FM's 'Old Habits Die Hard' - Album Review

In my previous album review on this blog I noted how, in recent years, there have been a lot of strong albums released by veteran acts - particularly in the metal genre. I also noted that there have been a good number of such released already this year, but it is not just in metal where a lot of old hands have been doing what they do best - as the British melodic rock/AOR legends FM have also been busy, and released their fourteenth studio album Old Habits Die Hard earlier this month. In recent years, though, a new album from FM has not exactly been a rarity. Nine of their 14 albums have been released since their 2007 reunion, meaning that long-time fans of the band have had plenty of excellent new material to enjoy in this second era of the five-piece - which has also seen the band largely keep a consistent line-up together and tour pretty significantly. Alongside releasing Old Habits Die Hard, 2024 is also a landmark year for FM - as the band are celebrating their 40th anniversary. Despite being dormant between 1995 and 2007, FM have packed a lot of music and touring since forming from the ashes of Wildlife back in 1984 - and they are one of those bands whom I tend to see at least once a year as they often come around either on their own or as part of a package tour with other similar bands. Funnily enough I will be seeing them live again this coming weekend, as they are currently undertaking a pretty lengthy UK tour to celebrate the aforementioned milestone - and they have also toured in South America recently and have plenty of other European dates to follow. They are really pushing the boat out this year as far as touring goes - but it is great that they have also found time to release some new music, with Old Habits Die Hard following two years on from 2022's strong Thirteen (which I reviewed here). In truth, though, everything that FM have ever put out could be described as strong. Whilst the band's first two albums: 1986's Indiscreet and 1989's Tough It Out; will always be considered their classic releases - everything which has followed has been very enjoyable, with some of their more recent albums likely better than some of the others released during their original run. Thirteen perhaps was not as strong as some of the other recent releases, but it still contained its fair share of modern classics - and Old Habits Die Hard is much the same. One thing that I have noticed about the band's last few albums is that they have drifted back to a much sweeter, poppier sound again following a few tougher-sounding releases. The albums released between 2010's Metropolis and 2018's Atomic Generation (which I reviewed here) had a Bad Company-esque bluesiness to them - but from 2020's Synchronized (which I also reviewed here) onward the band's material has felt more overtly AOR again. The difference was never that stark, but it is interesting none-the-less - with keyboard player Jem Davis really coming into his own more recently given the somewhat pairing back of the bluesy guitar riffing which was given more prominence previously. Old Habits Die Hard continues on this trend and delivers another fun collection of melodic gems just in time for the improving summer weather.

The album kicks off with its two lead singles, both of which shine a light on the band's core melodic sound and exemplify the recent return to a much more keyboard-heavy sound. Much of the album is bright and hooky and that sound is established from the off thanks to Out of the Blue. The song opens with a hard-hitting drum groove from Pete Jupp, over which Mervyn Goldsworthy's pulsing bass and some synths create a pseudo-yacht rock foundation - but a more AOR-esque sheen is soon added thanks to some melodic guitar leads from Jim Kirkpatrick. Despite these leads, though, the whole song is floaty and smooth. Yacht rock is not a bad way to describe the song's overall vibe - even if frontman Steve Overland's vocals are much more powerful and hard rocking than those typical of that genre. Occasional harmony vocals and a spacious chorus reinforce that yachty feel - but there is enough punch from the drums to keep a more anthemic groove ticking. The floaty synth melodies really tend to dominate, though, with the guitars pushed into the background. There is less of a hard rock feel than is typical of FM's sound here, then, but there is still plenty for Kirkpatrick to do thanks to a tasty solo part way through - and the closing section of the track also features some busy lead playing. The song very much feels like FM thanks to the punch of the drums and the unmistakable vocals and melodies from Overland - but I do quite like how smooth this opening cut is as it brings something somewhat different to the table. Don't Need Another Heartache is much more traditional, though, with the guitars returned to their rightful place. The opening moments of the song are already more muscular thanks to some strong riffing and a few cutting leads - whilst Davis tends to use more organic keyboard textures this time, with organ backing the sparser verses. The song ticks, though, due to the rhythm section's groove. Goldsworthy and Jupp always give each FM song energy - and they are generally why the band pack such a punch. This song features a stark drum groove throughout - but Kirkpatrick's riffing is also pretty rocking in spots, whilst some dual guitar leads later on hark back to the 1970s classic rock era. The chorus here is perhaps not as immediately fun as the one from the previous song, but the mid-paced, melodic section is very typical of choruses found on the band's other recent albums. It sticks in the brain as a result and the track is another strong effort. No Easy Way Out, sound-wise, feels like a more obvious throwback to the band's first two albums. The drum sound is a little tempered here, giving the song more of an 1980s feel, whilst the subtle guitar chugs and melodies throughout mimic tropes which the band relied on back in the day. Driving piano chords and shimmering keyboards add depth, but generally this is a piece which feels less focused on riffs and musical motifs - with all of the attention instead on Overland. Considering that FM have been in the business for 40 years at this point, Overland still essentially sounds the same as he did in the 1980s. He has really looked after his voice over the years and he gives it his all during this track - with the subtle chorus vocal harmonies sounding like a long-lost cut from their early days. A tasty guitar solo adds some further melodic hooks later on, but this is a song that really belongs to Overland - with his easy-on-the-ear vocal approach and breezy hooks shining as ever.

Lost feels tougher from the off and the track is a return to the more riff-based approach of the early part of the band's reunion. It is much more guitar-driven than anything on the album up to this point, with Kirkpatrick's cutting, bluesy riff driving everything - with a simplified version of it even backing what is still a pretty atmospheric verse. That aforementioned Bad Company influence can be heard here, particularly during the more full-on rock moments, whilst slower moments are more keyboard-heavy to allow for the band's smoothness to shine through. A mixture of organ and synth sounds ensure that the keyboard tones are varied, but this is a track which focuses heavily on guitar playing - with chiming clean melodies joining in from the second verse onward to add to the bluesy riffing. The chorus is another strong one, too, thanks to the main riff filling itself out again - and it should also be no surprise that the song's guitar solo is longer and busier than many of the others here. Whatever It Takes treads a much more anthemic path and the song is pure AOR - with a few more glances back to the past. Whilst perhaps not as weighty as some of the band's more anthemic pieces, as far as pure Foreigner-esque melodic rock goes it is a great example of the sound which brought the band some fame in the 1980s. The opening moments, which also form the basis of the chorus, mix crunchy power chords with a keyboard hook - whilst flashy synth stabs and guitar leads form the majority of the linking moments between each part of the song. The verses are that aforementioned mix of cleaner guitar melodies and chugs which was featured so often on the band's early albums - whilst the harder rocking call-and-response chorus features Overland really letting rip whilst the rest of the band add tight harmonies. Due to its focus on hooks it was one of the first songs on the album which really jumped out at me on my first couple of listens. Throw in a really well crafted guitar solo and the song sums up pretty much everything I love about FM - and this is the sort of song that I really look forward to on each new album. Black Water goes for a bit of a different approach, taking a somewhat slower, groovier path with big ringing guitar chords and organic keyboards setting a bluesy bed for Overland's smooth vocals. It is not a particularly heavy song, but the verses here feel murkier than is typical - before a much more melodic chorus, complete with some excellent piano runs, explodes out of the darkness. The strut of the verses works well, though, with Kirkpatrick throwing in some cutting bluesy leads when appropriate - whilst Goldsworthy's bass is high in the mix to allow his busy playing to dominate. Whilst the song is not a southern rock piece, there is clearly a bit of an influence of such here - at least in the verses, as the chorus is much more typical of the band's sound. The experiment works for me, though, and the song is an unexpected highlight. Cut Me Loose sees the band back on familiar ground, though, thanks to a bright drum pattern and a mid-paced guitar riff setting the early pace. The song is not as riffy as the intro suggests, though, as the verse then proceeds with a strong keyboard backing and some funky guitar rhythms - before it morphs into a much more strident and anthemic rocker with a foot-stomping pre-chorus and a stadium-ready chorus with lots of big harmony vocals. FM have written plenty of songs like this over the years, but the formula never really seems to get boring. It helps, too, that Overland is still one of the best singers in the genre. All of the songs here feature him at his best - but this one pushes him more to the fore thanks to how anthemic it is, and he really sells what is another excellent chorus.

