Page 42 - Black Velvet Issue 101

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are meaningful, thoughtful The band have a quirki- the quintet chose to re- the song now’. Which isn’t
and provocative, conveying ness that makes them ad- lease their material on EP to say he has mellowed;
important messages that dictive and listening to this format. Until now… It’s his solos can be as fiery as
can be helpful and fulfilling album puts a smile on your clear when you hear the ever, and the rhythms and
in these trying times. ‘Dead face and get you on your songs on ‘A Deadset En- riffs are catchy as hell. He’s
Generation’ is a great sin- feet in no time. ‘You call it deavour’ that the band also sharing more of the
galong song with a brilliant love, I call it blunt force have felt the perils of being vocals with his long-time
arrangement. We pick it up trauma’, Adam sings – but in the music industry. You singer Noah Hunt, giving
a notch with the more up- just one listen to ‘Club hear the frustration, the more versatility. Slow-
tempo ‘Unobtainable’ as Majesty’ and you really will hurt, the setbacks. This is paced epic ‘I Want You’
we find ourselves in melo- be head over heels. an album written from the downplays the guitars but
THE WILDHEARTS dious, and indeed, marvel- YYYYY heart, the walls are down still features some crack-
RENAISSANCE MEN lous mood with these quite SBV and the truth is tumbling ing, fast-fingered solos.
(GRAPHITE) anthemic choruses and out, warts and all. When, in The rhythm section is bol-
You don’t realize how galvanising, punch-the-air D-A-D opening track, ‘State- stered by brass and key-
much you’ve missed a sounds to fill your heart A PRAYER FOR THE ments’, frontman Benjamin boards take centre stage at
brand spanking new Wild- with joy. With ‘Let Go’ we LOUD Stenning sings ‘How many times, and it’s perfectly bal-
hearts album until the have a softer approach but (AFM) times can I say save me, anced. Opener ‘Woman
blasts of riffage, power- still a little crispy around the It has been eight years and how many songs were Like You’ is a Southern-
house drumming and glori- edges. ‘My Enemy’ gives since Danish rockers D-A- enough with all of these style foot stomper, with
ous loudness of us the telling line ‘what I D last released a studio thoughts, when none of my lyrics building up the
‘Dislocated’ kicks open the wanted the most took my album, but it has been pain is getting better..’, you woman in a real uplifting
gateway to savage your soul’, just words that can worth the wait. They took know that you are going to rocker. ‘Tailwind’, which
aural senses. It’s been a pinpoint exactly what the their time, picking and be taken to some dark gives the album its name,
long time coming, many audience is feeling. It takes choosing from a large se- places. While that is the has an acoustic vibe that
are surprised it actually a lot of courage and per- lection of songs to come up case lyrically, the overall feels more country, while
has, but then The Wild- ception to confront your with the 11 here - high en- results from each song the cover of Buffalo Spring-
hearts were never pre- fears (and everyone else’s) ergy, classic hard rock with make for a stunning debut. field’s ‘Mr Soul’ is fantastic,
dictable. Just one listen is when developing song a strong blues edge. The Songs such as ‘For My given a mid-60s Stones
all it takes to fall in love with ideas. The very old school blues rock of title track ‘A Sorrow’, lead single ‘Amer- intro, while Joe Walsh’s
this opus. Songs such as beat of ‘Bigger Picture’ and Prayer For The Loud’ is ican Made’ and ‘Torn’ fea- ‘Turn To Stone’ ends the
‘Let ‘Em Go’ and ‘Emer- another great lyric ‘take the catchy funk groove inter- ture melodies that come at album on a high. This is
gency (Fentanyl Babylon)’ hand you were dealt and spersed with hard rocking you, dripping with emotion; blues rock at its best.
