Ricky Warwick's 'Fire & Vengeance' - Album Review

With Black Star Riders seemingly dead in the water, especially given that they recently pulled out of a rare European tour for financial reasons, which co-headliners Tyketto are continuing with, and The Almighty still seemingly a part-time venture for brief winter tours and occasional festival appearances, Northern Ireland's Ricky Warwick's main creative outlet now seems to be his solo albums. I first became aware of him when he joined Thin Lizzy in 2010, with whom I first saw him live in 2011, and have followed him ever since - largely via Thin Lizzy offshoots Black Star Riders and then the recently reformed The Almighty. In and amongst all of those bands, all of whom I enjoy a lot and have seen many memorable live shows from, Warwick has been a busy solo artist - something which has really ramped up over the past decade or so. When Black Star Riders were putting out albums pretty regularly, something new from Warwick never seemed far away at all. It seemed that he was always recording for one of his bands - and fans of his folk and punk-infused heartfelt rock songwriting have been well-sated as a result. At this point I would not be surprised if Black Star Riders were done as a recording act, which largely leaves his solo career as his main songwriting output. There are strong rumours that The Almighty are recording something new, which I would certainly welcome, but I cannot see the Scottish band returning as a hard-touring unit again - which means that the big Warwick tours of the future are likely to only be with his solo band The Fighting Hearts. That has largely been the case of late in any case. I caught him last year at KKs Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, where he delivered a pretty lengthy and varied show that included songs from all throughout his career - albeit focusing on last year's strong Blood Ties (which I reviewed here). He is also going on quite another lengthy solo tour later this year, but sadly I will not be attending this time. I would have liked to, but my October and November this year are pretty busy - and squeezing Warwick in again was just not possible this time. This is a shame, as I have seen him live as a full-band solo act twice now and really enjoyed both shows. Last year's Wolverhampton show was especially memorable - and I have no doubt that his upcoming tour will be similarly memorable for those that attend. The shows are likely to be different, too, as earlier this month Warwick dropped his latest solo album Fire & Vengeance. Given that Blood Ties only came out last year, albeit early on in the year, Fire & Vengeance has come quickly even by Warwick's standards. It is his eighth solo album of original material, and essentially follows on the brand of folky and punky hard rock that he started writing again on 2014's When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (and Guy Mitchell Sang the Blues). The same year's Hearts on Trees and the solo albums that preceded them were much folkier and stripped back, but Warwick has rocked harder as a solo act over the past decade or so - and that has been welcome, as I think that he excels in such an environment. As has been the case of late, too, Fire & Vengeance is largely a collaboration between him and Keith Nelson (Buckcherry). The duo wrote all of the songs together here, produced the album, and played the vast majority of the instruments. Keith's brother Michael Nelson was the other main performer here, as he played the drums throughout, but, as is often the case on Warwick's albums, there are also a few guests here to add some magic to a few numbers.