Leap of Faith at first slows things down quite considerably, with a delicate acoustic guitar and keyboard intro, but any pretence of the song being a ballad is soon pushed away when a pretty bluesy rock riff kicks in with a strong organ backing. The song then proceeds to become a pretty up-tempo hard rocker. Whilst not as tough-sounding as some of the band's previous albums, there is still a strong Bon Jovi-esque feel throughout - with a snaking guitar riff backing the verses whilst Overland adopts a slightly grittier vocal tone. The chorus is a bit brighter, but there is still a bit more weight thanks to Kirkpatrick's riffing again - which remains in situ behind the vocal hooks. The ever-present guitar riffing and the occasional organ stabs make this song what it is - and the riffier nature of the track is welcome given the stadium-ready cut which preceded it. California is a return to a much more overt AOR sound, albeit with a slightly grittier guitar approach than some of the band's smoother cuts tend to have. The verses have a bit more of a slashing sound, then, thanks to this guitar tone - whilst piano and keyboards ensure that an overall smoothness is still present. This guitar tone is changed for the chorus, though, and goes for a more cutting lead-based approach - with guitar leads sitting nicely below Overland's anthemic vocal hooks. The chorus is another good one, but it perhaps suffers a little from not being as strong as some of the others here. It does not quite jump out of the speakers as expected - but it still memorable thanks to another excellent vocal delivery. Another Day in My World goes for a bit more of an expansive sound. It is surprising that there are no ballads on this album, as FM usually throw in at least one, but this is probably the slowest and most emotional piece here - although it is still pretty groovy overall. The band have opted for a more cinematic sound, though, with a big guitar and keyboard tapestry creating a melodic and sweeping sound - whilst slow-burning piano-led sections join the dots. Given the overall space in the mix and the fat bass grooves, there is plenty of space here for Overland's voice to shine. The verses in particular see him really operating as his most smooth, whilst the bass pounds away behind him, with the chorus going for some subtle vocal harmonies to create a bigger sound befitting the cinematic approach taken. The album then comes to a close with the more up-tempo Blue Sky Mind - which has a bit of a strange sound overall thanks to a repeated guitar refrain which really reminds me of the main guitar hook in Status Quo's Down Down. Unfortunately, now I have identified that connection it is all I can hear when it listen to the song - and it gives the track an uncharacteristic boogie vibe for FM. When the guitar lead recedes the track is pretty typical for FM, with another big, synth-backed chorus giving Overland plenty to play with - but then that guitar lead kicks back in and it sounds like Francis Rossi has joined in. The song is a fun, faster-paced track which helps to end the album on an energetic note - it is just a shame that I cannot disassociate the track with another song as it stops me from being album to enjoy it fully. Despite that, though, Old Habits Die Hard is still another excellent release from FM. There are plenty of real earworms here and it is the sort of album which could be put on at any time and enjoyed. It is an easy and enjoyable listen, then, and it is great seeing the band sounding so vital 40 years deep.

The album was released on 3rd May 2024 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Out of the Blue.

Quireboys - Swansea Review

Considering how often I used to write about the much-loved British rockers The Quireboys on this blog, the lack of coverage which they have received over the past couple of years does make it appear that I have fallen out of love with the band I have seen live many times. Whilst their messy 2022 split and their splintering into two camps has somewhat lessened my interest in a band whom I often saw multiple times a year, the truth is that there just has not been all that much to write about. I last saw The Quireboys in 2022, when I saw the now Guy Griffin-fronted band put on a so-so performance at a long-delayed show featuring a string section and a number of other musicians - but later that year I also saw Quireboys (minus the 'The') which featured a number of the band's original members regrouped around frontman Spike, whom had been removed from The Quireboys earlier in the year. The split was a messy one, with a war of words erupting in the immediate weeks following it - which likely ended up helping neither side's cause. I wanted to remain open minded, so went along to the aforementioned The Quireboys show fronted by Griffin as I had had the ticket for a long time at that point - but it just did not feel like The Quireboys. I am never a line-up snob when it comes to bands, but there are some bands that revolve around one key personality - and The Quireboys, despite what others in the band may think, was always very much, from the outside at least, about Spike. I was looking forward to seeing what Spike would come up with next, then, so I attended his re-launched Quireboys show in December 2022. The lengthy show was, on the whole, excellent. There were a few chaotic moments and songs which felt under rehearsed but, unlike the previous show earlier in the year, it actually felt like I was at a Quireboys show. Despite that 2022 launch, though, Spike's Quireboys have been quiet, at least publicly, since then. 2024 seeks to change that, though. With an album of new material written by Spike and the late Guy Bailey scheduled for a September release, the band booked a short May tour to road-test some of the material and prepare for a handful of summer festival shows. It seems that another tour will be announced for November to tour the album but this recent run of shows was the first proper outing of the now largely-solidified Quireboys line-up. Griffin's Quireboys have been taking pre-orders on a new album which shows no sign of being released for nearly two years at this point, and do not seem to have any live dates planned, so I do wonder if they are struggling without Spike - but Spike, currently, seems to have everything under control, with a strong new Quireboys line-up featuring some classic previous members as well as well-respected peers. Of the four shows announced, the Swansea date made the most sense financially. I had never been to Swansea before, which turned out to be a rather unexciting place, and the Patti Pavilion was quite a trek from the main city centre where I was staying. I did not think that it was the best venue, either, but there was a decent crowd gathered considering that Swansea is somewhat off the beaten path - meaning that, as is typical of Quireboys shows, there was a good atmosphere throughout.

Before Spike and his band took to the stage, though, the growing crowd was treated to two support acts. Up first, from Nottingham, were the punky, hair metal quartet Continental Lovers - who owed quite a significant portion of their sound and look to Hanoi Rocks. Despite battling through tech issues early on, including the main microphone stopping working, the four-piece powered their way through half an hour or so of music which was generally up-tempo and energetic. There was one slower ballad included, but generally the band's songs were power chord-heavy anthems with some tasty guitar leads and a driving rhythm section. Sadly, though, the vocals were buried in the mix. Even after the microphone issue was fixed it was hard to hear the vocals - and this certainly limited the band's impact. Given that all of their songs were on short side and there was not a significant amount of time given over to extended soloing, despite the occasional solo adding colour, the lack of vocal clarity in the mix likely meant that many of the band's main hooks were lost. The traditional support band mix hindered the band from making their full impact - but I heard enough to suggest that Continental Lovers likely have something about them which warrants further investigation. They were something of  throwback to my Uni days in appearance, too. When I was living in Leicester during the early 2010s there were quite a few bands that looked like Continental Lovers in and around the East Midlands who often opened up for bigger bands - so seeing another glam/punk act from Nottingham so many years later was quite nostalgic. Despite the issues, then, the band's set flew by - and they received a fairly strong reception throughout, too, which was nice to see.

