Cats in Space's 'Time Machine' - Album Review

Over the past five years, there are few bands I have listened to and seen live more than Cats in Space. Despite having heard of the band before 2019, and had even seen them opening for Deep Purple in 2017, it was not until then that I started to get into them properly - and I have not looked back. It was actually when local musician Mark Pascall joined the band that I started to take notice - but his stint in the band was a short one, and by the time he was replaced by current frontman Damien Edwards I was already hooked. As someone who listened to bands like Status Quo, Queen, and T. Rex as part of my early musical education - Cats in Space's 1970s-inspired bombast spoke to me when I started to take notice properly. I remember enjoying the band's set in 2017, but it was 2019's Day Trip to Narnia (which I discussed briefly here) which made me a fan - by which time they had upped the bombast further and were channelling plenty of other influences such as Boston and Styx alongside the UK glam rock scene of the 1970s. For me, too, the band has only improved since bringing Edwards on board. 2020's Atlantis (which I reviewed here) was likely written with Pascall in mind, but Edwards knocked it out of the park - and 2022's Kickstart the Sun (which I reviewed here) saw the band incorporating more influences than ever before and pushing their sound to new epic heights. Whilst Kickstart the Sun is not my favourite Cats in Space album - it is objectively their best. It was the logical endpoint of all of their experimentations with bombast over the years - and there were even occasional moments of progressive grandeur throughout the lengthy album. Wisely, too, the band dined out on its success. Two lengthy UK tours saw the band take the album on the road - with the latter of which being a theatre tour which featured an impressive stage set for a band of Cats in Space's stature and much of Kickstart the Sun in the setlist. This tour was immortalised on the live album Fire in the Night which dropped earlier this year - which also acted as something of an end of an era, as it was the band's last independent release. Cats in Space recently signed to Cherry Red Records and released their sixth studio album Time Machine back in October - launching them into a new era as a signed band. It is the band's third album with Edwards, meaning that they have now released as many albums with him as they did with original frontman Paul Manzi, and, unfortunately, it is the first album from them which has come as something of a disappointment. Time Machine is certainly not a bad album, and there are some really strong songs here, but it is lacking the band's usual spark. It was always going to be hard to top the extreme bombast of Kickstart the Sun, so a reining in of such was perhaps to expected, but the band's usual dynamism feels tempered here. For starters, there are an overabundance of slower songs for my liking, meaning that the band's usual energy is less overt this time, and the album also seems to lack a lot of the usual bells and whistles. There are parts of this album which feel quite generic, too, which is not something I could have ever said about any of the band's previous releases.

Sadly, at times, there is an air of some of Frontiers Records' less inspiring output here - but thankfully there remains some strong moments. The album is not a disaster by any means, though, and it opens in fine fashion with the bombastic title track. Despite the main riff essentially being The Who's Baba O'Riley, the hard-hitting rocker is exactly what Cats in Space fans have come to expect. Spacey synths set an appropriate early tone, but a big Steevi Bacon drum roll soon kicks in - and the aforementioned riff sets the mid-paced rocker in action. It may not be one of the band's hardest hitting rockers, but it has a pleasing and anthemic sound - with Andy Stewart's driving piano chords keeping the punchy verses moving, whilst Jeff Brown's pulsing bass playing adds depth. The guitars are a bit less present during the verses, but they kick in for the big chorus - which is simple and lodges in the brain from the off. Later verses feature bigger vocal arrangements, with layers of harmony vocals backing the excellence of Edwards - whilst later chorus renditions also some plenty of additional vocal layers as the band once again showcase their love of Queen. There is not really a guitar solo spot here, but instead principal songwriter and guitarist Greg Hart deploys lots of his guitar orchestrations - and there are a number of memorable lead-based sections later on, again showcasing a Queen-esque sound. It was the first song to be released from the album and it certainly got me excited for what was to follow - and the anthemic title track remains a favourite and will certainly become a live staple going forward. The second advance single was My Father's Eyes, a track which did not particularly impress at first but it has grown on me quite a bit. It is one which starts off fairly slowly, but it does grow in stature as it moves along - so it does not really feel like a genuine slower song. It retains some bombast early on, too, with some big guitar stabs in between acoustic guitar-led vocal passages - whilst the band gradually builds up around this acoustic guitar base as the chorus is approached. By the time the chorus rolls around, then, the song is pretty much a typical Cats in Space rocker - and there are plenty of big vocal arrangements during the memorable chorus. There are better choruses here, but it still sticks in the brain after a few listens - and there is a fluid guitar solo later on from Hart, as well as some fun effects-heavy drum hits during a later instrumental section. Crashing Down is the first genuinely slower song on the album, and for me it highlights some of the issues I have with the album as a whole. Cats in Space have always done ballads, but they have generally been my least favourite cuts on each album - so to have so many of them here gives the album a strange overall balance. Edwards sings ballads really well, but, for me, they do little to highlight the band's core sound. It is not a terrible song, and the chorus is pretty memorable after a few passes through the album - but the song lacks spark. It feels somewhat pedestrian overall, with a much more straight-faced sound than is typical for the band, whilst the lyrics are pretty generic and lacking in the band's usual knowing humour.

Occam's Razor (Not the End of the World) is much better, though, with the rocker feeling like the Cats in Space of old. There is plenty of bombast here and the song feels like it could have sat on the previous album. Stewarts' keyboard playing is busy throughout, mixing barroom piano and rumbling rock organ with ease, whilst there is brass added by Jack Birchwood - which harks back to the some of the biggest moments of the last album. The song's intro is filled with big guitars, keyboards, and brass, then, whilst the verses are up-tempo thanks to Stewarts' busy piano playing and the drive of the rhythm section. Plenty of vocal additions come and go, creating depth, whilst brash guitar chords keep the song feeling tough as it moves along. It really builds towards its chorus, with lots of choral vocals and a huge overall arrangement, whilst Edwards lets rip through the boogie of the chorus - with brass parps harmonising well with him. A bridge section later builds towards a ripping guitar solo from Dean Howard, too, and the track never really lets up from the off - and it showcases the band at their high-octane and bombastic best. Forever & Ever slows things right down again, though, and the piano-led is not hugely different to Crashing Down. Cats in Space's slower songs all tend to feel quite similar, which is part of this album's issue, and the excellence of the previous song highlights the lack of an interesting arrangement this time. The opening synth melody, which resurfaces throughout, is nice, and there is a subtle use of strings which adds depth, but it can only boost the piano ballad so far. Howard does add a brief slide solo later on, though, which sees the song feeling a little proggy, but the core piano-led sound is returned to almost as quickly as the solo started - despite the drums being retained to add a little punch. The brief piano-based instrumental Ivory Anthem then acts as an extended intro to Run for Your Life - which sees a more rocking sound returned to. It was not a rocker which stood out to me at first, but it has grown on me - and there it a lot of strong keyboard playing from Stewart throughout. His driving piano and swirling synths early on give the track character, whilst the simple, brash verse riff is memorable. For me, though, what makes this song is its chorus - which is full of Sweet-like grandeur. If the chorus was not as strong as it is then I do not think that the song would hit that hard - but it is saved by the excellence of Edwards' chorus delivery and the interesting vocal arrangement. Other moments of the song feel a little generic AOR but on balance it is a strong effort - especially given the excellent synth and guitar solo later on. This Velvet Rush is another slow song, but it bucks the trend and does something different. This is no piano ballad, with the track instead being a lush soft rocker that sounds like nothing else the band have done before. It is one of the album's most interesting songs as a result - and it shows that not every ballad needs to sound the same. There is plenty of piano throughout the verses, but there is a synth-heavy vibe throughout which elevates things - whilst Edwards sings the song differently, employing some of his musical theatre traits at times. Subtle slide guitar moments later add to the overall smoothness of the track - and the track is an unexpected highlight thanks to its different vibe and Edwards' excellent performance.