Those who have been keeping up with Warwick's work of late will instantly feel at home with Fire & Vengeance. There is nothing here that especially breaks the mould, but the songwriting is strong - and Warwick's attitude permeates the 10 songs here as it always does. This is a pretty short album, too, at just over the half an hour mark - meaning that nothing ever overstays its welcome and the album pretty much flies by. Opening with its title track, the album puts a strong foot forward. The opening folky guitar lead would have easily felt at home on a Black Star Riders album, before the song settles into a mid-paced shuffling groove. Laid back drumming, kinetic guitar rhythms, and guitar leads thrown in here and there create velvety verses that are pretty memorable from the off. Warwick can rock out when he wants to, as The Almighty can attest, but there is generally a more soulful approach to his solo material - despite plenty of hard rock tropes. His vocals throughout this song are quite smooth, then, whilst wordless melodies during the chorus create something of an anthemic feel - even if the song overall remains fairly laid back. The chorus is hooky regardless, and the song as a whole is memorable thanks to an ever-present groove and swing. This is exemplified later via a bass-led instrumental bridge section, which builds around some loose guitar chords, whilst folky guitar leads and storytelling lyrics tie everything together nicely. Hellbent & Heaven Sent is a bit more of an overt hard rocker, with some trashy power chords opening things up over which Warwick sings in a punkier manner. In fact, this is a song where the punk side of his songwriting is often on show - especially during the verses. The chorus is a bit more classic rock thanks to some guitar leads and more of a restrained pace, but the verses here are faster and packed full of energy - with a strong bass presence and some percussive drumming at times. Doug Aldrich (Lion; Hurricane; Bad Moon Rising; Burning Rain; Dio; Whitesnake; The Dead Daisies) adds his guitar talents to the song. The fiery guitar leads and solos throughout are surely from him - with his high-octane, shredded bluesy approach as recognisable as ever. Warwick's solo albums are not usually packed full of guitar soloing nor instrumental showboating - but he does like to invite a few friends along to help out, and Aldrich's furious soloing helps the song's existing energy to be pushed further. I can see the song becoming a bit of a favourite on the upcoming tour due to its high-energy vibe. Seek Zen Destroy feels a little different, with a strong 1980s vibe - and a funky undertone which is not something I would usually equate with Warwick's songwriting. Built around a powerful bass riff, the song has a strong, danceable groove throughout - which is accentuated by some jangly and hooky guitar chords. There is a bit of a new wave feel to the song's overall construction, but there remains weight thanks to some more convention rock rhythm guitar - and the gritty vocals of Warwick. Phil Collen (Girl; Def Leppard; Manraze) guests on this song, adding some lead guitar moments throughout - as well as likely the higher-pitched 1980s-style backing vocals utilised at times. There are no Def Leppard vibes here really, but some of the backing vocal arrangements are out of that school - whilst Collen's lead guitar moments are tightly controlled and tasteful as would be expected from him at this point. His proper solo later on, whilst busy, feels fluid and melodic - contrasting with Aldrich's approach on the previous number. Two different solos for two different songs - with Warwick making the most of his contacts.

When the King Falls, after three pretty strong opening cuts, feels a little less interesting in my opinion. Built around some acoustic guitar melodies and big strummed chords, the song is quite folky and ballad-like from the off - with delicate, warm vocals and a subtle drum backing. Charlie Starr (Blackberry Smoke) adds some guitar and backing vocals to the song - but in truth I am not sure what he really brings. Starr is a great musician and songwriter, but I do not think that this song makes the best use of his talents. His voice does bulk out the chorus somewhat, with his mournful, country twang different to Warwick's approach, but the guitar playing throughout is fairly tame - despite a few nice country-esque guitar leads. A bit more of his trademark southern rock guitar firepower might have elevated this song further - but, as things stand, the song is a little on the bland side in my opinion. You Just Lie gets back to more of a harder rock sound, with a decent riff laying down an early groove - over which a melodic guitar leads is laid. Despite the song's intro, though, it is not a typical mid-paced Warwick rocker. There are certainly moments of that, especially during a decent chorus, but there are a couple of experiments here sound-wise. The verses, especially the first verse, feel a bit more synth driven. This does not mean the song is drenched in keyboards, but there is some kind of sequenced synth groove that constantly sits in the background of the verses - with Warwick's vocals sounding somewhat distant, too. It is a bit of a strange approach, especially given Warwick's largely no-nonsense attitude, but an experiment here and there is often welcome - and the synths have quite a retro sound that allows them to fit in pretty well. There is enough guitar weight elsewhere, as well as the aforementioned chorus, to keep the song interesting in any case. The Angels' Share is very much a quintessential Warwick solo number at this point. Ever-present acoustic guitar chords back Warwick's heartfelt lyrics, whilst a heartland rock approach with organic guitar rhythms and a tight rhythm section flesh things out - and gentle keyboards provide a halo around everything. Warwick certainly likes Bruce Springsteen and songs like this have shades of the latter's approach at times - with the fairly simple, yet layered, arrangement and subtle leads and melodies that often say more than complex instrumental passages. There is a rock drive to the track, but there is little genuine hard rock this time - with folky and singer-songwriter vibes instead shining through, even if the latter part of the song is a bit more lead guitar-heavy than the rest. Last Chance to Dance picks up the pace again, getting back to more of an energetic hard rock approach. This is another song that would have sounded at home on a Black Star Riders album, with harmony guitar leads kicking things off and a strong Thin Lizzy-esque groove throughout. This sound is so engrained in Warwick's songwriting at this point that a few numbers in this vein are to be expected - and I always enjoy hearing him operating in such a way. Some of the guitar riffing in this song represents the album's best in my view, whilst there are also some pretty exciting drum breaks, too. Elsewhere, more storytelling vocals, plentiful guitar leads, and a pretty hooky chorus all add up to form one of the album's overall highlights in my opinion. The guitar solo later on is pretty great, too, utilising some wah effects to add to that Thin Lizzy sound that permeates the whole number.