Changing the vibe next was a solo set from former The Grip and Honeycrack frontman Willie Dowling. Dowling, who was also associated with The Wildhearts briefly and goes back a long way with Spike, is someone I was familiar with in name-only but had never listened to - and his half an hour or so of piano-driven music was largely enjoyable. He was joined by a bass player as well as some backing tracks with drum loops on, but generally his songs were led by his piano playing - and his lyrics ranged from being quirky to political, often within the same song. Generally, too, his songs were pretty memorable. It is lazy to compare piano players to Elton John, but Dowling's vocal mannerisms and the melodic drive of his playing certainly reminded me a little of John's approach - albeit the songwriting was clearly rooted in a career of playing louder rock music. Quite a few in the crowd were already familiar with his work, so he had little to do to get people on side. A few anti-government quips certainly helped with that - but I did find some of the political statements/lyrics somewhat tiring. I have no issue with politics and music going hand-in-hand - I just find the everyone-who-disagrees-with-me-is-an-actual-fascist attitude which seems to permeate portions of the left these days to be trite. The word 'fascist' has basically lost all of its meaning now (as, indeed, have the terms 'left' and 'right' in my opinion) - and there was a bit of that brand of politics on display. Changes are needed in this country for sure, but meaningful change will not happen whilst those sort of views are what are considered meaningful opposition to the status quo. Moving along, though, I did actually enjoy Dowling's set despite my eyes occasionally rolling. His songs were memorable enough regardless of the subject matter - and it reminded me that I have an LP copy of a Grip album I really ought to dig out.

Around 25 minutes later the lights went down and Spike and the rest of the Quireboys took to the stage. Compared to the army of musicians he had around him in 2022, the current line-up of the band look much more svelt. Joining him again were original bassist Nigel Mogg and classic-era drummer Rudy Richman - with Thunder's Luke Morley (guitar/vocals) and Dowling (keyboards/vocals) making up the rest of the five-piece. Dowling was filling in for founding keyboard player Chris Johnstone on this tour, but he sounded really at home in the band - and it was just as well that he was well-versed in the catalogue as the single-guitar approach meant that the piano was more prominent in the mix than ever. Whilst most of the set was culled from the band's first two albums, five songs from the upcoming album Wardour Street were played. The album's lead single Jeeze Louise kicked off an 18-song set, with the Chuck Berry-esque rock 'n' roll of the piece getting things off to a fine start. Vocally, Spike was on fine form. Early in the set he was a bit low in the mix - but this evened itself out over time, and generally he was his usual self. Following the new number, the early part of the set was generally made up of favourites - with the boogie blues of Can't Park Here and the ever-present Misled seeing plenty of singing from the crowd. With the exception of the new songs played, the setlist was pretty as-expected. The deep cuts from that 2022 show were largely gone, save for Can't Park Here, but given this tour is essentially relaunching the band it made sense to play the hits. The country-esque Sweet Mary Ann was another early on that saw plenty of singing before the surprisingly heavy Raining Whiskey gave the crowd another taste of what is to come.

Whilst most of the songs on the upcoming album were written by Spike and Bailey, Raining Whiskey is a re-worked Frankie Miller piece that was never released. Spike has never hidden his love of Miller and I had expected the song to be more delicate - but it was a real barnburner. It set the tone nicely for the moody Whippin' Boy, which Dowling co-wrote funnily enough, and the strutting Tramps and Thieves. Given the single-guitar approach, the lack of the slide did give the latter a different vibe - but Morley did a great job throughout. I am not sure why Spike has decided to go with only one guitarist given that The Quireboys were always a two-guitar band - but nothing felt significantly lacking as a result. Tramps and Thieves still rocked and Morley did break out the slide for Hey You - which saw everyone singing. The new songs were all well-received, too, and I think my personal favourite of those played was I Think I Got It Wrong Again due to its snappy riffing and a classic Spike chorus. In fact, all of the new songs sounded great - so I am really looking forward to hearing the new album when it drops in September. Happy was another rollocking new one, but it was perhaps King of New York before it which really got everyone going. The set was generally pretty hard rocking, with ballads a relative rarity - so the slow number was very much welcome, and Morley delivered a great solo during it. Sadly there was not too much time left by this point and it was left to a bouncy There She Goes Again and the ever-present barroom groove of 7 O'Clock to bring everything to a close. There was time for a few more, though, with the AC/DC-esque brashness of Like It or Not being the last of the new tunes played, before an excellent rendition of the trashy Mayfair was the last big moment of energy. A lengthy rendition of the ballad I Don't Love You Anymore then brought the curtain down on the evening - with Spike delivering another emotional vocal performance and Morley again nailing the melodic solo. The setlist was:

Jeeze Louise

Can't Park Here

Misled

Sweet Mary Ann

Raining Whiskey [Frankie Miller cover]

Whippin' Boy

Tramps and Thieves

Hey You

I Think I Got It Wrong Again

Ode To You (Baby Just Walk)

King of New York

Happy

Roses & Rings

There She Goes Again

7 O'Clock

-

Like It or Not

Mayfair

I Don't Love You Anymore

This tour seems to suggest that Spike's new version of the Quireboys is well and truly up and running. It is a shame that Johnstone could not make it this time, but Dowling did a fine job in his place - and it was great to hear many of those classic songs again after a bit of a break. Considering I used to see The Quireboys live multiple times a year it has been strange of late not doing so. Still, last night in Swansea was another fun one - and the added bonus of the new songs meant that it is only made me more excited for Wardour Street to drop.

Accept's 'Humanoid' - Album Review

Given that there have been a lot of strong releases from veteran heavy metal bands in recent years, including more than a handful of such from this year already, something new from the German legends Accept should have been expected. Unlike some of their peers, though, Accept have generally been pretty prolific. With the exception of their two periods of hiatus between 1989 and 1992 and again between 1997 and 2009, Accept have generally put out a new album every two or three years - with such being maintained in recent years despite line-up changes and the changing music industry. Guitarist Wolf Hoffmann may be the only founding member of the band left, but Accept have continued on through hardship and being written off plenty of times before - and their recent run of albums has generally been pretty strong. The band will always be known for their run of no-nonsense heavy metal albums in the 1980s, but outside of that classic era much of their best work has come more recently - with 2010's Blood of the Nations in particular often considered one of the greatest comeback albums in the genre. Whilst I like some of the albums more than others, everything which followed Blood of the Nations has been very solid. The band's last album, Too Mean to Die (which I reviewed here), came out in early 2021 - so was one of the albums which got a lot of airtime in my house during that stage of the pandemic. Accept's reliable and long-established sound was welcome at the time, but it was also an album which debuted a new line-up of the band and was their first with Hoffmann as the sole founding member left. The departure of bassist Peter Baltes, who had also been a significant songwriter for the band, could have really derailed Accept's excellent recent run - but Too Mean to Die showed that there was plenty of life left. The band have soldiered on, then, and last month they released their seventeenth studio album Humanoid - the sixth album of the current run. Humanoid features the same line-up as the previous album, albeit with third guitarist Philip Shouse not listed as a full-time band member and only credited with 'additional guitars'. In truth, I am not sure why the band brought Shouse on board in the first place. Accept are not a band with intricate enough arrangements to need a third guitarist - with Hoffmann and his co-guitarist (currently Uwe Lulis) having done fine as a guitar duo since 1976. What makes the Shouse situation stranger, though, is that he appears in the videos released from this album - but is not currently touring with the band, with Whitesnake's Joel Hoekstra filling in. Hoekstra in Accept makes even less sense given that Hoffmann handles all but a handful of the band's guitar leads and Hoekstra is a very flashy player. Regardless of this chopping and changing of an arguably superfluous part of the band, Humanoid is classic Accept. Most of the songs here are exactly what anyone familiar with the band would expect, although there is perhaps a bit more of an organic, classic rock-influenced sound on display here. Hoffmann's crunchy riffs and frontman Mark Tornillo's raspy voice sound as good as ever, though, but Humanoid does feel a little more diverse than is typical for Accept - which is perhaps a result of this current line-up really solidifying.

