect the band, however, who looked like they were having a lot of fun on stage - and there was plenty of banter back and forth between Turner and various audience members. Turner and Willson were the main singers throughout the evening, although Brown also sung a lot of harmony vocals from behind his drum kit. Turner generally sang the solo lead vocal parts, although there were a few songs that Willson took the lead on. Willson also handled the lion's share of the guitar solos, and much of my time was spent watching him sink his teeth into them. Nikolic is no slouch, however, and also impressed when he was called upon to solo - but generally he handled the rhythm and acoustic guitar parts, adding the necessary depth to the Wishbone Ash sound. Argus is easily the Wishbone Ash album that I am the most familiar with, so hearing it in full was a treat. The aforementioned Time Was kicked the show off in fine fashion, with the breezier Sometime World also impressing with its floating chord sequences and wordless vocal harmonies. Blowin' Free, for whatever reason, was moved to the end of set, so The King Will Come followed Sometime World. The harder rocking track has always been one of my favourite Wishbone Ash songs, and its soaring guitar leads showcase why the band became as influential as they did. The song was a real showcase for Willson's playing, and it was one of the highlights of the night for me as a result. Leaf and Stream slowed things down, with Nikolic playing a delicate solo, before the rousing closing one-two punch of Argus wheeled into view with the tougher Warrior and the majestic Thrown Down the Sword. As mentioned previously, the bouncy Blowin' Free closed out the first portion of the night. It acted as the album's 'catchy single', and as such saw plenty of singing from the crowd as the first set came to a close.

Following a short break, Turner and his band returned to the stage for the Wishbone Four set. Whilst many of the Argus songs are setlists staples for him, I get the impression that a number of the Wishbone Four songs are not regular features of his shows. Wishbone Four is a much more musically diverse album than Argus too, which meant that the second set of the night covered a bit more ground than the first. The band kicked off with the bluesy rock of So Many Things to Say and the more folky Ballad of the Beacon - two songs which showcased the diversity of the Wishbone Four album from the off. The lengthy Everybody Needs a Friend, which Turner wrote after the death of his first wife's mother, followed; with the more whimsical Sorrel coming next after a story from Turner revolving around gardening. The gentle Sing Out the Song was then played, which Turner stated was the first ever time that the song had been played live by himself - or any Wishbone Ash incarnation past and present. It had a very different feel from the rest of the set, with a prominent acoustic guitar backing and some atmospheric slide guitar from Willson which had something of a ebow-esque quality to it. It was another stand out track thanks to this rather drastic change of pace; and it provided a bit of respite before the set's closing three rockers. No Easy Road returned to the bluesy rock of the set's opening cut, before another highlight in Rock 'n Roll Widow was wheeled out. Willson sang the song, and handled the excellent slide guitar lines throughout. It was another song with something of a bluesy vibe, but it was also somewhat more atmospheric - with a slightly downbeat groove. It was left to the more upbeat rocking strut of Doctor to close out the main set - which again saw plenty of singing from the crowd. The band left the stage at this point, but came back after only a brief break for a four-song encore. A couple of songs from the late 1970s Wishbone Ash albums were played alongside a couple of early favourites; with the melodic You See Red kicking off this part of the night. The boogie blues of Blind Eye followed, before the lengthy Living Proof became the highlight of this part of the night for me. It was packed full of soloing, as well as plenty of memorable riffs that had much more of a harder rocking vibe than is typical for Wishbone Ash. It was left to the old favourite Jail Bait to close out the night, which again returned to the boogie blues sound that Wishbone Ash often toyed with in the early 1970s. The band then took their bows to a strong reception from the crowd, and it was clear that everyone in attendance had had a great time - including the band. The setlist was (N.B. all of the songs below are Wishbone Ash songs):

Time Was

Sometime World

The King Will Come

Leaf and Stream

Warrior

Throw Down the Sword

Blowin' Free

-

So Many Things to Say

Ballad of the Beacon

Everybody Needs a Friend

Sorrel

Sing Out the Song

No Easy Road

Rock 'n Roll Widow

Doctor

-

You See Red

Blind Eye

Living Proof

Jail Bait

Despite being aware of Wishbone Ash for a number of years, and seeing bits of sets by both the band and Turner at various festivals, it is only really over the past year or so that I have really started to listen to their albums properly. Argus is fast becoming a real favourite, but a few of their other albums have also been played pretty regularly in my house of late. I have a lot more discovering to do, but seeing Turner and his band live has certainly convinced me that I need to make much more of an effort with the Wishbone Ash catalogue - and I intend to start making my way through the pile of LPs of theirs that I have amassed over the years.