Yesterday's Sensation feels like a throwback to the band's first couple of albums - in the sense that it is a short, bouncy track which deals with the tale of an old musician who is past his best. It is a fun song, but it is another which feels a little generic when compared to how Cats in Space's sound has grown over the years. It would have probably sat nicely on 2015's Too Many Gods, but given the bombast I expect from the band now it feels a little quaint. That being said, though, the chorus is pretty infectious. Edwards delivers the vocals with a surprising amount of venom, whilst there are some more big harmonies to make the sound bigger, whilst the yacht-rock-on-steroids keyboards which pulse away throughout the song keep the bouncy feeling in place. There is no real drop in energy here, which is welcome given the plethora of slower songs here, and the dual guitar solo between Hart and Howard is great. As such, then, the song is a decent inclusion. The last real highlight for me, though, is Immortal - which, along with Occam's Razor (Not the End of the World), represents the album at its best. Immortal is similar to that aforementioned track in the sense that it is another high-octane rocker which rarely lets up energy-wise - creating a truly bombastic sound which features everyone at their best. Busy piano once again keeps the track moving, but the brashness of the guitars gives the song a great hard rocking edge, with the chorus in particular packing a punch, whilst the hard-hitting grooves of the rhythm section ensures that the track is a real headbanger. Howard unleashes another busy and searing guitar solo during the song, too, and it is always the mark of a good Cats in Space song when he is allowed to cut loose and show all of his hard rock power. The chorus is one of the album's best, too, and it sticks in the brain from the off - with the track sure to become a live favourite going forward thanks to its energy and sing-a-long vibe. The album then comes to a close with When Love Collides - another slow song. As such, it is the third almost identical piano-led ballad on the album - and when My Father's Eyes and This Velvet Rush are taken into account that means that half of the album consists of slower songs. The balance between light and shade is off as a result for me - and previous Cats in Space albums have contained ballads without having them dominate. There is nothing majorly wrong with the songs in and of themselves, they just all sound so similar. Cats in Space have generally not found a way to make their ballads as interesting as their rock songs, This Velvet Rush aside in the context of this album, and having so many of them here highlights that. That being said, When Love Collides does grow in stature somewhat later on, with some big choral vocals and another strong Howard solo, but overall the vibe is very similar - so, for me, the album ends on a bit of a downer. Overall, then, I just cannot help but be somewhat disappointed. Expectations were high following Kickstart the Sun and Time Machine feels like a step back despite some strong songs. There are too many ballads here and some of the rockers feel a little generic. The best songs here really shine, though, and I hope that the band can continue to build on their best assets going forward despite this blip.

The album was released on 25th October 2024 via Esoteric Antenna/Cherry Red Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Time Machine.

Skarlett Riot's 'Caelestia' - Album Review

It has been quite a while since the Scunthorpe-based four-piece Skarlett Riot was mentioned on this blog in any meaningful capacity. I briefly covered their strong Main Stage-opening set at 2022's iteration of Bloodstock Open Air - but the last release of theirs I covered was the 2016 EP Sentience (which can be read here). 2016 is quite a while ago now and, for whatever reason, I dropped off the Skarlett Riot train not too long after covering Sentience. I remember enjoying Sentience at the time, but I have not heard it for many years - and I also remember thinking that it was not quite as strong as 2015's We Are the Brave, the band's preceding EP. I first came into contact with Skarlett Riot properly in 2014, when I saw them open for Edguy in London. I also saw them twice in 2015, opening for both Gus G. and Kamelot - and I found it strange that Skarlett Riot had seemingly become the go-to opening band for power metal shows, considering that they are not at all a power metal band. I remember trying 2013's Tear Me Down, the band's debut album, not long after seeing them with Edguy - but it did little for me. By the time the 2015 shows came around, though, We Are the Brave was out and it contained some memorable songs. I remember buying the EP at one of the 2015 shows and I ended up listening to it quite a bit - which led to me picking up Sentience. Perhaps the fact that I did not enjoy Sentience as much as We Are the Brave caused my drop-off - but, for whatever reason, I did not listen to Skarlett Riot much at all between 2016 and 2022. As such, I missed out on both 2017's Regenerate and 2021's Invicta - the band's second and third albums. I still followed the band on social media, so I was aware of both, but I had come to the view that, despite enjoying We Are the Brave, they were just not really for me. I have often struggled with modern UK bands who seem very influenced by American post-grunge and what is sometimes called radio rock - but I have generally gotten over this aversion in recent years, and am now big fans of bands like The Fallen State and Stone Broken who could be said to fall into such a sound. In the run up to 2022's Bloodstock, though, I decided it was time to catch back up with Skarlett Riot - so I picked up the albums I missed and found myself enjoying them. They are heavier than anything I remember the band doing in the past - with the injection of some harsh vocals and much more of an overtly metallic sound. I have kept up with the band since Bloodstock, then, and would consider myself a pretty big fan again - so, when it was announced earlier in the year, I pre-ordered the band's fourth album Caelestia, which dropped at the end of October. Sound-wise, the album is not hugely different to the last two - but it is heavier still. Frontwoman Chloe Drinkwater's voice is as easy on the ear as ever, and her occasional heavier screams are well done, but bassist Tim Chambers' harsh vocals have much more of a presence this time - with a bit of a metalcore vibe present throughout the album's 10 songs. It is the band's second album with their current line-up, with guitarist Daniel Oglesby and drummer Luke Oglesby rounding things out.

Lead single Chemicals kicks things off, and the heavier side of Skarlett Riot is deployed right from the off. There is no slow build up here or reliance on pop hooks to draw the listener in - instead a metallic riff and plenty of Chambers' harsh vocals set the tone. Chugging guitars and anthemic drums set the tone during this chaotic intro - whilst a brief pause for breath soon introduces what serves as the main verse riff before Drinkwater starts to sing the strident mid-pace verse with all of her melodic character. The contrast between her voice and Chamber' harsh vocals is a big part of the album's sound. She dominates, but the harsh vocals add plenty of depth - with the verses including some heavier moments due to harsher backing vocals and riffy injections. The chorus is a bit poppier, with a synth sheen adding to the more cinematic, mid-paced guitar pattern - with Drinkwater's melodies memorable from the off. There are plenty of strong choruses on this album, and Chemicals ensure that it starts with a bang. The melodies are pleasing throughout - and a later breakdown section introduces some of the heaviest riffing on the album overall, before both Drinkwater and Chambers scream in unison as the track comes to a close. Spiralling ups the pace, and the faster track opens with a pretty venomous riff - and the overall energy levels are upped from the off. Whilst the song's chorus, which is another very hooky one, is much more mid-paced and, again, cinematic - the verses showcase that metalcore influence referenced earlier. Daniel's guitar riffing is much faster here, with a spikier and thrashier feel, whilst Luke employs plenty of double bass drum patterns to keep the overall pace up. Harsh vocals are again utilised during the verses to harmonise with Drinkwater but, despite the faster overall pace, there is less of a focus on harsh vocals as a whole this time - although there is a groovy breakdown section with a rather nu-metal-esque feel which includes some effects-heavy growls. Lullaby, despite its name, is not a calm song - but it certainly slows things down compared to the previous two tracks. It is much more dynamic overall, mixing light and shade nicely, but there remains plenty of the band's heavier sound as it kicks off - with a big riff leading the charge early on. The song opens in a similar manner to the others so far, the, but when Drinkwater starts to sing the band drop away quite considerably - with clean guitar melodies backing her sweet voice, whilst occasional bass slides and fills add depth. I would not exactly call the song a true ballad as there are enough harder rocking moments to make it feel weighty - but it certainly plays with its arrangement more than the previous two. The chorus sees the band return to something more akin to the album's trademark sound - with a mid-paced, hard-hitting groove which features strident melodies from Drinkwater and some occasional backing growls. A guitar solo is thrown in later, too, which is not a tactic that the band employ on every track - but given the song's varied arrangement its inclusion works well.

Run returns to more of a mid-paced hard rock sound, with Daniel laying down a hooky guitar lead to set the tone early on - whilst wordless vocal melodies and a strident groove from the rhythm section sit behind him. Once Drinkwater starts to sing, the song continues in a similar vein - with parts of the verses feeling quite staccato overall thanks to plenty of drum stabs and guitar chugs. As the song moves forward, though, the vibe somewhat shifts - going for much more of a metallic sound. Following the first chorus, which is another big one that really sticks in the brain, the band go for a much heavier sound - with breakdown-esque grooves and plenty of screams from Drinkwater. Her harsh vocals are strong. They are perhaps not as full-bodied as Chambers' efforts, but they work well when they are employed - and the second verse is full of anger thanks to her. The mix of heaviness and melody is a welcome one, and the final chorus benefits from the opening guitar lead being reused. Hold Tight slows the pace down quite considerably, with dense synths and murky clean guitars creating a soft sound early on - over which Drinkwater soon sings. Her voice is somewhat mixed into the background here to give the song a distant and unsettling sound, which works well, but it soon grows from this humble beginning thanks to a heavy riff and another strong chorus - which transforms the song when it kicks in. The track never really returns to that murk again, and from this point on it is generally another mid-paced rocker - with a good mix of metalcore riffing and bursts of harsh vocals. There is a brief return to the opening vibe just before the final breakdown and chorus, with Drinkwater's voice chiming once again out of the darkness, but generally the track is very much the band's core sound. Limits also opens fairly slowly, with some hooky synths and Drinkwater's strident vocals - but it is clear from the off that the track will explode into something bigger pretty quickly. It never gives the impression of being a ballad, so when a big drum roll and guitar riff kick in business is usual is restored. Whilst the song still rocks, and the presence of a bit of a breakdown section with harsh vocals, it is perhaps less heavy than some of the others here. There are shades of the band's older sound somewhat - with post-grunge and and pop punk vibes sitting alongside more metallic sounds. Who Do You Think You Are? is similar overall, and the melodic track reminds quite a bit of those shows I saw in 2015. Some versions of the album come with a recording featuring Ambre Vourvahis (Xandria) providing additional vocals as a bonus track - but either way the song is one of my overall favourites on the album. It is less heavy than most of the tracks here, but it still rocks pretty hard - and there is a real emotional edge to the piece. Drinkwater sings really well throughout the album, but this song might include her best vocal performance here. Her chorus delivery really drips with emotion, and some parts of the song are much more atmospheric which really allows her voice to stand out. She also really lets rip later on, during a heavy closing section, with some powerful screams that see her sounding more vital as a harsh vocalist than she has before. The song is really memorable thanks to the powerful chorus and the surprise heavy ending - and it is an overall album highlight for me.