are electricity-laden, shit- be on your way’ sees this choruses and a classic gui- they are catchy, powerful, YYYYY
eating grin, fist-punching, as a very easy on the ears, tar solo that bears multiple and at times, aggressive. Clare Huckett
drunk and debauched an- welcoming and unifying repeats in quick succes- As you listen to each track,
thems. If there are any record. Endurance, pa- sion. ‘No Doubt About It’ you are inspired; you may TERAMAZE
emergencies while listen- tience and perseverance has a heavier line and a hear tales that deal with ARE WE SOLDIERS
ing to this album it may be are the key attributes and Texan flair in the verses, feeling helpless, betrayed, (MASCOT)
from the impact of frenzied maybe we too can ‘start and again it’s ridiculously exhausted and angry, but Prog isn’t everyone’s
headbanging or moshing with a spark and become infectious. D-A-D has a real there is also a sense of de- cup of tea. It can be self-in-
with madness that the the flame’. talent for getting under the termination and hope. Take dulgent with overlong
songs instigate. If you’re YYYY skin with a rhythm, even at ‘Can’t Fight The Feeling’, songs that lose the lis-
not stunned by the im- Azra Pathan the blistering pace of the it’s about being so exasper- tener’s interest, or so many
mense rabid brilliance of brilliant ‘Musical Chairs’. ated by something but at layers you can’t work out
‘Dislocated’, you’ll be ROYAL REPUBLIC They do well with the bal- the same time you still what’s going on. A techni-
singing along in anthemic CLUB MAJESTY lad as well, as with the want it and crave it. The cally brilliant performance
unison to ‘Let ‘Em Go’, (ARISING EMPIRE) semi-acoustic stylings of ‘A hard-hitting ‘Attitude’ is a isn’t enough to make a
maybe even doing a jig to ‘I don’t want a world in Drug For the Heart’, while scathing anthem of sur- good album. Fortunately,
title track ‘The Renais- black and white, I need the slower groove of closer vival, slowing things down Australia’s Teramaze aren’t
sance Men’ or banging into color in my life,’ sings ‘If The World Just’ rounds for the last track, ‘Frag- just technically good. There
things in time to the chaotic Royal Republic frontman things off nicely. This is the ments’; its gentle start are the engaging rhythms,
‘My Side Of The Bed’. Adam Grahn in ‘Can’t Fight core of D-A-D, and it’s eventually flowing into a huge choruses, strong gui-
There are some real life- The Disco’, and their new pretty damn good. crescendo of intensity. tars, and some very metal
savers on this album, in- album, ‘Club Majesty’, is a YYYY When the line ‘Shot down lines from the drums and
jecting fuel and adrenaline whole kaleidoscope of Clare Huckett but I’m right back at it bass. Right from opener
when you most need it and colour and exuberance. again…’ closes the album, ‘Fight Or Flight’ there is a
Ginger’s honest lyrics will Kicking off with ‘Fireman & you know that fire within fusion of prog, symphonic
be both relatable and un- Dancer’, the 11 gems on The Fallen State is still and melodic metal, and the
derstandable to many. ‘Let ‘Club Majesty’ are bright burning bright; the pursuit changes in pace, mood
‘Em Go’? Just one listen to and vibrant party anthems, of following their dreams is and style within a track like
this album and you will not full of funk and we’re pretty still on. That’s great news ‘Are We Soldiers’ makes
want to let it, or The Wild- sure that even John Tra- for the UK rock scene, be- them mini operas. ‘From
hearts go. volta would be up and jiv- cause ‘A Deadset Endeav- Saviour To Assassin’ has
YYYYY ing around. Songs such as our’ proves why The Fallen an alt-metal feel, strong
SBV ‘Boomerang’ are fun and State are one of the best rhythms and intensity,
sexy, ‘Blunt Force Trauma’ British bands around today. while ‘Orwellian Times’ is
AWAKE AT LAST almost begins like a 70s YYYY more of a laid-back classic
THE CHANGE action movie while ‘Like A THE FALLEN STATE Penny Gower rocker with jazz elements,
(OUTERLOOP) Lover’ is more of a sultry, A DEADSET ENDEAV- in spite of the occasional
Likened to a thorough- slower bluesy ride. ‘Fire- OUR KENNY WAYNE SHEP- rapid-fire drums and du-
bred splish-splashing man & Dancer’ sees Adam (LAST MAN MUSIC) HERD BAND elling guitars. ‘Are We Sol-
across the shoreline, our Grahn show off his saxo- ‘A Deadset Endeavour’ THE TRAVELER diers’ is prog so there’s a
destinies have been written phone talents, while hu- is the debut album from (PROVOGUE/MASCOT) lot of mixing up of styles
here by our friends Awake mour is dabbed throughout The Fallen State. Since Kenny Wayne Shep- going on and Teramaze
At Last. A gentle intro and the album in lyrics such as their inception over five herd considers ‘The Trav- handle it with skill and pas-
then we get things moving ‘Bulldog’, where Adam years ago, in order to be eler’ shows restraint, sion, and that’s why it
with pounding drumbeats sings ‘Hey Mr. Bulldog, able to develop the band’s saying he has ‘started to works so well.
which are present through- why so sad? You take a sound while they cut their lean towards the approach YYYY
out this album. The lyrics dump, I pick it up in a bag’. teeth and learnt the ropes, of less is more. I play for Clare Huckett

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