One of the slight differences about this album is how the band do not roar out of the blocks right away as would be expected. Opening track Diving into Sin is certainly a pretty typical Accept song once it gets going, but it opens relatively slowly - with some clean guitar melodies which build up atmospherically to the first proper riff. Eastern-tinged melodies inform the first riff and the song opens in a mid-paced manner with this slightly different vibe - but a more crunchy and hard-driving vibe soon takes over and the track becomes something more expected. Hoffmann and Lulis team up well for the song's mid-paced yet energetic verses - whilst the pulsing bass playing of Martin Motnik propels everything along. The song is pretty catchy, but it is perhaps not as molten as some of the band's other opening cuts. The chorus is typical Accept, though, with big gang vocals and Christopher Williams' precise double bass drumming, but the overall vibe does feel a little more paired back than usual - allowing those Eastern melodies and a more classic rock energy to permeate. This slight change of tack works well, though, and there is still plenty of crunch - and Hoffmann's guitar solo is his usual mix of melodic phrasing and classical influences. The song then ends how it began, with the Eastern-esque clean guitar melodies seeing the song fade to an atmospheric close. The title track follows and it immediately feels more typical of the band's core sound. It feels heavier and pacier than Diving into Sin, and it also opens with some busy guitar playing from Hoffmann. His lead playing is as recognisable as ever throughout this album and he really lays the gauntlet down during the song's opening moments - before a pacy verse takes over and Tornillo shows yet again why he was chosen as the band's singer when they reunited in 2009. His gruff tones are more AC/DC-inspired than his predecessor, but he perfectly suits Accept's core sound - with the pacy verses here benefitting from his rasp. The song is relatively dynamic, too, thanks to a slower pre-chorus which is built around some snaking, groovy guitar melodies - before Williams speeds things up and the chorus is pretty fast, with anthemic hooks and more big gang vocals. The solo is another excellent moment, too, and builds on the guitar leads which opened the song - with a more controlled first half focusing on neo-classical melodies before a second more chaotic section contains lots of whammy bar tricks and noises. A personal favourite of mine here, though, is Frankenstein - which was co-written by Lulis. Given that he wrote a lot of material for his previous bands it is strange that this is his first writing credit with Accept - but he has contributed to another classic-sounding Accept track here which mixes trademark riffing and a more dynamic arrangement. The chorus is perhaps one of the album's best, with a surprisingly melodic vocal hook which is offset by a mid-paced groove and stomping gang vocals, whilst fast-paced verses chug along nicely and a linking pre-chorus section with chiming clean guitars and some stop-start drumming shakes things up. Most of Accept's songs generally are pretty hooky, but this one feels hookier overall - and harks back to the smoother sound of 1985's Metal Heart somewhat. Those who like their Accept a little shinier will enjoy this one; and there are also multiple guitar solos here - all of which are pretty shreddy and up-tempo.

Man Up, which follows, feels a little bit more meat and potatoes following the opening run of songs which certainly felt a little more varied than Accept can sometimes be. The fourth song here does open with some clean guitars, which are then incorporated into the main riff, and the track in general is less heavy overall - with that classic rock influence on display. Whilst the mid-paced chorus is a bit more traditional, with its big gang vocals, much of the rest of the song feels like those bluesier AC/DC songs during the Bon Scott era which were a bit slower-burning and more bass-heavy. Motnik's bass is certainly present during the verses, and he seems to really drive everything, whilst Tornillo channels the Brian Johnson era of AC/DC with his rasp. Whilst the chorus is pretty memorable thanks to the gang vocals and its overall groove, the rest of the song does feel a bit lacklustre compared to Accept's usual fire. There is not enough metal here for me and it feels too bluesy for a band who usually shake the foundations with their riffing. The Reckoning gets things back on track, though, and the pace is upped here to create the barnstorming classic Accept sound. The bass pounds away under the locked-in riffing of Hoffmann and Lulis, whilst the simple drumming of Williams is a lot groovier than it first appears. There are some proper groovier moments later during a slower pre-chorus, but overall this is a snappy track with lots of hard-hitting crunch. Gang vocals are even used during the verses here to add some additional vocal punctuation whilst the chorus packs a real punch thanks to its faster overall pace and less reliance on a stomping sound than usual. The whole song just seems to have more of an urgency to it overall - and the arrangement is one which feels a little more expansive, too. Accept have often done songs which are a little longer than typical to allow the arrangement to breathe and this is one such piece - with another excellent two-part guitar solo showing Hoffmann's class as a player. Another real favourite of mine is the foot-stomping and hooky Nobody Gets Out Alive. It is another track with a slight 1980s sheen to it, but it still feels like classic Accept - and there is plenty of weight behind all of the riffs. The main riff is hooky and heavy, and this is one of the few songs here which does not really slow down ever at all. There are no breath-catching pre-choruses or clean bridges here really, with everything being full of crunch. Accept have been writing songs like this for years but when everything falls into place the band's core sound can still excite - and the chorus here is one of the album's best with its huge gang vocal hooks and overall melodic approach. Ravages of Time slows things down and goes for more of a ballad-esque approach. The song opens slowly with some clean guitar melodies and a mournful drum groove - over which Tornillo sings in a surprisingly emotional manner and Hoffmann adds some slow-burning guitar leads. It does get heavier as it goes along, but it never really kicks off in a big way. This is a song which revels in its slow-burning arrangement - and as a ballad from Accept is quite a rarity they always add a moment of difference on any album they appear on. The chorus feels weightier, and that is when the song gets somewhat heavy, but the band always return to the clean guitars for each verse - and even the chorus feels mournful despite its heavier backing. The lack of a big guitar solo is surprising, but the lead work throughout is still very effective.

Unbreakable gets back to a heavier sound, but the song is perhaps not as full-on as it could be - and it is another which seems to channel that classic rock influence mentioned earlier. The arrangement is less metallic and hard-driving than much of Accept's catalogue but there is still plenty of weight here, and the song feels heavier the closer it gets to the chorus. The chorus is very much classic Accept with more gang vocal hooks and molten riffing - but earlier in the song the guitars feel more organic and some of the riffs feel like they could have come from a UFO album, thanks to their groove and the strong bass presence beneath them. This is no bad thing in my opinion. Whilst Man Up did not quite work for me, this song does - and I like the mix of a more organic sound with a classic Accept chorus. This album is not the first time that Accept has included some classic rock influences of course, but it does feel a bit more prevalent here - and it does make Humanoid a bit more varied overall. Mind Games ups the pace again and returns to that 1980s sound referenced earlier. It is very much a classic Accept track but it is one of those songs of theirs which feels a bit smoother overall. The guitar tones here are still razor sharp, but the verses are less crunchy - with big chords ringing out and changing in a more anthemic way behind Tornillo's strident vocal hooks. Given how hooky this song is it surprises me that it was not one that stood out from the off. It took a few listens for me to be drawn to this one, but it is now another real favourite. Perhaps it is because it falls near the end of the album, but for whatever reason it did not jump out at first - despite one of the most anthemic choruses on the album which does up the crunchiness following the approach detailed during the verses. It is very much a chorus made to be sung along to live and the song is a real winner in my opinion. Straight Up Jack returns to a more AC/DC-influenced sound with pumping bass throughout the verses and riffs which have plenty of room to breathe. It is not as heavy as some of the songs here as it is another which goes for a more classic rock-inspired sound. The chorus is crunchy and punchy, but the verses certainly see the overall sound paired back somewhat to allow Motnik's bass to shine. The verses are very bass-heavy, then, with the guitars pushed into the background - but they resurface throughout, particularly during the chorus up the heaviness. It is a fun song, but compared to some of the others here it feels a little rote - again with more of a meat and potatoes sound despite the fun chorus. The album then comes to a close with Southside of Hell, which ups the pace significantly and goes for a thrashier sound - something which Accept have often flirted with throughout their career. Despite a slower pre-chorus section which helps to build tension, the rest of the song is pretty molten and fast-paced - with lots of fast-paced riffing and some strong guitar interplay. There are lots of little interesting riffs and leads throughout the song, particularly during the verses to accent Tornillo's vocals, whilst the chorus is a classic Accept stomper at a faster pace than is typical - which gives the album some real closing fire. It is not the strongest song here but is is one of the album's most furious moments - and its hard-driving attitude and fun chorus ensures that the album ends on a true metallic high. Given the subtle variety here, this album is a bit more interesting overall than most Accept albums - but there change is not drastic that the band's core sound has been lost. This still very much feels like Accept through and through - and the songs here are generally all catchy and worthy of headbanging along to in that classic Accept manner.