Shatter is another that opens slowly. Subtle synths slowly fade in as the track starts and it takes a little while to get going - but soon Drinkwater starts to sing in a bit of a distant, stop-start manner. This creates a bit of an unsettling tone - and much of the song actually channels such a feeling. Once the rest of the band kick in, the song morphs into something of a tech metal anthem - with juddering djent-adjacent riffing which is something new for Skarlett Riot. The band have never really gone for this off-kilter, groove-based approach before - but the riffing is pretty powerful as a result, and Chambers' harsh vocals are utilised liberally. The verses are essentially sung as a duet between him and Drinkwater - before a more strident and less knotty chorus is more typical of the band's usual sound, despite a few stop-start drum fills during it. Another rare guitar solo is utilised here, too, although it is less lengthy than the one which was featured during Lullaby - and it is largely used to intro the final chorus and add some extra guitar interest under Drinkwater's vocals. Violence returns to opening in a heavier manner following a few slower starts - with harsh vocals setting the tone from the off against some grungy guitars. The song's overall vibe is quite mixed, though, and it mixes these heavier sections with really anthemic moments which hark back to the band's older EPs. The chorus feels like old-school Skarlett Riot, despite the inclusion of some harsh vocals, whilst other parts of the track are very much metalcore-inspired due to Luke's relentless double bass drumming and plenty of snappy riffing. The riffing here contrasts nicely with the grungier guitar tones utilised during other parts of the song - and it is great that the band continue to look to diversify their sound. This may be the most diverse song on the album in terms of different heavier vibes sitting side by side - and it shows that slower moments are not always necessary to ensure variety. The album then comes to a close with Luminate, another track which opens slowly. Whilst not ballad, it is a song which retains its slow feeling throughout - even when things get heavier. Drinkwater sets the tone early on, singing against a backdrop of synths and clean guitars as the song opens up - before a slow, yet heavy, riff kicks in. There is almost something doomy about the heavier parts of the song. The riffing is sludgy, with backing harsh vocals adding depth, and there is never an injection of pace to spice things up. As such, the song has a crawling and monolithic sound - which, again, is pretty different for the band. Parts of this song might be the nastiest that Skarlett Riot have ever sounded, but a strong, melodic chorus is still included - and it shows how much the band have evolved over the years. The heaviness suits them, though, despite Drinkwater's poppy vocals - and the band's strong mix of accessibility and heaviness likely serves them well. Overall, then, I am glad to be back on board the Skarlett Riot train. Caelestia is a very memorable collection of songs which sees the band pushing in a heavier direction whilst still maintaining their core identity. Evolution is always welcome and the band have managed to do so well on this album - and hopefully I will get to see them live again sometime soon now that I am much more familiar with them.

The album was released on 25th October 2024 via Despotz Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Chemicals.

Kris Barras Band - Exeter Review

'Local boy done good' stories are always heart-warming. They can be a bit cliché, but it is always good to see a local person make waves nationally, and even internationally, in their field - and that is how many in Devon feel about Kris Barras (vocals/guitar). Sadly, I cannot say that I have been following his career since the beginning - but since 2021 I have been championing his work after finally taking the plunge, and in the few years since I started paying attention his star has risen further. Whilst I had heard his name a few times before I came into contact with him proper, given his reputation as a blues player I had decided not to check him out. I am just not the biggest fan of the blues, so when I saw him live for the first time opening for Black Stone Cherry in 2021 I was surprised at how hard-hitting his set was. In truth, 2021 found Barras on the cusp of a bit of a change - with his next album channelling some much more modern hard rock influences as he left some of his bluesier roots behind. The blues will always be a part of Barras' DNA, and he still throws in such moments on his more recent albums, but his later work is generally more to my taste - and he is an artist that has improved with age in my opinion. In recent years, then, I have seen him and his band live quite a few times. Given his Devon roots, he generally plays at least one Devon show as part of every tour. I have seen him in Exeter, Tavistock, and even in his hometown of Torquay previously - with that aforementioned Torquay show taking place back in April to launch the touring cycle for latest album Halo Effect (which I reviewed here). The show even acted as a listening party for Halo Effect, with the album being played over the venue's PA before the sole support act kicked off, and it is an album which I have listened to quite a lot over the year. Whether it makes my Albums of the Year list remains to be seen, but it is a very enjoyable album of modern, anthemic hard rock - with a few ballads and bluesier moments thrown in. With the album reaching number 5 in the Official UK Album Chart, too, 2024 has certainly been a successful year for Barras. He has been pretty busy on the road, too, touring in both the UK and in mainland Europe, and has continued to receive strong reviews wherever he goes. Given the success of Halo Effect, then, just one run of UK shows this year was not going to be enough - so following the April tour concluding, Barras announced another run of shows for the winter. The last show of the tour, and the year as a whole, was scheduled to be in Exeter - so I picked up a ticket immediately. Barras' local shows are not to be missed and, unsurprisingly, it sold out. He is one of the best Devon rock exports currently, but he always remembers his roots when it comes to touring - and it was great to be able to see him live twice this year fairly locally.

The venue of choice, as it was back in 2022, was the Phoenix - and I got to the venue just as the night's opening act The Nocturnal Affair were starting their set. The Las Vegas-based five-piece turned out to be quite decent, and forged a metallic gothic rock sound with occasional heavier moments to create a generally pretty captivating vibe which the crowd seemed to enjoy. Frontman Brendan Shane had a great voice and easily managed to build a rapport with the crowd - and he even threw in a few bursts of harsh vocals into some of the songs. The band did not feel all that metallic overall, though, and their music was much more rock-based overall I thought - despite a few crunchy riffs and busy, shredded solos. The overall melancholy of the band's gothic sound likely tempered the heaviness and there was a strong synth backing throughout many of their songs - with Shane adding some piano lines here and there when needed, too. Probably the song which stood out to me the most during the set was the early anthem A Thousand Ways to Die - which was likely the hookiest of the night. In truth, none of the songs really disappointed - but that one felt the most anthemic and memorable. It was a shame, then, that none of the other songs stood out in quite the same way. The band's sound is certainly enjoyable, but I would have liked a few more anthemic moments in the set - despite the rest of the songs generally still being enjoyable. The Nocturnal Affair's sound contains a lot of tropes which I tend to like, though, so they seem like a band that I should check out further. Gothic music sometimes takes a few listens for the atmosphere and melancholy to hit home - and based on their strong showing last night I think The Nocturnal Affair merit further investigation.

Sadly, though, I cannot say the same about Scotland's North Atlas who followed. Whilst it is accurate to say that I have never seen a band quite like North Atlas before, their caustic and industrial sound did little for me - and when this electronic sound was fused with a strange, almost folk metal, aesthetic, the whole package just seemed rather confused. The singer was dressed all in white, in what at first I thought was a tracksuit but it was not, whereas the rest of the band were all in various states of rugged dress with Norse-esque warpaint. The mix of styles was very strange - and they even adorned the stage with some Pagan-esque folk horror statues. The music, though, did not really give off a folky vibe at all. There was one very percussive number early one which had strains of a Viking-esque war cry underneath all of the leaden riffing and percussion, but generally the band's overall sound was pretty modern and electronic driven - with both the guitarist and bassist often abandoning their main instruments to fiddle around with synths. As such, I am really not sure what to make of North Atlas. It is always good to see a band doing some genuinely different, and I doubt there is another North Atlas out there, and they certainly put on a memorable performance - but not necessarily for the right reasons. Aesthetics only go so far, but I cannot remember what any of their songs sounded like 24 or so hours on. I can picture the band and their stage set, but I cannot hum any of their songs - which would suggest that their music made very little impression. It did not seem all that melodic, and the band seemed like one which preferred to create a caustic and noisy vibe than craft strong and memorable songs. That being said, there seemed to be a few down at the front who seemed pretty into what North Atlas were doing - but most around me towards the back just seemed a bit bemused by the whole thing. I imagine that North Atlas are used to being divisive, and perhaps even revel in it, but it is fair to say that their set was not really for me - and I imagine I was not alone in feeling that way.