Scorpions' 'Rock Believer' - Album Review

I think that sometimes it is easy to take a band like Germany's Scorpions for granted. Bands that feel like they have been around forever, and who have generally released strong albums, can sometimes just feel like a part of the furniture - and it is easy to forget just how important a band has been in the history of hard rock and metal. The Scorpions, especially here in the UK, seem to often fall into that category. I think that it is fair to say that the band are significantly more popular in the rest of Europe and America than they are over here - but any metal fan worth their salt recognises what a great legacy the band have amassed over the years. It is also easy to forget that they will be 60 in 2025, having formed back in 1965, especially as big mainstream success did not really come for the band until the 1980s. This success was huge, however, which culminated in Wind of Change becoming one of the biggest selling singles of all time when it was released in 1991. Since then, however, the band have not achieved anything like the album sales that they previously did - but they remain a popular live act. In truth, some of the band's 1990s and early 2000s work probably did not deserve to sell in big numbers, but the last decade or so has seen the band bounce back. Both 2010's Sting in the Tail and 2015's Return to Forever (which I reviewed here) are very solid entries into the band's canon in my opinion. This showed on those albums' respective tours, which saw material from them sitting seamlessly alongside the band's classic songs. One thing that did rub me up the wrong way about those albums however, as well as 2007's Humanity: Hour I (with which I am much less familiar), was the huge reliance on outside songwriters. The songwriting partnership of frontman Klaus Meine and guitarist Rudolf Schenker was what much of the band's success was built on, but the amount of co-writers that were involved with their recent albums made me wonder if they were struggling a bit to come up with quality material on their own. I still enjoyed the albums, but they were certainly Scorpions by committee. This is not the case, however, with the band's newly released nineteenth studio album Rock Believer - which came out at the end of February. Following seven years after Return to Forever, Rock Believer feels like an old-school Scorpions album. It contains 11 songs and lasts for just under 45 minutes - and there are very few co-writers in sight. The Meine/Schenker writing partnership seems to have found its mojo again, and the lead work from long-time guitarist Matthias Jabs is particularly potent. It is also the band's first full-length studio album to feature new drummer Mikkey Dee (King Diamond; Motörhead), who joins bassist Paweł Mąciwoda in the rhythm section. The album is self-produced alongside Hans-Martin Buff, and it has something of a 'live' feel to it - without too many studio tricks and enhancements.

One thing that is worth mentioning about this album early on is that, with the exception of the last song, there are no ballads here. The Scorpions have always written great ballads, but some of the their recent albums have seen them dominate somewhat. Rock Believer is very much an up-tempo, hard rocking album, however, and this allows the album's sole ballad to have much more of an impact as it closes things out. As such, then, the album starts as it means to go on with Gas in the Tank - a memorable hard rock anthem that kicks things off with a bang. The song's opening chugging riff could have come from any of the band's classic 1980s albums, and the use of a police siren during the intro also recalls many songs of the era - as similar sounds were used by lots of bands. This simple riffing style is perfect for the song, however, as it really allows Meine's vocals to shine. He still sounds great, and he barely sounds like he has aged at all. He can be a little bit hit and miss live these days, but throughout Rock Believer he sounds like his old self. The song's melodic chorus really benefits from his anthemic, melodic style - while the verses are a little more gritty to suit the crunchy riffing. The solo from Jabs is another great moment too, as it is packed with chaotic shredded leads that up the energy levels further. For me, Gas in the Tank is one of the strongest songs here - and the album really benefits from it roaring out of the gate from the off. Roots in My Boots is slightly less furious, but it still rocks hard. The riffing style is a little bluesier at times, but the choppy style of Jabs is very much evident throughout. Schenker and Jabs have always made for a great team, and that is evident throughout this album. There are plenty of bluesy leads from the latter throughout this song, while Schenker's riffs and rhythms are as tight as ever. The song's chorus has something of a darker tone this time, but it is still memorable - and each time I hear the song I like it more than I did previously. Knock 'em Dead slows things down somewhat, and takes more of a mid-paced approach - which again recalls the classic era of the band. The song's main riff is quite simple, again, but it is so obviously one from Schenker's canon. His rhythm guitar style is very clearly identifiable - and Knock 'em Dead is very much a quintessential Schenker composition. Meine's voice is a little grittier here too, particularly during the verses which see him almost talking some of the lyrics - before the chorus explodes with AC/DC-esque hooks and a pounding Dee beat. The album's title track follows, and it slows things down further. Whilst the song is a not a ballad, it does take a more mellow path during the verses. It opens with a great stomping, Queen-esque rhythm, with some screaming guitar leads, before everything drops out to leave a simple acoustic guitar to back Meine during the first part of the verse. The verses do build up gradually as they move along, however, but the song truly explodes with its chorus - which is anthemic in the band's trademark style. It is a song that is sure to go down well live thanks to its big hooks - and it is the latest addition to the band's collection of true stadium rockers.