The album was released on 26th April 2024 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Humanoid.

Vanden Plas' 'The Empyrean Equation of the Long Lost Things' - Album Review

Considering how much I love progressive metal, it is perhaps surprising that it has taken me until my 12th year of reviewing new albums on this blog to cover a release by the German five-piece Vanden Plas. After all, the band have now released five studio albums since I wrote my first album review here in 2013 and I have covered many other releases from similar artists in that time. For some reason, though, Vanden Plas never really clicked with me. I am not sure why, as they generally play the sort of progressive metal that I like, but for some reason their material rarely stuck. Frontman Andy Kuntz has a fantastic voice and the lyrical guitar playing of principal composer Stephan Lill is always melodic and tasteful - but the melodies rarely cemented themselves in my brain. They tend to have all the ingredients, then, but the dish can sometimes be a bit off for my tastes - which I thought to be a shame given the band's love of concepts, some of which span multiple releases. All of that being said, though, over the past couple of years I have made more of an effort with the band's albums. I listened to 2006's Christ 0 and 2010's The Seraphic Clockwork a couple of years after the latter's release, and I did get the first of the Chronicles of the Immortals albums when it came out in 2014 - but I did not properly start listening to the band again until a couple of years ago, when I started at the beginning and slowly worked my way through their early albums. I cannot say that I have been fully converted to a big-time Vanden Plas fan - but I certainly appreciate the band's sound more than I did. Their lush and soundscape-esque sound is perhaps a bit laid back and lacking in heaviness for me at times, but the band certainly have a distinct sound of their own - and I have enjoyed the journey. There are still a few more of their albums I need to get, but given that a new one has just dropped I decided to jump on it whilst it was fresh - so I have been listening to their eleventh studio album The Empyrean Equation of the Long Lost Things (if that is not a prog metal album title then I do not know what is) quite a bit since it was released last month. It is an interesting album in the context of the band's history, too, as it is their first to be released without their long-standing line-up which had been in place since 1990 and had featured on everything they had released up to this point. Keyboardist Günter Werno left the band last year and was replaced by Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge of Forever; Hardline; Eden's Curse; Voodoo Circle; Silent Force; Jorn) - which did raise alarm bells. Del Vecchio is certainly a fine musician, but his involvement in countless Frontiers Records copy-and-past melodic rock/metal projects has led me to treat anything he does with suspicion. He no longer seems to be working for Frontiers Records directly, though, so it seems that those days are over - and he has brought none of that baggage with him to Vanden Plas. Despite the change, and the loss of the band's secondary composer, Vanden Plas' core sound is very much intact here - with The Empyrean Equation of the Long Lost Things continuing on the distinct sound the band have been forging since the early 1990s.

I am not sure if the album is a concept album or not, as I have not delved into the lyrics, but with six lengthy songs totalling 55 minutes it would not surprise me if this was the first part of a new concept suite. The opening title track, which is largely instrumental save for a short vocal-led part around halfway through, also suggests that it is setting up something grander than just this album - and it feels like a real building overture, with a gentle piano intro to introduce Del Vecchio before Stephan and his brother drummer Andreas Lill crash in with a punchy riff. This opening crash is quite staccato in nature, and a bit crunchier than is sometimes typical for the band, but there is still plenty of their trademark keyboard backing - whilst the bass from Torsten Reichert provides a solid grounding. Following this riffy intro, the first solo section takes over - which is started by Stephan, shredding away furiously, before Del Vecchio takes over for a more melodic synth run. Again, this solo section is perhaps more cutting than the band's usual melodic approach - but it works nicely, and there are plenty of more downbeat moments in the piece which return to the opening piano melodies and a more dramatic, atmospheric approach. During one of these slower moments, Kuntz starts to sing and the band swells around him - launching into a chorus which will somewhat be reprised in the album's closing track. The vocal section here is not long at all, and it is not long before a slow-burning and lyrical guitar solo takes over - but the brief introduction of Kuntz seems to really set the tone for what is to come. The instrumental continues on for quite a bit longer, too, moving into another very riffy section which again ups the heaviness and drama. This is the last movement of the song and, following another solo, the album segues into lead single My Icarian Flight - a much more typical song for Vanden Plas. The heavier nature of the previous instrumental is pulled back somewhat and the band proceed over a mid-paced rhythm with some soaring Stephan guitar leads - before a crunchy verse takes over which focuses on Del Vecchio's piano. There is plenty of weight throughout the verses despite the focus on the piano, as Stephan and Reichert lay down a muscular groove alongside Andreas - whilst Del Vecchio creates a strong melodic piano base for Kuntz's vocal hooks. I have always liked Kuntz's voice, even when I was not as much into the band, and he really delivers here. His voice has not really changed at all throughout the band's 30-plus year career - and his smoothness and gentle tone is a good contrast to the crunchy rhythms throughout. The chorus retains a similar groove, albeit with a hookier melody, and it is perhaps the album's most accessible moment overall. It soars in typical prog metal fashion, despite the relaxing vibes, but the band soon shake things up with some Hammond organ roars and a busy solo section featuring the skills of both Stephan and Del Vecchio. The song is quite similar to Vanden Plas singles of the past, with the combination of big guitar leads, a simple groove, and warm vocal hooks bringing the best out of everyone involved here.

Sanctimonarium, at just over 10 minutes, is the second-longest song on the album - so it is unsurprising that it feels more involved than the previous track. It opens with a lengthy instrumental intro which is busier than anything in the previous song - with plenty of organic keyboard stabs circling hooky guitar riffs and some off-kilter drumming from Andreas. Vanden Plas have never been as technical and flashy as a band like Dream Theater, but there are moments on this song's intro which do flirt with such a style - particularly a handful of unison guitar/keyboard runs which are very typical of the 1990s/2000s prog metal scene. Once Kuntz starts to sing, though, things slow down. The early parts of the verses are very low key, with melodic clean guitar melodies and a relatively punchy drum groove backing the vocals - but the verses grow in stature as they move along, speeding up in places with a much heavier and more urgent sound. Given how the verses build up, it is unsurprising that the chorus which follows feels much bigger. This is certainly a song which builds towards each chorus rendition nicely - and it is clear that the band feel that the hooks within the chorus are particularly strong. Whilst it might not be as immediately accessible as the chorus from the previous song, it has a real grandness thanks to Kuntz's slower vocal lines and a plentiful keyboard backing. This slower pace, following the punchy verse endings, allows the chorus to have a really anthemic and majestic sound - which elevates the piece above the simpler arrangement of the previous song. Given the longer runtime of this piece, too, there is a lot more time dedicated to instrumental movements. Del Vecchio uses a lot of retro Hammond organ sounds throughout this album alongside more atmospheric synths, and the organ is put to good use during parts of this song - swelling up the introduce a fast-paced Stephan solo, before taking over a little later for a rather pompous, Deep Purple-esque keyboard driven section. The main instrumental section is lengthy and varied, then, but when a few more tasteful guitar leads herald Kuntz returning the song reaches an emotional climax with a final chorus and a riffy closing moment. The Sacrilegious Mind Machine is faster paced than the previous track, and it opens with some barrelling guitar riffing which harks back to the heavier sections of the opening instrumental. There is certainly a heaviness throughout the whole song, but that does not mean that the more atmospheric side of the band has been lost - as the lengthy intro, as well as the riffing, also contains some melodic guitar hooks reminiscent of the previous song. In general, though, this song is much crunchier. Del Vecchio's Hammond is used again here for a metallic depth, whilst the main verses feel much tougher with a strong bass presence and plenty of palm-muted guitar riffing. Kuntz perhaps feels more at home with an atmospheric backing, but he also handles the heavier passages well. Despite his excellent voice, he is not the most diverse of singers. He does not really have a harsher edge which would boost the band's heavier passages further - but he does feel a bit snappier during the verses here. The fact that this song is a bit heavier than some of the others means that the track is perhaps not as memorable vocally. I do not feel that the song's chorus really pops like the previous two and the parts of this track which I tend to enjoy the most are actually the instrumental moments - in particularly a great riff-led section around two-thirds of the way through.