Thankfully, though, Barras and his band were soon on-hand to set things straight - and for the next 90 minutes they delivered a strong 14-song set of modern rock. With seven cuts from the new album played, and only three of the songs featured not from the last two albums, the setlist was very forward-looking - with many of his best modern anthems roaring out of the speakers. The riffy Hourglass got the set off to a fine start, with Barras appearing at first without his guitar to prowl the stage before one was brought to him just in time for the solo, whilst the anthemic Dead Horses, a personal favourite, completed a great opening one-two punch. I did wonder, though, if Barras was perhaps suffering from illness a little. His voice sounded a little rougher than usual, particularly early in the set, but he still sounded great - and perhaps his guitar playing was better than ever. There are plenty of bugs going around, and touring is famously an unhealthy pastime, but he battled through whatever the issues were - with his tight band sounding as good as ever. Savages was the first big crowd sing-a-long of the night, thanks to its big chorus, whilst Josiah Manning (guitar/keyboards/vocals) delivered a shredded guitar solo of his own. The energy barely let up at all throughout the first half of the set. Hard-hitting rockers like Unbreakable and Who Needs Enemies sat nicely alongside slightly more cinematic pieces such as the melodic These Voices - before a powerful version of With You brought this early onslaught to a close. Barras and the band have made a bit of a change to the live set this year and have started to reintroduce some keyboards back into their sound - after abandoning them during their heavier transition. Manning has added his piano playing to the set with him and Barras then playing a couple of songs in a stripped back manner. New cut Landslide was the first piano-led track played, which Manning capped off with a lengthy, classically-inspired solo, before Barras came back armed with a guitar - launching into a bluesy solo which transitioned nicely into Watching Over Me, the first older cut played. The ballad always feels like the centrepiece of any Barras show, and the piano-led version worked really well again - with plenty of room for Barras' soloing before the rest of the band joined in towards the end to add weight. The rest of the set was heavy again, though, following this little break - with the anthemic Fall to Fly and the metallic Apocalypse the last new songs played before a lengthy rendition of Ignite (Light It Up) was a vehicle for soloing. There was a lot of back and forth between Barras and Manning, but the spotlight was also turned over to Frazer Kerslake (bass guitar/vocals) and Billy Hammett (drums) for some rhythmic playing. This then led nicely into a main set-closing version of My Parade, which ended with Barras in the crowd conducting a big sing-a-long. The cheers were huge as the band left the stage - but there was time for one more. Hail Mary will likely be the song which Barras is remembered for, and it remains his anthem despite all of the sound shifts in recent years. The song always goes down well live, too, and it worked well as a powerful encore - with the whole crowd singing along one last time before the night came to a close. The setlist was:

Hourglass

Dead Horses

Savages

Unbreakable

Who Needs Enemies

These Voices

With You

Landslide

Watching Over Me

Fall to Fly

Apocalypse

Ignite (Light It Up)

My Parade

-

Hail Mary

Barras and his band never disappoint live and I have really enjoyed seeing them a number of times over the past few years. He is showing no signs of slowing down, either, and with each album he seems to go from strength to strength. He is a genuinely big name in the UK scene currently and I can only see that growing further thanks to his songwriting ability and affable personality. I am sure that it will not be too long before he returns to Devon - and I will be there when he does.

The Almighty - Wolverhampton Review

As I write this blog entry, it is now December. I have two gigs left to look forward to in 2024, one tonight and one just before Christmas, and 2025 is already shaping up to be another pretty busy year - with tickets for Sabaton, Arch Enemy, and Saxon picked up over the past couple of days following being paid. The gig train keeps on rolling, but I am actually looking forward to a few quiet weekends at home now before my last trip away of the year to catch Mostly Autumn in Bilston on the Sunday before Christmas. December can sometimes be a busy gig month, but the past couple of Decembers have been fairly quiet for me. It kicks off in style later with the Kris Barras Band in Exeter - but generally it is going to be quite a quiet month. Given how busy both October and November were, though, this is no bad thing - and November came to an end with a fantastic night in Wolverhampton with the recently-reformed The Almighty. Following a strong showing from Robert Jon & The Wreck in London the night before, I headed up to Wolverhampton on Friday ready for another excellent night at KK's Steel Mill. I had a bit of a wander around town before checking into the hotel, picking up a couple of LPs at the city's only record shop, and then I enjoyed a quiet couple of hours in the hotel before heading down to the venue. Since KK's Steel Mill opened a few years ago and the Civil Hall complex finally re-opened last year after a lengthy refurbishment project, Wolverhampton has become one of my favourite live music destinations. It became a real wasteland for a few years whilst the Civic Hall was closed - but with that larger space now open again and KK's Steel Mill on the scene the city is a real hotbed of gigs again. KK's Steel Mill has fast become one of my favourite venues in the country - and Friday's trip there was my third of the year following excellent showings from both Mr. Big and Kamelot. As mentioned before, the reason for this latest trip to Wolverhampton was to catch The Almighty live again. I saw the band live for the first time last year in London, and it ended up being one of 2023's best gigs. I had expected to enjoy the show, but I enjoyed it far more than I ever thought I would. I only got into the band after they had previously broken up - as my first exposure to Ricky Warwick (vocals/guitar) was when he joined Thin Lizzy. Since then I have seen him many times live with Thin Lizzy and spin-off group Black Star Riders - as well as as a solo artist. He is a great singer and songwriter, but last year's Almighty show in London was the best of the lot. Despite the band only originally reuniting for three shows last year, by the time London show rolled around it was clear that more was to come. Warwick hinted at such during the show -  and shortly after the short tour, two more similar short tours were announced for 2024 and 2025. I have a ticket for Nottingham next year, too, and I bought my Wolverhampton ticket at the same time - high off the excellent London show. It is clear that the band want to keep things fairly casual and not return in a full-time capacity - but the four musicians are clearly enjoying being together again, having headlined Steelhouse Festival earlier this year and Japanese shows are on the horizon.

Whether the band would be as good second time around remained to be seen, but first the large Steel Mill crowd were treated to around 45 minutes or so from NWOBHM legends Girlschool. I had only seen the band live once previously, and that was a rather forgettable performance opening for Saxon a couple of years ago on a bill where they were also overshadowed by Uriah Heep and Diamond Head. As such, I was keen to check them out again. I remember that their set two years ago was plagued with sound issues, and there were monitor issues also, but sadly this Wolverhampton set was not much better. I do not think that there were monitor issues this time, but the overall sound was quite mushy and very drum-heavy. Given the band's legendary status within the NWOBHM movement, too, I have never really warmed that much to Girlschool. I have spun 1980's Demolition a few times over the years but I have never really looked beyond that debut album - and I tend to find the band's material very one-paced and lacking in any sort of variety. In fairness, that could be said about quite a lot of NWOBHM bands, but given that Girlschool tend to sit towards the top of the NWOBHM tree I always seem to expect more from them. They gave it their all, and Kim McAuliffe (vocals/guitar) still has a powerful voice, but they came over as quite lightweight - even with stand-in drummer Larry Patterson, currently of Alcatrazz, really hitting the drums hard. There are still some good songs in the band's catalogue, though, with the opening duo of Demolition Boys and C'mon Let's Go setting the set on the right path initially. I also thought that newer cut It Is What It Is was pretty enjoyable, though, and it is good to see that a band of Girlschool's vintage is still creative - as so many are not. After a while, though, as I mentioned last time I saw them, all the songs started to roll into one. Girlschool are good at what they do but what they do wears thin after a while - with very simplistic punky riffs and rock 'n' roll leads being all they really have to give. The poor sound did not help, which is rare for the Steel Mill, but given that I have seen the band twice now and both times they have had poor sound when other bands on the same bills did not I do have to wonder if they are the common denominator in this situation. Nevertheless, though, the band did not outstay their welcome - and the atmosphere did pick up as they moved through their set. Their customary cover of Motörhead's Bomber went down well, with plenty around me singing along, whilst their signature tune Emergency brought their 45 minutes on stage to a high-energy close.