The next two songs take a slightly darker, heavier path - and at times remind me of the band's 1970s output. They are not as neo-classical as the Uli John Roth era, but they are less overly commercial sounding - and allow the band's natural heaviness to shine throughout. Shining of Your Soul is the first of these numbers, and it is built around a hypnotic guitar hook that sits on top of a heavy riff. This melody resurfaces regularly throughout the song, with even the verses' clean guitar rhythms aping it somewhat - although a prominent bass groove from Mąciwoda helps to create some additional life. The chorus is very simple, and is largely built around the same guitar hook - which further entrenches the hypnotic nature of the melody. This melody, or a similar variation of it, is never too far away - and that gives the song a strange, but unique, identity which mixes heaviness and mystery nicely. Seventh Sun is somewhat similar, but more overtly heavy. There is less focus on guitar leads this time, with the riffing of Jabs and Schenker instead driving everything - while Mąciwoda pulses away slowly in the background. The song is one of the slowest cuts here, but this only allows the heaviness to really shine. There is certainly a slight doom vibe throughout, especially during the parts when slow-paced guitar chords are really pouring out of the speakers. The song's chorus is a little more melodic, but it never reaches the anthemic levels of the album's early efforts. The song does not need poppy melodies however, and it is great to hear the band operating as a true metal act - as it is a sound that they have not really toyed with much of late. Hot and Cold, which was written by Jabs rather than Schenker, retains the heaviness of the previous two tracks - but moves the band closer in sound to their 1980s heyday. The verses are much hookier, with something of a call-and-response style employed - with Meine responding to the guitar riffs nicely. It also features a chorus that is more like the album's opening examples, with poppier melodies that instantly stick in the brain and a much bouncier rhythm. As such, the song is a good mix of the band's heavier side and their more stadium-friendly one. It is another song that is likely to go down well live, and Jabs' trademark choppiness is very much pushed to the fore. When I Lay My Bones to Rest ups the pace again, and returns to the pacier approach of the album's opening cuts. The heaviness of the album's mid-section is retained however, and there is real muscle to the track - which clashes nicely against the old-school rock 'n' roll vibes throughout. Some of the riffs here have something of a Chuck Berry feel, and there is a bluesiness throughout. This gives the song an accessibility despite its heaviness, and it is a bit of a feel-good track as a result. There are better songs here, but the song's bounce and good-time vibes help it to stand out, and it is fun hearing the band pay tribute musically to some of their heroes of the 1960s.