They Call Me God is the album's ballad, so it really reins in the heaviness of the previous song to instead focus on dense keyboard textures, gentle piano melodies, and some slow-burning guitar passages. It opens slowly, with the piano dominating, before Kuntz starts to sing over this paired back arrangement. Kuntz always shines in front of a more atmospheric and melodic backing - and his smooth voice soars above the piano and string arrangement, his warm tones fitting the mood of the piece nicely. The chorus is a bit more involved, as Stephan's guitar joins the fray - adding slow, mournful leads over the piano backing from before. The chorus vocal hooks pop, too, and the song continues in this manner for two verse/chorus cycles - before the rest of the band crash in and Stephan launches into a fantastic, soaring guitar solo which fuses David Gilmour-esque note choices with shreddier and more metallic passages. The rest of the song is heavier from that point on, but it generally focuses on the lengthy guitar solo as well as a final chorus rendition which feels much meatier this time. The song can somewhat be seen as two parts, then, but I like how it has been put together as there is a good sense of light and shade. The album then comes to a close with the 15-plus minute epic March of the Saints - which opens with a busy guitar melody before launching into another meaty riff-based section which really stood out from the off. This intro melody/riff combination resurfaces throughout the song and each time it comes in it really hits the mark. It is just a very memorable motif which really grounds the lengthy piece - but there is plenty else here to get stuck into. The early portion of the song is typical of the album's core sound, with a memorable verse/chorus cycle which places a lot of emphasis on the latter. There are hookier choruses here but it still very much gets in the brain thanks to its majestic mid-paced groove and bombastic keyboard backing. Kuntz shines as always, his vocal hooks bright, whilst a lengthy keyboard solo pulls these early moments together nicely. A lengthy piano-led section later adds warmth and allows Kuntz a bit more a chance to spread out vocally. He really dominates this mid-section and even when the heaviness returns somewhat as the rest of the band join in the arrangement remains vocal-focused - and the song is not as explosive instrumentally as it could be given its length. There is certainly plenty of great playing throughout, with an expanded version of the intro melody later repurposed as its own instrumental section, but Kuntz is never too far away - and this is especially true as the song moves into its closing section, which builds on the vocal section of the title track. Motifs and melodies from that song are reused here and the brief chorus which was hinted at before is deployed in full this time - and it makes up the entire final portion of the song. It is a good way to bring the album full circle and it further fuels my suspicions that the album is a concept album with a sequel to follow - but it also allows for some excellent closing guitar moments, with Stephan really taking the song out with lots of tasteful leads under the vocals which then morph, Neal Schon style, into an epic closing solo which is full of character and melody. It is a great way to end the album and it is easily the best guitar solo here. I have enjoyed getting more acquainted with Vanden Plas over the past couple of years and topping off such with The Empyrean Equation of the Long Lost Things makes it better. I have enjoyed immersing myself in this latest release recently and I feel like I have somewhat turned a corner with the band. I will look to complete my collection soon, but for the meantime I can see this album getting some more plays over the coming months.

The album was released on 19th April 2024 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for My Icarian Flight.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Cardiff Review

When I saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band live for the second time last year I thought that, given Springsteen's age and the rumours that his 2023 tour would be his last big one, I would probably not get to see them live again. I had made my peace with that. I was a bit of a late-comer to Springsteen's music, and did not get into his work properly until my early-to-mid 20s, but I saw him and his legendary backing band rock a packed Wembley Stadium in 2016 and it remains one of the best gigs that I have ever been to. He played the vast majority of the songs which I wanted to hear at the time and it was one of those nights which I often think back to - despite being at the very back of the huge stadium. I had hoped that I would get to see him again, but if I was not to be then at least I had seen him once, but that changed last year when I ventured up to Birmingham to see him at Villa Park. Whilst I am not sure the 2016 gig will ever be topped for me personally, last year's show was also very special. I am not sure that Springsteen and the band know how to put on a show which is anything less than spectacular - and the more structured set of the 2023 tour included a number of songs not played in 2016, whilst having something of a pleasing flow given that the shows were less varied than is typical. Last year's tour seemed like Springsteen was saying goodbye, but then quite a few of his American shows later in the year ended up being postponed due to illness. With those being rescheduled in 2024, it perhaps made sense to extend the tour further - including a return to Europe. I do wonder if this additional leg was always planned or whether it came about as a result of the postponed US shows - but when a handful more UK shows were announced I knew that I had to get tickets. Despite another night at Wembley Stadium being tempting, going to Cardiff made the most sense logistically - especially as it fell over the early May bank holiday weekend meaning that no leave needed to be taken from work. Cardiff is always a nice city to visit, too, and it is not somewhere that I get to all that often - which is surprising given that is not too far from my home in Devon. I do have a couple of other Cardiff trips planned for later in the year, but yesterday's trip to see Springsteen was my first to Wales since 2022. It was also my first visit to the Principality Stadium - which is principally the home of Welsh rugby. Given that I do not get to many stadium shows, and that I am not a rugby fan, it was good to finally visit it - as it is often hailed as one of the country's best. It was certainly a good one and given the closable roof it meant that those on the pitch could be sheltered from the rain which had been hammering down all morning and well into the afternoon - although by the time the gig started it had abated. As such, the 30 or so minute walk up to the city centre from my Premier Inn in Cardiff Bay was a relatively pleasant one. I was, of course, right at the back of the stadium again - but this had never affected my enjoyment of either of the two previous Springsteen shows and it was good seeing the place fill up during the hour or so between getting there and the show starting.

As usual, there was very little fanfare throughout what was to come. Springsteen may be in his 70s now, but last night's show in Cardiff was still three hours long - and it was different enough setlist-wise from last year's show to make it worth the effort. In truth, I am sure an extremely similar show would have still been very much worth it - but I was glad to hear a few different songs this time around, even if some of the songs played had also been played at that 2016 show. The show got underway in a fairly unconventional manner, though, with the deep cut So Young and in Love kicking things off. The non-album track, which had not been played live for over a decade, proved to be an up-tempo start to the night. It was not a song which I was familiar with, but its soulful strains brought the best out of the expanded E Street Band which, like last year, was augmented by a horn section, backing vocalists, and a percussionist. The horns and the choir made the R&B-inspired piece really shine - but it felt like the energy levels shot up when Soozie Tyrell (guitar/violin/percussion/vocals) started playing the main violin melody of Lonesome Day - and the smooth rocker pretty much set the tone for what was to come. Springsteen himself, as he was last year, was in fine form. He still seems to contain endless energy and vocally he still sounds strong - even if he is somewhat gruffer these days. This particularly was apparent during the heavier numbers, such as the classic No Surrender and the newer Ghosts which were both played early on, but it only gave such songs more of an edge. The set flowed nicely, though, and did not stick to one vibe for too long. An early surprise was the folk/country rock of Darlington County, which again allowed the violin and a more acoustic-based vibe to be exhibited, but perhaps my favourite early cut was a tour debut for the early 1990s single Better Days. Springsteen tends to underrepresent that part of his catalogue live these days, so it was fun to hear the keyboard-heavy soft rocker in the set. It was really bulked out by the band's two keyboard players, Roy Bittan and Charlie Giordano - with the choir again adding plenty of soulful backing vocals during the anthemic chorus. It was one of two songs of the night which Springsteen chose from signs held aloft in the crowd - and these setlist left-turns are always a big part of what makes his shows special. Springsteen's shorter, punchier pieces always come alive on stage, with the poppy Hungry Heart later generating plenty of singing from the Cardiff crowd - but I tend to prefer the live moments where the band really stretch out. One such moment in Cardiff came via Spirit in the Night - which was beefed up significantly thanks to the horn section. The E Street Band always sound powerful, but with the added horns the more soulful pieces really soared - and Springsteen spent plenty of time down with the front row during the elongated and jammed out piece. The second sign request then proved to be one of the surprises of the night, as If I Was the Priest was given a rare outing. The old song was finally released on 2020's Letter to You, and it had only been played live a handful of times before - with the rendition being excellent, and closed out by a snarling solo from Steven Van Zandt (guitar/vocals).