Following 30 or so minutes, the lights in the venue went down - and drummer Stump Monroe took to the stage to launch into the drum intro to the fast-paced Crucify. The Almighty are not a fancy band, so the drum barrage was a perfect way to start the show - with the punky, thrash-adjacent song getting the next couple of hours off to a great start. Whilst the band have a number of live favourites which they are always likely to play, especially given the part-time nature of their reunion, the setlist was pleasingly different from last year's shows - which helped to keep things interesting whilst ensuring that a number of key anthems were still hit. Warwick was in fine form as usual, his voice soaring above the band - whilst the cutting lead playing of Tantrum (guitar/vocals) added some classic rock flair to the band's tough sound. Fan-favourites and deeper cuts sat side-by-side throughout, with the Thin Lizzy-esque Destroyed hitting the spot early on - before a rare trip to 1996 and the Just Add Life album saw the punky Do You Understand wheeled out. Whilst some in attendance had also likely seen the band live last year, I imagine that for many this was their first Almighty show for many years - so the atmosphere was electric from the off. Overall, the vibe was very similar to last year's London show - with everyone singing along. The huge chorus of the mid-paced groover Wrench echoed around the venue as the band chugged through it - whilst the Alice in Chains-esque riff of personal favourite Addiction was another early highlight. Given the band's long layoff, too, it is amazing how tight they have been at these recent reunion shows. Tantrum had not been in the band since 1991 and the rest of the guys had not played together since 2009 - but these shows have seen the original line-up feel tighter and more powerful than ever. Warwick spoke briefly of the band's early days, before wheeling out the first song they wrote together, Gift Horse, but generally he let the music do the talking - with the slower burn of Little Lost Sometimes and the folk punk of the shout-along Jonestown Mind showcasing the variety of the band's songwriting ability. As was the case last year, the atmosphere never dipped at all. Each song was greeted by the crowd as warmly as the last - and whenever Warwick wanted the crowd to sing they did. The rest of the band were animated, too, with bassist Floyd London in particular being active - at one point getting down into the gap between the crowd and the stage to rock out with those down at the front. Apart from a couple of slower tracks, including the depressing Bandaged Knees, the band just kept rocking. Metallic anthems such as Power and Takin' Hold were highlights of the later portion of the set - before a number of real fan-favourites were wheeled out to bring the main set to a close. Old single Devil's Toy had everyone singing along towards the end - but the biggest crowd interaction moment came with main set closer Wild & Wonderful, during which Warwick had the large KK's crowd sounding as if they were filling an arena. It was a great end to a 19-song run, but there was still time for a two-song encore - with one last slower track and a final anthem. Jesus Loves You...But I Don't always shines live, and the final heavier section was shouted back at the band perfectly - before old single Free 'n' Easy brought the curtain down on another fantastic evening of live music. The setlist was:

Crucify

Destroyed

Do You Understand

Wrench

Ultraviolent

Addiction

Gift Horse

Praying to the Red Light

Little Lost Sometimes

Crank and Deceit

Way Beyond Belief

Jonestown Mind

Power

Takin' Hold

Bandaged Knees

The Unreal Thing

Devil's Toy

Over the Edge

Wild & Wonderful

-

Jesus Loves You...But I Don't

Free 'n' Easy

I did wonder whether the novelty would have worn off somewhat seeing The Almighty twice within the space of a year - but it really had not. The band were just as good this time as they were last year, and the confines of KK's Steel Mill perhaps only enhanced my enjoyment of the show given how great the venue is. There are few bands like The Almighty in reality, and their no-nonsense hard rock and metal is music for any occasion. I am glad that they are back, even if their reunion is a sporadic and laid back one - and I am already looking forward to Rock City next year.

Robert Jon & The Wreck - London Review

Despite the large number of bands that I follow, I am always on the hunt for new music. I experiment a lot and like to try new things - but not every new band that I listen to sticks. One that really stuck last year, though, were the American southern rockers Robert Jon & The Wreck. I had heard of the band before I decided to check them out, largely due to their former keyboard player Steve Maggiora's association with Toto, but when they announced a fairly local show to me last year I decided to give them a proper listen - and I have not looked back. In the lead up to that show in Exeter I picked up all of the band's albums, bar their seemingly hard to find debut, and have become a big fan of the five-piece. They are a band that have improved as they have gone along in my opinion, with their newer albums being better than their older ones, and they seem to be one of the hardest working bands in the business. They seem to be on tour almost constantly - and their energy for playing live is only matched by their songwriting expediency. They released an album last year and released another one earlier this year - and they have just released an expanded version of that latest album with even more songs, as well as yet another new song which was not part of that album's sessions. Modern bands just do not have that sort of work ethic, with Robert Jon & The Wreck certainly harking back to the 1970s when an album a year was the norm for a band wanting to stay relevant. Given how relentlessly the band tour, too, I had a feeling that I would not need to wait long following last year's Exeter show to see them live again - and a few months later their 2024 UK tour was announced. Sadly there was no local show this time, but Robert Jon & The Wreck have already become one of those bands I will make the effort to see whenever I can - so I decided to head up to London to catch them in the relatively posh confines of the Islington Assembly Hall. Looking at the band's concert history, it looks as if their London venue of choice up to now had been the nearby Garage - so graduating to the much nicer Islington Assembly Hall showcases their continual trajectory. I like going to the Islington Assembly Hall, but sadly it is not somewhere that I have been very often. I think my last visit came back in 2018 when I saw Fish there - so it had been six years between gigs there. I opted to sit in the balcony this time, too, which I had not done before. The balcony is not large but it afforded a good view of the stage - and it was probably about three-quarters full throughout the night. I did not have a good view of the crowd from the balcony, but I would imagine that the turnout was pretty good - and there was a good atmosphere from the off thanks to the band's carefree attitude and hooky, heartfelt music.

Before Robert Jon & The Wreck's set, though, the growing crowd were treated to 30 or so minutes from These Wicked Rivers - a Derby-based five-piece who play a brand of bluesy rock with hints of southern rock and roots rock in the vein of bands like Credence Clearwater Revival. Despite having a very strong look, though, as well as a stage set which was decorated with lamps and ephemera which looked like it had come out of a saloon, I never really felt that I got a handle on the band's true vibe during their set. A rather muddy sound mix did not help, as the vocals were extremely buried in the mix, but nothing really jumped out at me during their time on stage. I generally feel that European bands that try to create a swampy, southern sound rarely pull it off convincingly - and I think that was partly my issue with These Wicked Rivers. They clearly knew what sort of band they wanted to be from the off, down to the aesthetic, but without any of the grounding that makes those sort of bands sound natural. It is very much a sound which only really American bands can truly pull off in my opinion - although it was hard to judge due to the aforementioned sound issues. The soulful vocals which are always such a big part of the sort of music they play just were not apparent due to the singer being so low in the mix, and the punch of the drums was much too modern to allow a genuine swagger to be conjured up. There was some strong organ playing at times, as well as a few fluid guitar solos, but nothing ever really fell into place for me. The set was really short, too. I said that it was around 30 minutes but I think, in reality, it was less. I am not sure if there had been some issues as it had said online that they would go on at 7:30pm and it was not until after 7:45pm that they actually started their set - and it was just before 8:15pm that they finished. It all seemed a bit rushed and, whilst they received a warm reception, I am not sure that the crowd ever really warmed up to These Wicked Rivers in a big way. Whilst I cannot say that the band really did anything for me, I would like to see them with a better sound mix to see if there is anything there - but at this stage I am not sure Derby's answer to the deep south are likely for me.

There was around 30 minutes between the two sets, so everyone was ready when Robert Jon Burrison (vocals/guitar) and his band sauntered onto the stage with no fanfare and got their 1 hour 45 minute set underway with Hold On. Robert Jon & The Wreck are the sort of band that change the setlist night after night - so it is never clear exactly what songs are going to be played. As such I had gone in open-minded, and the setlist turned out to be a great one - with lots of new songs as well as a handful of older favourites. Only five of the songs played were also played at last year's Exeter show, so there was lots of variety when comparing the two sets - and tracks from latest album Red Moon Rising (which I reviewed here) dominated. Hold On got the set underway in a laid back manner, but it was followed by two barnstorming hard rockers in Rager and Boss Man - the latter of which only available on the new deluxe version of the album. These two riffy rockers really got the show going, and highlighted just how great a guitar player Henry James Schneekluth is. Whilst Burrison is a great singer and songwriter, there is no doubt that Schneekluth is the star of any Robert Jon & The Wreck show. He is one of the best guitarists in the southern rock world currently in my opinion - and these heavier tracks showcased his riffing skills. As was the case during These Wicked Rivers' set, the sound was a little muddy at first - but thankfully it improved quite considerably after the first few songs. Burrison was a little buried in the mix at first, but everything levelled itself out as things moved along - with Jake Abernathie (keyboards/vocals) also given plenty of space in the mix to rumble his organ. This was evident during the slightly more atmospheric and bluesy Red Moon Rising, which showcased some Allman-esque moments, before a harder rocking sound was returned to for the barrelling and barroom groove of Waiting for Your Man. The first half of the show was all pretty much newer material, then, with the brand new Point of View bringing this suite to a close.