Sweet County Down is an extremely folky number, and a song that certainly taps into Warwick's Irish heritage. He has written songs in this jaunty, folky manner before - and, whilst this style is not my favourite, hearing the occasional song in this vein from him is welcome. The album's final guest in the form of Darren Holden (The High Kings) appears here, who adds some trademark folky harmony vocals throughout - especially during the pretty memorable chorus. Acoustic instruments largely dominate here, with shuffling acoustic guitars and percussive drumming the main focus - but a banjo is also utilised throughout the pick out some more folky melodies, whilst organ gives the song a retro blanket. Songs like this often feel inherently fun, and there is certainly an energy conjured up here despite the acoustic base of the track. Some electric guitar leads are thrown in towards the end to add a little extra fire, but overall the song is organic and full of Irish charm. Tumbleweed Town feels a bit darker, with an off-kilter drum groove that backs a juddering and slightly strange guitar riff - whilst more retro synths somewhat sparkle around in the background. As such, there are some similarities with You Just Lie here, especially during the verses - but the chorus is another pretty blatant Black Star Riders-esque moment. There is quite a bit going on here, then, with two sides of Warwick's songwriting converging. Despite this, though, there is more of an overt rock sound present here than there was during You Just Lie - largely via how the chorus explodes from the slightly strange verses which, again, feature some quite distant-sounding vocals. A strong guitar solo is thrown in towards the end, too, capping off another strong effort. The album then comes to a close with If You Think Your Country Needs You..., a song that opens with some quite tough riffing - before things morph into a slightly more cinematic arrangement. Whilst not a true ballad, the verses here are on the slow side - utilising thrashing guitar chords and deliberate drumming, whilst Warwick's vocals feel very prominent in the mix as the sound has a widescreen effect in the background. Slightly more time than usual is given over to instrumental moments here and there is quite a lengthy and emotive guitar solo early on - which is likely the album's longest such example. The expansive opening riff returns throughout for a chorus, whilst the whole song has quite a lumbering feel - even when the toughness of the rhythm guitars drop away somewhat. There is just something heavy in an atmospheric sense throughout the number - with the mixture of vocal approaches from Warwick aiding that feel. At times he sounds sombre and quite restrained, before he cuts loose elsewhere with a heroic and anthemic approach. The song is quite a powerful and heartfelt number, then, and it is a big longer than average for this album - making it stand out somewhat. It is the sort of song that feels like a proper album closer - and after a number of snappier tracks, this lengthier effort works well to bring everything to a stop. Warwick is one of those dependable names at this point that is generally associated with quality, and this latest solo album is another strong example of his identifiable style and strong songwriting skills. There is some variety and experimentation here despite a recognisable core sound being retained, and those that have been following his career since the late 1980s will certainly find something to like on this latest solo platter.

The album was released on 4th September 2026 via Earache Records. Below is Warwick's promotional video for Fire & Vengeance.