As with last year's shows, Springsteen is still somewhat promoting his R&B/soul release Only the Strong Survive - so, as in Birmingham, the crowd were treated to an excellent version of the Commodores' Nightshift. This was another song which really brought the best out of the horn section - but it also turned into a bit of a showcase for the backing singers, too, with all of them joining Springsteen at the front of the stage to really boost the song's soulful depth. It was a funky moment before the set took a bit of a slower turn - with both The River and an acoustic rendition of Last Man Standing lowering the tone. The former was a real stand-out, though, with Springsteen's mournful harmonica filling the arena whilst the crowd really helped him out with parts of the song vocally. This slower section helped to act as a change of pace, though, as the final third or so of the main set was pretty full-on. Bittan's piano then introduced Backstreets - and from that point on the set rocked pretty hard. Because the Night was the big sing-a-long that it usually is, and even some of the real casuals around me in the cheap seats seemed to wake up for it - and it was closed out by another excellent solo, this time from Nils Lofgren (guitar/lap steel/vocals). There were moments of smoothness during this closing section, such as the newer anthems Wrecking Ball and The Rising, but these songs still felt pretty rocking and powerful given those around them - even if the set-closing one-two punch of Badlands and Thunder Road eclipsed them due to their classic status. Jake Clemons (saxophone/percussion/vocals) acquitted himself really well, as always, but his solo during Badlands was particularly excellent. He has become an integral part of the E Street Band in recent years and is continuing on his uncle's legacy perfectly - and it was fitting that Springsteen gave him a big hug later whilst the band was leaving the stage. Thunder Road was not the end, though, as a lengthy encore of real classics followed. The stadium rock stomp of Born in the U.S.A. kicked off the seven-song run, which got everyone on their feet, but, as always, it was Born to Run which likely generated the biggest reaction of the night. Despite the song's classic stature it is one I never tire of and it got everyone singing along - before the sway of Bobby Jean and the driving synth rock of Dancing in the Dark kept the energy levels high. Even the casuals were singing every word at this point and it is clear why Springsteen tends to keep his encores pretty predictable despite his want to mix up the set night after night. With a horn section in tow, though, a highlight is always going to be Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out - and the song was another which saw all of the band pulling the same direction. It is a fabulous example of Springsteen's love of R&B and the horns beefed it out nicely - whilst tribute was paid to the late Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici. This segued into a raucous rendition of the old favourite Twist and Shout, with everyone shouting along - before the E Street Departed following lengthy bows to allow Springsteen to close the night out himself with a delicate rendition of I'll See You in My Dreams - as he has been doing every night over the past couple of years. It was a poignant end to another great night, with a setlist that showed off some of his very best songwriting. The setlist was:

So Young and in Love

Lonesome Day

No Surrender

Prove It All Night

Darlington County

Ghosts

Better Days

The Promised Land

Spirit in the Night

Hungry Heart

If I Was the Priest

My City of Ruins

Nightshift [Commodores cover]

The River

Last Man Standing

Backstreets

Because the Night [Patti Smith Group cover]

She's the One

Wrecking Ball

The Rising

Badlands

Thunder Road

-

Born in the U.S.A.

Born to Run

Bobby Jean

Dancing in the Dark

Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

Twist and Shout [The Top Notes cover]

-

I'll See You in My Dreams

Despite thinking the same last year, I do think it is likely that last night was my last Springsteen concert. I cannot see him coming around again with the full band and really going for it like he has been. Although he still seems in good health and full of energy it must be harder for him to do these shows than it used to be - and I imagine he is the sort of person who would want to go out on a high. Despite that, if there are more UK shows in the future then I will certainly try and go - and all three of my live Springsteen experiences now have been very special indeed. There is no-one really quite like him and he still is loved by a huge amount of people.

Praying Mantis' 'Defiance' - Album Review

With Demon due to release a new studio album later this month and the fact that the London-based five-piece Praying Mantis released their twelfth studio album Defiance last month, it feels like 1981 all over again. Both bands released their debut albums in 1981 at the height of the NWOBHM movement and were seen as part of that scene - but, in truth, both were much more polished and melodic rock-inspired to ever feel like true examples of the NWOBHM. Praying Mantis, of course, did have a track on the legendary 1980 NWOBHM compilation Metal for Muthas - but I am not sure that either band has ever truly been 'metal'. Whatever they are, though, both bands are excellent. I will likely cover Demon's latest album in due course, but this piece focuses on Praying Mantis and Defiance - the band's fourth album with their current line-up, which is the longest-lasting in their entire history. Whilst 1981's Time Tells No Lies is often seen as a bit of a lost classic of the NWOBHM era, the truth is that it failed to make waves at the time - and the band broke up not long after its release. There are certainly plenty of strong songs on the album but I think the lack of a strong frontman held the band back. Had they had a proper singer the songs would have really soared and this is something which they have generally rectified since reforming in 1990 and again in 2008 - but, for me, their current frontman John Cuijpers is their best yet. This should take nothing away from the likes of Colin Peel, Gary Barden, or Tony O'Hora - but Cuijpers has really made Praying Mantis tick since he came on board in 2013. Another thing which I think held Praying Mantis back, especially during their second era from 1990 to 2003, was their inability to keep a stable line-up together. This is something which eludes many bands, but the constant chopping and changing of singers especially during that second run almost certainly had a big impact. It is telling, then, that since Cuijpers joined the band there has been stability - with drummer Hans in 't Zandt joining alongside him and the lack of any line-up changes since. The Dutch duo joined founding brothers guitarist Tino Troy and bassist Chris Troy and guitarist since 2008 Andy Burgess to create, in my opinion, the best Praying Mantis line-up to date - and this has generally been reflected in the music written by the current five-piece. The band have been pretty active in recent years, too, with Defiance being this line-up's fourth album - alongside the live release Keep It Alive! which dropped in 2019. Defiance is the band's first album since 2022's Katharsis (which I reviewed here), which I felt was a bit of a step down in quality compared to the two albums which preceded it. A handful of strange experiments did not work for me and overall the band's core melodic hard rock sound with a hint of a metallic crunch just did not seem as memorable as usual. It is certainly not bad, but compared to 2015's Legacy (which I reviewed here) and 2018's Gravity (which I also reviewed here) it fell somewhat flat. Thankfully, then, Defiance is a step back up again. I am not sure that it quite reaches the heights of this line-up's first two efforts - but it is better than Katharsis, with a strong melodic focus. It is very much Chris' album, too, as he wrote or co-wrote all but three of the album's songs - despite the other band members occasionally chipping in, too, and the presence of a long-overdue cover.