The second part of the show was generally older favourites - with the slide-led  and upbeat Shine a Light on Me Brother seeing London-based guitarist Joe Coombes joining the band for some scintillating guitar duelling with Schneekluth. A short solo from Andrew Espantman (drums/vocals) led into the bluesy stomp of Don't Let Me Go - whilst the only real ballad of the night Gold was played following a request. I am not sure that Robert Jon & The Wreck have an anthem, but if they do then Oh Miss Carolina likely is it - and the sing-a-long country rocker was sung loudly by the crowd back at the band. There was time for one more new song, which was a stunning rendition of personal favourite Ballad of a Broken Hearted Man, but the real centrepiece of the night was the band's trademark lengthy rendition of oldie Cold Night - which really brought the house down. It brought the main set to a close, and it was the song which really showcased the band's talents - particularly Schneekluth and Abernathie. The former had many solos throughout, but the highlight was the interplay between the two musicians which culminated in fast-paced unison runs in almost prog rock fashion - before the song came to a close and the band walked off the stage. Given that the band do often end with Cold Night and Burrison had done a lengthy Thanksgiving speech beforehand - I had wondered if they were dispensing with the encore tradition as they had already played a pretty lengthy set. They did come out for one more, though, which was the two-part Last Light on the Highway. I was not expecting to hear the song live and it is one of my favourites, so I was very pleased that the band played it - from its delicate intro through all of its bombastic soloing and hard rocking bulk. It was a great way to end a powerful night of live music and it will live long in the memory of those who were there. The setlist was:

Hold On

Rager

Boss Man

Red Moon Rising

Waiting for Your Man

Point of View

Shine a Light on Me Brother [w/ Joe Coombes]

Drum solo

Don't Let Me Go

Gold
Oh Miss Carolina

Ballad of a Broken Hearted Man

Cold Night

-

Last Light on the Highway - Part 1

Last Light on the Highway - Part 2

With their London performance, Robert Jon & The Wreck showcased why they should be considered one of the best southern rock bands around at the moment. Burrison is a fantastic singer, songwriter, and focal point for the band - whilst Schneekluth is a dynamite guitarist in the vein all of the very best southern rock and blues players that came before him. The band are tight, too, and always deliver live - mixing up the set night after night to keep things fresh. I am sure that I will see the band live again in the future - and I am always looking forward to next time.

Swallow the Sun's 'Shining' - Album Review

Finland's doom creators Swallow the Sun are one of those bands that I have, very slowly, been getting into over the past few years. I still have not heard all of their albums, as I really need to be in the mood to listen to doom, but those I have heard I like - and I spent quite a bit of time with their last album Moonflowers (which I reviewed here) from 2021. I started to get into the band in 2019 in advance of seeing them at that year's Bloodstock Open Air by picking up 2019's When a Shadow Is Forced into the Light (which I briefly discussed here). I actually cannot remember much about the band's set, as I remember it being early in the day in windy and drizzly conditions which were not conducive to their layered and atmospheric sound, but I did sporadically listen to When a Shadow Is Forced into the Light afterwards and found myself warming to it. I spent a lot more time with Moonflowers two years later, though. Despite having gone back and listened to some of the band's older albums - nothing has hit me quite like Moonflowers. It was very much a winter 2021 album for me - with the gloom and melancholy perfect during a cold winter of uncertainty relating to whether the COVID-19 pandemic was de facto 'over' or not. Since those few months, though, I have not gone back to Moonflowers that often - largely as I have been trying to explore other albums from the band and the fact that I just do not often feel like listening to doom. I have spent a bit of time with 2005's Ghosts of Loss and 2009's New Moon, and have found things to enjoy in both, so my Swallow the Sun journey has been a slow, but enjoyable, one. Given my love for Moonflowers, though, I was always going to check out what followed - regardless of my journey to this point. When the band's ninth album was announced earlier this year, then, it was one that I quickly pre-ordered - and I have been listening to it on and off since it arrived last month. Shining, as the album is called, is the band's first release in three years - and it seems to find them at a bit of a crossroads. Interviews with guitarist and principal songwriter Juha Raivio revealed that he wanted to create a more uplifting album this time - given how dark and mournful the band's last two albums in particular were. The albums were such as they dealt with Raivio's emotions relating to the death of his partner and fellow doom musician Aleah Stanbridge in 2016 - and I think that he felt that he needed to try and move on from such subject matter and look more towards the light, simply as part of his own personal grieving process. To help facilitate this change the band employed the services of producer Dan Lancaster - who is more at home working in the studio with acts Don Broco, Bring Me the Horizon, and Muse than with Finnish doom bands. This choice has been controversial, and I think that it is fair to say that Shining has not been universally well-received, but I think that the overall sound of Shining works well and it is not perhaps as drastic a change in tone as I had expected given some early reports. Shining is still very much a doom album, and a heavy one at times, but frontman Mikko Kotamäki does focus on his clean vocals quite a bit more than usual - and there is definitely a sheen to the overall production, which is most noticeable in Juuso Raatikainen's drum sound.

The core tenets of the band's sound remain, though, and their layered, atmospheric sound is still very much present - even if there is a lighter tone at times. The line-up here is the same as was present on Moonflowers - with Swallow the Sun remaining a five-piece and Raivio again handling the keyboards. There is no slow-burning start to the album as might be expected from a doom album, as lead single and opening track Innocence Was Long Forgotten almost feels as if an atmospheric build-up was cut off its beginning - with a hooky, yet slow moving, guitar lead opening things up against a synth-heavy backdrop before the band crash in to create a tough, doomy backing. The song is very melodic from start to finish, though, with the guitar lead referenced the first of the album's hooks, before the band drop away again to allow the verse to proceed with a simple drum pattern, subtle bass melodies, and plenty of keyboards. Kotamäki is a diverse singer who can do both clean and harsh vocals well, and this song focuses on the former. He may not be as chameleon like as someone like Tomi Joutsen, but his clean vocals are expressive and suit the band's atmospheric doom sound nicely - and he croons his way through the verses in a floaty manner which are dense and keyboard-heavy despite the lack of heaviness. The chorus is heavier, though, with the intro guitar lead returning and the band crashing back in create a tough backing - and this is extended into a later guitar solo section which is brief but full of melody. The song is very accessible and lacks the band's usual cutting edge, but I like it as a melodic opener - and it sets the tone for the lighter side of Swallow the Sun to come. What I Have Become returns to something more akin to the band's trademark sound, though. There is still plenty of heaviness here, despite what some probably believe, with the opening section of the track containing a venomous, mid-paced riff and snappy drumming - before a brief clean guitar-led instrumental section adds to the spooky atmosphere. Whilst there were no harsh vocals in the previous song, this track features more vocal diversity from Kotamäki - and his growls are as brutal as ever during the mid-paced verses which feature the tough riffing of Raivio and fellow guitarist Juho Räihä, behind which Raatikainen adds a swinging groove. The chorus is sung clean, though, which is something typical of the band's more recent sound. The keyboards become more prominent during the chorus, too, with subtle vocal harmonies adding depth - and a few screams are sometimes mixed into the background, too. Overall, though, the chorus is melodic and uplifting despite the overall heaviness and melancholy of the track - with some fast-paced double bass drum patterns sometimes clashing with the slower overall pace.