The album's lead single Peacemaker, which is the first Scorpions track to be co-written by Mąciwoda, slows the pace down again somewhat - but returns to the band's more anthemic sound in a big way. Jabs' opening guitar melody is really hooky, and recalls some of his best efforts of the 1980s, while the chorus is simple to allow Meine's voice to really shine. Again, his melodies are simple - but they perfectly capture the classic Scorpions sound. It is a song that is easy sing along to, and it worked well as a lead single for that reason. The chorus is very hooky too, but it goes for a surprisingly heavy sound considering how anthemic the song is. This is not the band's usual pop metal, but the song instead has a chorus packed with hard-hitting riffs, screaming guitar leads, and some excellent heroic Meine vocals. Despite it being a short song it is one of the best cuts here, and it is largely due to this snarling chorus and the excellent guitar firepower of Jabs. Call of the Wild is another more blues-based track. It slows things down again further, and uses a mix of snaking, groove-based riffs and clean guitar melodies throughout - with the latter adding depth to the dirty blues of the rest of the song. Funnily enough, the song's main riff to me sounds more like a Michael Schenker riff than a Rudolf Schenker one - with the bluesy groove sounding different to the band's usual approach. The focus on the blues here works well, however, and it is another song that allows Meine to really showcase his vocal talents. The slower pace gives him more room to breathe, and there is a lot of emotion and grit in his delivery here. Jabs' guitar solo is full of aching phrases too. It is less shreddy than the rest of the solos here, and slows things down to allow for some more typical blues phrases - which stand out nicely despite the song's remaining overall crunch. As mentioned near the start of this piece, the album comes to a close with a ballad. The lack of ballads up to this point allows When You Know (Where You Come From) to hit harder, and the smoothness of the piece allows the album to end on a real high. The Scorpions' ballads tend to all take a similar road, and this one is no different, but as it is the only one here the formula still feels fresh. Meine's voice has always really suited the band's ballads, and the chorus is one of the album's best thanks to his emotional delivery. Schenker handles the guitar leads this time too, as he often does during the ballads, and his smoother playing allows for the song to pack more of an emotional punch. Schenker's leads and Meine's vocals are the perfect ballad combination, and as the song's rousing final chorus plays out this could not be clearer. The ballad helps the album to end on a real high, too, although there are no real weak links here. There are a couple of songs here that do less for me than the others, but most of the tracks have already become earworms. Rock Believer may just be the Scorpions doing what they do best but, considering it is an album released exactly 50 years after their 1972 debut Lonesome Crow, hearing the band sounding so vital and passionate all these years on is good enough for me.

The album was released on 25th February 2022 via Vertigo/Universal Music GmbH. Below is the band's promotional video for Peacemaker.

Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts - Nottingham Review

Two-gig weekends in the Midlands are always a lot of fun. I had bought a ticket for Ricky Warwick's Nottingham show some time ago, but decided to make a proper weekend of it - so booked a ticket to see Dare in the town of Nuneaton the night before. You can read all about the Dare show in my previous blog post, but it was a great night out. As such, I was really fired up for Warwick's show the following day. I always enjoy a trip to Nottingham, too, as a night out in the city always reminds me of the many excellent gigs that I saw there during my time living in nearby Leicester. In fact, I made the trip from Leicester to Nottingham to catch Warwick back in 2012 - when Thin Lizzy opened for Guns N' Roses at the city's large indoor arena. The venue for Sunday's show, however, was to be the more modest Rescue Rooms - a place which I have visited many times over the years. It may not be the biggest venue, but every gig that I have seen there has been great. The sound in the room is usually very good, and Nottingham crowds very rarely disappoint. Nottingham always attracts proper rock crowds, and bands love playing in the city for a reason. No rock tour feels complete without a Nottingham date, and Warwick clearly knew the benefits of playing in the city. I decided to make the trip up from Devon as, despite having seen him a number of times over the years with both Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders, I had never seen Warwick as a solo act with The Fighting Hearts. I saw him play a solo acoustic show in Exeter in 2013, which was great, but I had always wanted to see him in full flight as a solo artist. I only became familiar with Warwick when he joined Thin Lizzy, so The Almighty completely passed me by. I have since played catch-up, and as the band do not exist anymore seeing Warwick as a solo artist is really the only opportunity to hear songs by The Almighty live - as well, of course, as songs from Warwick's excellent collection of solo albums. The current tour is supporting last year's strong When Life Was Hard and Fast, which is an album that I played a lot last year. It is a great no-nonsense hard rock album, which is a style that Warwick has always excelled at. Attending the tour was a no-brainer for me, then, and the trip from Nuneaton up to Nottingham was a pretty quick one - despite having to suffer a very overcrowded train as far as Leicester. As expected, the Rescue Rooms was busy throughout the night. Nottingham rock fans always come out in force, and the amount of people that bought tickets ensured that a great atmosphere was present throughout.