Despite the band's line-up not changing since 2013, this album does feature drummer Steve Price (Vambo) on three songs. He has sometimes played live with Praying Mantis when Zandt has been unavailable - and he plays on the opening number From the Start. The melodic focus of the album is pushed to the fore immediately, as From the Start opens with chiming synths - which soon morph into a driving piano hook augmented by crunchy guitar stabs. These keyboards continue even once the song gets a little heavier, setting the melodic tone, but much of the riffing is stripped back for the first verse - which essentially leaves Chris' bass and Price's drums to back Cuijpers. His theatrical and full-bodied vocal style is as good as ever, and he adds plenty of drama to the song - even during the verses which lack some of the punch of elsewhere. Production-wise, though, the song does really go for it. Lots of wordless vocal harmonies are added to the mix as the chorus is approached and the chorus itself is a big moment, with more of a weighty guitar presence and the piano hooks from earlier. Praying Mantis have often written huge choruses and this song is no different. Cuijpers gets the band's brand of metallic AOR perfectly and the chorus soars as a result - with smooth vocal hooks sitting nicely alongside the crunch of the guitars. A lengthy and melodic guitar solo later adds a lot to the song and the piece overall is a good example of the band's core sound. The album's title track follows and it is somewhat similar, albeit with a bit of a slower pace and some ballad-esque tendencies. There are plenty of keyboards utilised again here to bulk out the sound, but clean guitar melodies during the verses are a great look back to the 1980s. There is a mournful side to the song, too, with plenty of guitar leads throughout which add aching moments. Some of these are short and some are lengthy, but they all add to the overall vibe of the piece - whilst the backing vocal arrangements are much deeper, with the whole band adding harmonies and counter-melodies to Cuijpers' strident lead vocals. There are a few crunchier moments thrown in, with the guitars adding a bit of a chug to the chorus, but generally this is a big-sounding melodic rock piece which gets its weight from Zandt's driving drumming and Cuijpers' performance rather than any big riffing. Feelin' Lucky ups the tempo again and goes for more of an overt hard rocking sound. That being said, though, the rock here comes from more of a boogie-based approach - but this sound works much better than similar experiments on Katharsis did. Chris' bass playing here is a little on the funky side, whilst a dynamic and hooky opening guitar melody draws the listener in from the beginning - who are then retained by some driving piano chords. Given that the song was co-written by Burgess, it is not a surprise that it much more guitar-driven. The riffing and melodies here really make the song tick and there are some busy guitar lead sections which sit behind Cuijpers' vocals towards the end of the piece. Cuijpers sounds a bit tougher throughout the song, too, although his melodies are as strong as ever - with the up-tempo chorus standing out.

Those who know their Praying Mantis history will know that the band were supposed to record the Russ Ballard-penned I Surrender for Time Tells No Lies - but Rainbow beat them to it and turned the song into a hit. 43 years later we get a taste of what could have been, with a version of the track which is very close to Rainbow's famous rendition - albeit with a little more weight. Cuijpers is a 'heavier' singer than Joe Lynn Turner, so it is unsurprising that there is more bite here, but really the song is as expected. The guitar tones here are perhaps a little heavier than Ritchie Blackmore used in 1981, but there is still a big keyboard backing - even if the occasional Hammond organ swell adds a more earthy touch. In truth I am not sure that Praying Mantis' version in 1981 would have sounded like this, and it is probably for the best that Rainbow won that race, but given the current line-up's quality it seems fitting that Praying Mantis finally got their version of the song out of the door. Forever in My Heart follows, and the emotional ballad is the only song here co-written by Cuijpers. Following the rollocking rock of I Surrender, Forever in My Heart feels much more restrained - although it is pretty overblown and it is the sort of ballad which goes all out. Strident piano notes drive the song whilst the slow-burning groove of Zandt's drumming ensures that there is still plenty of punch. Cuijpers really pushes himself as is to be expected, but this is another song for the guitarists as there is little pulling back from Tino or Burgess. A little lead or emotional swell is never too far away, which nicely counter the vocals, whilst two lengthy and emotional solos are included, too. Praying Mantis have done this sort of song so well in recent years and it brings the best out of everyone here. Never Can Say Goodbye rocks harder and the riffier piece harks back to the sound of the band's debut album somewhat - albeit with a bigger keyboard presence and a huge vocal arrangement. There is a lot more crunch from the guitars here and the opening melodic guitar lead, which is reprised throughout, is a real earworm. The song is a really good example of the sort of sound the band have been focusing on of late. Everything included really pushes the hooks and there is little fat which could be trimmed. The songwriting is very focused and everything is based around a big chorus which Cuijpers nails as always. One Heart is, unsurprisingly, similar - but it feels a bit smoother overall, with more of a keyboard presence and a fluid and hypnotic bass-led intro. Even the band's heavier songs in recent years tend to be smooth - but some are smoother than others and this one feels particularly so. The use of shimmering keyboards throughout gives the song a consistent sound, but there are a few twists and turns such as the inclusion of the occasional classical guitar melody during the verses to act as a break between each line of vocals. Moments like this help the song to stand out, but in general it is just classic modern Praying Mantis. There are plenty of guitar leads here, which again soar in typical fashion, whilst another hooky chorus builds on this smoothness which a Dio-crossed-with-Foreigner feel. The classical guitar moments are later expanded on with a lengthy solo from such, which is different from the norm, but this experiment works well in my opinion.

Give It Up does feel a little heavier, but this is really only due to the approach taken by the guitarists. Overall, the song is as as smooth and melodic as ever, but there are some Thin Lizzy-esque guitar harmonies early on which resurface throughout - and the verses are much more guitar driven than they can often be. There is still plenty of keyboard-added depth, but the keyboards do not feel as key this time - with snaking guitar melodies and some crunchy chords generally forming the basis of the track. The punch leads to a bit more of a fast-paced chorus than is typical. The chorus is not as expansive as some here, but the snappy hooks are easy on the ear and rely more on anthemic and rhythmic tropes than usual. The song is a fun, punchy number on an album which is other generally pretty smooth and dense atmospherically - so it stands out as a bit of brevity. The instrumental Nightswim follows, which is a real guitar-focused piece put together by Tino and Burgess. I cannot recall the band doing an instrumental before, but Tino and Burgess' lyrical guitar styles mean that such a piece works nicely. The rhythm section lay down a slow groove, over which some simple keyboards add texture, but this is a piece all about the guitars - with a number of slow-burning harmony sections bookending emotional solos. It never explodes into a shred-fest, either, and the tone and pace throughout is very controlled - which allows for some memorable guitar moments and ensures that it retains the album's overall feel. Standing Tall follows, and the more up-tempo piece feels a bit different from the rest of the album with its disco-esque groove and warm, prominent synth melodies. The difference is not night and day, but the band has trodden a slightly different path this time - and it reminds me a little of the sound of bands like Beast in Black, but in a hard rock context. There are certainly some danceable grooves here, but the melodies sound very typical of Praying Mantis' usual approach. Cuijpers' chorus delivery ensures such and there are plenty of the band's typical big guitar melodies throughout - even if they are somewhat groovier than usual as they fit in alongside the funkier beats and synth melodies. There is a great, lengthy guitar solo, too, and the piece is a lot of fun thanks to its up-tempo vibe and plentiful melodies. The album then comes to a close with Let's See, which is much more typical of the band's core sound - albeit with the up-tempo vibe of the previous song retained. The grooves are much more in-keeping, though, with a more straight ahead drum pattern and some excellent harmony guitar leads opening things up. Despite there still being plenty of hooks throughout, the track feels heavier than much of the rest of the album. The keyboards are less prominent this time and the guitars feel pretty weighty throughout - with a few bigger riffs and a plentiful approach to melodic leads setting such a tone. Due to the keyboards feeling less prominent, too, the song has a bit more of a darkness to it - and the chorus sounds epic thanks to this vibe and another strong backing vocal arrangement. This reminds me quite a bit of Legacy and the sound which permeated that album - which overall felt a little heavier than some of the band's work despite it still being heavily AOR-influenced. This is likely why Legacy remains my favourite album from the band - and Let's See is a great reminder of that sound on what is otherwise a much smoother album. Overall, though, I really like Defiance. It feels like step up from Katharsis and sees the band returning to doing what they do best. Every song here has something to like about it and the focus on melodies throughout gives the album a consistent tone. The experiments this time generally paid off, too, and the album is a powerful reminder of why Praying Mantis should be more well known.

The album was released on 19th April 2024 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Defiance.