MelancHoly initially sounds somewhat similar, and there is more of a heaviness apparent early on - but the song's intro sounds like a mix of the previous two, with tougher riffing and a soaring guitar lead. The song is not as heavy as the last track, though, with it returning more to the vibes of the opening number - albeit with a much slower pace and a gothic overall feel. Chiming clean guitar melodies and a lumbering drum pattern recall the 1980s goth scene quite considerably - and Kotamäki's crooning vocals are perfectly suited for such a sound. Piano melodies are added to the sound to act as something of a pre-chorus break, before the chorus continues the melodic chorus template of the previous songs - with tight vocal harmonies and some vocal hooks which easily stick in the brain. It is a chorus that is easy to sing along with thanks to Kotamäki's expressive vocals - and a brief bridge section later ups the heaviness with some harsh vocals. Under the Moon & Sun has become a real favourite over my recent listens to the album - and it tends to hark back to the last couple of albums a bit more overtly, whilst also showcasing this album's core sound. The opening synth melody is very 1980s-inspired, but it is set against a suitably downbeat vibe so that it does not sound overly cheesy. The synth hooks are still very memorable, though, and they later form a part of one of the album's best choruses - but there is a bit of a journey to make before getting there. Guitar leads and tougher riffing dominate the early part of the song as the synths dance around, but the verses are much slower with a lumbering drum beat and subtle guitar chugs over which Kotamäki sings clean. There is plenty of atmosphere contained within these simple verses, though, and they contrast nicely with the much fuller chorus which has some of the best vocal hooks on the album and some harmony vocals courtesy of Rachil Wilkinson (Zeplyn). Her voice mixes well with Kotamäki's to create an uplifting sound to complement the synth hooks, creating a different tone to usual, whilst another heavy bridge section sees a few growls deployed before a melodic and busy guitar solo takes the song to the next level. Kold opens in a heavier manner, with some stark guitar trills and busier bass drum-heavy playing - but the band's typical mid-paced sound is retained and the track reminds me somewhat of What I Have Become. It is only the second song here to focus on harsh vocals in a big way, with much of the verses growled and screamed by Kotamäki - whilst clean vocals are relegated to slower sections for contrast. The verses are generally heavier, too, with crunchy riffing and a much more strident drum groove - whilst there is an early guitar solo which introduces some knotty phrases. The chorus is less overtly hooky than those which have featured so far but it remains powerful and atmospheric thanks to a mix of clean and harsh vocals.

November Dust is another pretty doom-centric track - and there is a focus on creeping heaviness early on. Some distant piano melodies set the tone, before the rest of the band join in, but when the track gets going proper there is another focus on slow-burning guitar leads and tight, heavy drumming. It remains mid-paced during this intro section as is typical, before the song takes the route that most of the others here do by having the band drop out somewhat for a verse which channels strong gothic vibes. Kotamäki sings clean throughout, but he mixes his much deeper clean vocals (which have not been heard on the album up to this point) with the higher, floatier delivery which dominates the album. Hearing the deeper vocals is definitely a link back to some of the band's older albums - and there is certainly a stronger lead guitar presence throughout the track, too, with a number of breaks showcasing some prog-inspired fluid guitar soundscapes. Both Raivio and Räihä seem to be featured here in a big way, as there are some strong harmony guitar sections, and the focus on big guitar melodies helps to set the song apart. I referenced Marillion in my last Swallow the Sun piece and there are certainly shades of that band throughout the arrangement of this song - with some of the melodies being Steve Rothery-esque. Velvet Chains follows, which is the album's shortest song at just over three minutes. It acts as the album's ballad, opening with a mixture of synth depth and clean guitar melodies - before Kotamäki starts to sing against a sombre drum and piano backing. In truth, given that a lot of the album is quite slow burning, the ballad perhaps does not have as much as impact as it might have done in the context of a heavier album - but Wilkinson is given a bigger vocal role here, and her voice in the chorus really helps to bring the song to life. Arrangement-wise, the song is very simple. Some guitar melodies are added later on to deepen things slightly, but generally the musical backing does not really change - and it is the harmonising of Kotamäki and guest Wilkinson that makes the short piece compelling. Tonight Pain Believes feels much sparser overall, and it opens with some distant guitar melodies which create a hypnotic base over which everything else builds. There is something Anathema-esque to this early melody and parts of the track - and the opening verse is very murky in tone overall. Kotamäki sings in an almost whimsical manner against the aforementioned guitar melodies and a percussive drum pattern - whilst the synths feel less present than usual, the guitars instead creating a void. This contrasts with the chorus, though, which is much bigger in tone - with strident drumming and plenty of crunchy rhythm guitars. Kotamäki's vocal hooks are much brighter, too, in contrast to the opening part of the song - and I like how the two parts of the track sit side by side and move back and forth. Subtle screams are thrown in at times to create depth but generally the song is sung clean.

Those missing the band's trademark real heaviness at this point, though, will certainly find a lot to like in Charcoal Sky - a proper doom track that harks back to the band's other recent albums. Raatikainen's drumming is much busier, with plenty of bass drum patterns and fills, whilst the riffing of Raivio and Räihä is much more metallic overall. Strong death metal influences can be heard throughout the song, with the verses feeling a bit more urgent than anything else on the album - with Kotamäki's deep growls sounding as good as ever. Whilst his clean singing throughout the album is impressive, his growls can sometimes be missed I do have to admit - so it is great to hear him sounding so vital and primal again throughout much of this track. The verses are tough, then, and proper headbanging moments, but the chorus does see the return of the clean vocals - and the pace slowed to something more atmospheric and typical of the rest of the album. The melodies are extremely memorable, though, and it is another candidate for chorus of the album in my opinion thanks to Kotamäki's emotive delivery and warm tones - whilst elsewhere there are quite a lot of guitar leads to add to the more metallic overall feel of the piece. The closing title track which follows is the album's longest at just over nine minutes, so is unsurprising that it is one of the most diverse pieces here. The band are not strangers to longer songs, but this album is more concise than some of their works - so it is fitting that the last track allows them to stretch out a bit more. Blazing double bass drum patterns set a heavier tone earlier on, and the riffing is once again quite death metal-inspired as the song kicks off - with a few wordless growls adding to the overall heaviness. Arrangement-wise, the song does not stay in one place - with the verses very much returning to the album's core sound with chiming clean guitars and synths. There are also some acoustic-led moments here too, though, which is different from the norm. Parts of the verses are very stripped down, then, with acoustic guitars generally all which backs Kotamäki - and these sections are then generally contrasted with something much heavier and harsh vocals. The song is one of those which essentially covers a bit of everything which has featured on the album up to this point - with a good mix of metal and gothic overtones, as well as some busy guitar leads which create both an atmospheric sound in places and a more shredded feel in others. Some of the guitar leads are very mournful, but there is also the album's longest solo overall which feels much more heroic and it is a really flashy guitar moment from a band not generally known for their instrumental showboating. There is a lot of shredding and double bass drumming during this frantic solo spot, though, and it feels as if it is going to close out the song on this note - but a slower vibe returns after a hanging pause, with synths and Kotamäki's clean vocals returning to the album's core sound one last time, with harmony guitar leads from Raivio and Räihä providing some mournful hooks as the album fades to a close. I am not sure that Shining is a strong as Moonflowers, but I think that it achieves what it set out to do. It does sound different but there is still plenty of the band's trademark magic present in my opinion - even if a few more heavier moments would have been welcome. It is certainly not as emotionally draining as some of the band's work, though, and those who fancy their doom on the more atmospheric side will find a lot to enjoy here.

The album was released on 18th October 2024 via Century Media Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Innocence Was Long Forgotten.

Grand Magus' 'Sunraven' - Album Review

I often think that Sweden's Grand Magus should be held in higher regard than they seem to be. The three-piece, who can trace their history back to 1996, launched proper back in 2001 with their self-titled debut album - and have been releasing strong and honest slabs of heavy metal ever since. They are a well-liked band but, here in the UK at least, they still play some of the country's smallest venues - and this seems to be largely replicated across the world. They are not always the most active when it comes to touring, which perhaps has held them back somewhat, but on the strength of their catalogue they should be filling bigger rooms in my opinion. Grand Magus' catalogue, though, has shifted in tone somewhat over the years. Starting out as something of a doom band, with occasional stoner influences, the Grand Magus of today is much more rooted in traditional heavy metal - although slight hints of a doomier sound remain. They have certainly become more anthemic over the years, making good use of bandleader Janne 'JB' Christoffersson's rich, booming voice, and I think that Grand Magnus became a better band when they moved away from doom and towards a more traditional sound. The band's sweet spot for me consists of the run between 2010's Hammer of the North and 2014's Triumph and Power (which I reviewed here) - with these three albums easily being my favourite Grand Magus releases. Everything really fell into place from an anthemic and old-school metal perspective on those albums - and there is a reason why songs from them still dominate the band's live sets. Hammer of the North was the album which seemed to really 'break' the band, too, and it was a sleeker collection of songs in comparison to what had come before. The two albums which followed that run, though, were not quite as good. There is nothing wrong with 2016's Sword Songs (which I reviewed here), but it is not an album that ever stuck with me, whilst 2019's Wolf God (which I reviewed here) felt like an attempt to return to their older sound somewhat without ever truly meaning it. Both albums include some good songs, but they felt like steps down following the trilogy which proceeded them. Grand Magus fans the world over will be pleased to hear, then, that last month's Sunraven, the band's tenth album, sees them returning to the quality of their 2010-2014 run. Sunraven is the band's first album for five years, which is the longest gap between new releases in their career - having generally released a new album every two to three years up to this point. Perhaps the band wanted to regroup somewhat following the slightly muted reception that Wolf God received - but they were also a band that was on tour just as the pandemic hit, as they were the penultimate band I saw live before the lockdowns, which was likely financially crippling. Either way, though, Sunraven is great. It is very much classic Grand Magus from the early 2010s brought forward - albeit with the slightly rawer production style of Wolf God retained. There is very little flash or bombast here - just plentiful riffs and and the anthemic vocal hooks of JB, who sounds as great as ever.