Before Warwick's set, however, the growing crowd was treated to two support acts. Both bands I was familiar with in name only - so was looking forward to checking them out. Up first was Anchor Lane from Scotland, a three-piece grungy rock band that had something of a modern American radio rock vibe - with some alternative twists. Being first on can sometimes be a bit of a curse, but Anchor Lane certainly had the swagger to make their short set memorable - even if their grungy sound is not really my thing. One thing that was a shame, however, was that all of the basslines were on a backing track. I assumed that perhaps the band's bassist was ill, or otherwise unavailable, but a look at the band's Facebook page after the show revealed that he had left the band quite recently - and that they have decided to carry on as a three-piece. It is a shame that in doing so the band have not adapted their material to suit this new format - as relying on backing tracks for the basslines is not really a good look. This was especially true during the songs which really relied on the bass during the verses, which was most of them - as many of the band's songs had stripped-back verses and heavier choruses. For me, the band should either find a new bassist or adapt their songs (or who plays what) to suit the new line-up - as the band's current method is the worst of both worlds. That being said, I did not dislike Anchor Lane's set, despite their sound not really being my thing. A few of their songs had strong choruses, and Lawrence O'Brien (guitar/vocals) also impressed with some guitar playing that was a little different from the norm at times. His solos were rarely traditional hard rock-sounding or blues-based, but instead took on different forms - which I enjoyed. Whilst Anchor Lane are too far down the modern radio rock road for my liking, they are an enjoyable band who deserve to be making something of a name for themselves. I am glad that I have now had an opportunity to check them out, and there were certainly a few in the crowd who seemed to be into what they were doing.

Up next was The Virginmarys, a two-piece garage rock band who have been around for over a decade at this point. I remember there was a lot of excitement surrounding the band at one time, with many thinking that they would break through into the big time - but this never happened. Interestingly, The Virginmarys also lost a bassist at one point, but they adapted their sound accordingly rather than relying on backing tracks - with Ally Dickaty (vocals/guitar), I think, playing through two different amps to give his guitar a deeper sound as well as its more traditional tone to compensate. The band's garage rock sound suits the two-piece vibe well, however, and the band impressed during their high energy set. Again, The Virginmarys will never really be my thing - but live they were very powerful. I was amazed at how much of a varied sound that Dickaty was getting out of his guitar, and the drumming of Danny Dolan was extremely powerful - especially considering how small his kit was. Every song that the band played was a punishing assault of hard garage rock, with Dickaty's raspy voice the perfect accompaniment to his guitar playing. They reminded me at times of the rawer end of The Wildhearts' sound, but much more stripped-back. There was certainly a similar energy to The Virginmarys material, and again there were plenty in the crowd who were into what the band were doing. I saw plenty of Virginmarys t-shirts around too, so I would not be surprised if some turned up just to see them. I am not sure that they are the sort of band that I would listen to at home, but I would be tempted to go and see them live again if they played locally. I imagine that it is quite hard to capture the vibe of the band on record, with live being the optimum way to experience their music. It was quite caustic most of the time, but there were moments of light among the shade - and the band's sound was more diverse than I am probably making it out to be. They were a great way to pass 45 minutes of an evening, however, and I am sure that the band made themselves a few new fans with their performance.

Warwick always seems to be a rather straight-to-the-point guy, so it was with little fanfare than he and The Fighting Hearts took to the stage just before 9pm and launched into his rendition of Mink DeVille's Gunslinger - which was included on last year's album. The short, punky song got the gig off to a great start - and allowed the current incarnation of The Fighting Hearts to make themselves known. Ben Christo (guitar/vocals), Richard Vernon (bass guitar/vocals), and Jack Taylor (drums) are backing Warwick on this tour; and the four made for a powerful partnership throughout. Warwick was clearly the star of the show, but Christo also had plenty of opportunities to show off throughout - as he handled the guitar solos as well as most of the key backing vocals. Vernon and Taylor (who I thought could have played a bit more heavy-handedly throughout the set given the toughness of Warwick's material) locked together nicely too, and the four re-created the songs played in a high-energy and up-tempo manner. The focus of the set was on Warwick's solo albums, but a healthy dose of The Almighty's material was also included - as well as a few other treats. Over the Edge was the first Almighty track played, with the big chorus being sung loudly by the crowd, while the smoother The Road to Damascus Street showed off Warwick's somewhat Springsteen-esque side nicely. He paid tribute to his on-going time in Thin Lizzy with a rousing version of Jailbreak, which included a great Christo solo, before returning to the set-opening punk vibes for the fast-paced Never Corner a Rat - which was also culled from the latest album. Warwick largely let his songs do the talking, but did take a few opportunities to tell some tales. He introduced The Almighty's Wrench by describing the writing sessions that produced it, and thanked Planet Rock for their promotion of his current single Still Alive.