The album, then, is very much a case of a band just doing what they do best. There are no surprises here for long-time Grand Magus fans, but Grand Magus are not a band I listen to for inventive arrangements or envelope-pushing songwriting - and instead they focus on the rumbling and anthemic sound they have mastered over the years. Lead single Skybound kicks things off, and it was clear when I first heard the track a few months ago that Grand Magus really had their mojo back. There is no standing on ceremony, with the first of many big JB riffs opening the track - whilst Ludwig Witt's mid-paced double bass drum pattern creates a strong 1980s heavy metal vibe. The drums sound organic, with little of the overproduced sound that is so prevalent in metal these days, and the album really has the feel of three musicians standing in the same room recording the album essentially live as a result. JB's guitar tone is crunchy but also rooted in an organic sound - whilst the pulsing bass playing of Mats 'Fox' Skinner essentially fills in for a rhythm guitar player as well as providing basslines. The chorus is anthemic, and one of the album's biggest sing-a-long moments, whilst the verses do feel a little doomier again - but the mix of doom and anthemic vocal lines works well, especially given the vocal power of JB. A great guitar solo pulls everything together - and Skybound is very much Grand Magus 101, but it is a track that is sure to become a live favourite. The Wheel of Pain is a crunchier song, and it feels heavier overall than the opening cut. It is perhaps less anthemic, but it is still a very memorable track vocally - with a muscular chorus set against a crunchy, chugging guitar pattern. Infectious vocal hooks which are well-harmonised drop in occasionally, but generally JB just leads the charge alone with his baritone vocals - whilst the fat bass tones really thicken up the song nicely. The song feels heavier, though, due to Witt's drumming. He does not use his double bass drums this time, but instead just pummels the drums in an old-school Black Sabbath-esque manner - and the cracking snare sound keeps the song moving along, especially whilst JB shreds through a busy guitar solo. The title track follows, and it somewhat returns to the sound of Skybound. Witt's drum pattern is similar overall, but instead of leading with a heroic riff the song is instead based around a folk metal-esque guitar lead. This guitar melody sinks into the brain after a couple of listens - and the track is one of the album's best overall as a result. The guitar riffing is perhaps less busy than usual, though, with a slightly smoother overall verse which focuses more on pulsing bass playing and JB's big voice - but the chorus is anthemic as ever thanks to the busy footwork of Witt and the return of the folky lead behind JB's hooks. It is a song which is packed full of memorable moments, then, and it also contains one of JB's best and longest guitar solos on the album - which builds nicely from the lead guitar moments elsewhere in the song.

Winter Storms slows the pace down somewhat and returns to the band's doomier roots with a creepier overall arrangement and a much more precise and plodding sound. Like the previous song, though, parts of the song are very lead guitar driven - and the track opens with a slow-burning and Candlemass-esque guitar lead which resurfaces throughout the song on occasion. That being said, though, the arrangement is more of a mix of guitar leads and riffs - which makes the track a bit more varied than some of the others here. Grand Magus songs tend to be on the shorter side, and that is largely the case here, but this track feels like it has a bit more room to stretch out in - with a lengthier intro which features both lead guitar moments and slab-like riffing. This riff later forms the basis of a doomy chorus which sees JB singing in a less anthemic mode than usual to fit in with the song's slower overall feel - but there is also more focus on instrumental transitions, too, with riffs being lingered on for a little longer and another strong solo spot. The Black Lake is similar and the track is another which harks back to the band's early days a little - whilst still retaining everything which makes the band's current sound so powerful. It opens with the slowest moment of the album so far, with JB's clean guitar chords creating something of an early riff - over which he sings in a semi-whispered manner, creating an unsettling and different early vibe. Grand Magus do not tend to do this sort of thing often, but it works well here, and when the song kicks in proper it gets going in all its doomy glory. The main riff is a heavier version of the slow-burning intro - and this guitar pattern essentially repeats itself throughout the song with few exceptions. There is a very old-school Black Sabbath feel about the song, then, and the organic, raw production only exemplifies this. I quite like the fact that the mix on this album is a bit fuzzy at times. I like it that sometimes the guitar solos get a little buried as it gives the album an old-school feel - and this song really doubles down on that overall feel production-wise, whilst an occasional riff that pops up to briefly change the song's overall pace is more early Black Sabbath than Tony Iommi has been for years. Hour of the Wolf speeds things up again following two slower-burning pieces - and it is easily the fastest track on the album up to this point. Grand Magus sometimes employ a NWOBHM-esque chug in their songwriting, and this track certainly feels influenced by that movement - with a main riff which is quite Saxon-inspired. The band's trademark rumbling metal sound is still present, though, with Fox's bass cutting through the mix and JB throwing in a few hypnotic lead guitar moments and a rumbling chorus. The verses really speed ahead, though, and they are proper headbanging moments with choppy chords and some strident drumming - whilst the chorus is a bit more mid-paced to allow JB's booming voice to really ring out.

Another real favourite of mine here, though, is Grendel. Sadly the song is not a Marillion cover, as that certainly would have been interesting, but Grand Magus bring the mythological character to life in similar fashion - albeit with more of a metallic crunch. Whilst not as fast as the previous song, it is certainly still one with plenty of fire in its belly - and it steams along at a decent pace thanks to Witt's hard-hitting drumming and some anthemic riffing from JB. There are lots of anthemic moments on this album, but perhaps this song is the most anthemic overall when considering all of the parts added together. The riffing is energetic and gets the blood pumping, whilst JB just sounds so fired up vocally. The chorus is simple but it is the sort which once gets in the brain it will stay there - and it was one of the songs which stood out on my first listen to the album as result. Another potent guitar solo helps to bring everything together - but in truth the song is just a great old-school metal anthem that lives and dies by a strong vocal performance. To Heorot is more of a mid-paced piece, and it is another that has a slight folk metal influence thanks to JB's approach to lead guitar playing. It is a song that is not very riff-driven, then, with the song's main hook being a folky guitar melody - and this melody resurfaces quite often throughout the piece, acting as the chorus. JB's vocal melodies throughout the song are also quite folky. He does not tend to sing in such a way so the difference here is quite notable. The song has a bit of a swinging feel throughout, then, which is not typical of metal - but it works well in the context of the track. The bass and the drums help with this swing, too, adding something of a bluesy vibe to the track - whilst big chords and the repeating opening melody keep the track honest. JB's solo also builds on some of these folky vibes, too, and it is packed full of melody to keep the song's different vibe ticking along. The album then comes to a close with the heavy, mid-paced The End Belongs to You - which opens with a drum intro from Witt. It is not a barrage but more of a lone beat, similar in style to Black Sabbath's Headless Cross, and the booming, organic drums perfectly set the tone for the mid-paced cruncher which is to follow - with JB soon crashing in with a memorable chugging riff whilst Fox's bass fills every nook and cranny. It is another song which includes some of the band's early doom influences, with a deliberate pace and riffing which feels doomier overall, but there is still plenty of classic anthemic metal here - with the chorus being another shout-along moment to bring the album to a close, whilst JB's last guitar solo is much more cinematic and slow-burning than typical of his style. This fits in with the song's overall vibe, though, and the crunchy piece ends the album on a heavy note. Grand Magus albums are always enjoyable even if the band are not at their best, but I do feel that this one sees them back at their best - and Sunraven is up there for me with albums like 2012's The Hunt. There is a good mix of anthemic metal and doomy heaviness here, and I like the few folky touches thrown in to keep things interesting. As always, too, the album is quite short - so it is one that can be put on at any time and enjoyed.

The album was released on 18th October 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Skybound.