For whatever reason, too, the show in Nottingham was longer than many of the other shows so far on the tour. The folk/punk of Schwaben Redoubt was wheeled out in Nottingham, with the Pogues-esque track certainly garnering a strong reaction from the crowd due to its bouncy chorus and general high-energy vibe. This high-energy vibe was generally maintained for the rest of the set, too. Fighting Heart could have been on a Black Star Riders album with its big chorus and guitar leads, and the crunching Jonestown Mind was received well by Warwick's old-school Almighty-loving fans. I imagine that there were some in the crowd that wished that he dipped back into The Almighty's catalogue a bit more than he did, but for me the balance was about right - especially with a new album to promote. The Almighty songs played were easily some of the most well-received songs of the night however, and I imagine it pleases Warwick that his old band is still well-loved. Your My Rock 'n' Roll certainly channelled some of that vibe, however, and the big chorus of the title track of his latest album had plenty singing along. It is another song that could have been saved for Black Star Riders, but it sits well on Warwick's latest effort. Another big Almighty rocker, All Sussed Out, was then wheeled out - which was another track that has not generally been part of the tour's setlists so far. It was great to get a couple of extra songs in Nottingham, which certainly helped to make the night that little bit more special. By this point, however, the end was near. Warwick has never really been a go-off-and-come-back sort of act, so the three songs that would have probably made up the encore just flowed straight from All Sussed Out. Black Star Riders was represented by the inclusion of the fan-favourite single Finest Hour, before a furious take on Motörhead's Iron Fist raised the energy levels even further. This song brought the best out of the band, with Taylor shining on the drums. Another fan-favourite, The Almighty's Free 'n' Easy, brought the evening to a hard-hitting close - with everyone singing along to the simple chorus. It was a powerful way to end the set, and the crowd certainly made their appreciation known as the band left the stage. The setlist was:

Gunslinger [Mink DeVille cover]

Over the Edge [The Almighty material]

The Road to Damascus Street

You Don't Love Me

Jailbreak [Thin Lizzy material]

When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (and Guy Mitchell Sang the Blues)

Never Corner a Rat

Wrench [The Almighty material]

Still Alive

Schwaben Redoubt

Fighting Heart

Jonestown Mind [The Almighty material]

You're My Rock 'n' Roll

Celebrating Sinking

Tattoos & Alibis

When Life Was Hard and Fast

All Sussed Out [The Almighty material]

Finest Hour [Black Star Riders material]

Iron Fist [Motörhead cover]

Free 'n' Easy [The Almighty material]

Gigs in the Midlands are always memorable, and Warwick's Nottingham show with The Fighting Hearts was another one to add to the list. Full band solo tours are a relative rarity for him these days, so I am glad that I managed to get to one of the shows on this current tour. Warwick will soon be turning his attention back to Black Star Riders, as I understand that they have a new album recorded and ready to be released next year - with a lot of touring to follow. There are also plans for more Thin Lizzy appearances, too, meaning that this will probably be Warwick's last run of solo shows for some time. There are still quite a few shows left on the tour, however, so head out and catch him if you can - as the setlist is great and Warwick himself is on fine form.

Dare - Nuneaton Review

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

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

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

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

Born in the Storm

Home

Until

Days of Summer

I'll Hear You Pray

Every Time We Say Goodbye

Sea of Roses

Where Darkness Ends

On My Own

Emerald [Thin Lizzy cover]

Wings of Fire

We Don't Need a Reason

Abandon

Into the Fire

The Raindance

-

Silent Hills

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

Return the Heart

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ten's 'Here Be Monsters' - Album Review

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

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

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

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

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

Kris Barras Band - Exeter Review

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

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

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

Heart on Your Sleeve

Propane

Rain

Simple Man [Lynyrd Skynyrd cover]

All Along the Watchtower [Bob Dylan cover]

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

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

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

Hail Mary

Dead Horses

Rock 'n' Roll Running Through My Veins

These Voices

Ignite (Light It Up)

Devil You Know

Wake Me When it's Over

Vegas Son

Going Down [Moloch cover]

Not Fading
Who Needs Enemies

Watching Over Me

What You Get

My Parade

-

Lovers or Losers

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

Slash's '4' - Album Review

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

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

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

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

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