Page 26 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 110

BV110 albums pg26.qxp_BV110 pg 26 15/06/2024 14:40 Page 1

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delight and is a perfect ode definitive releases that you HALESTORM missed. This achieves both
to a genre of music the need in your collection. LIVE AT WEMBLEY in spades.
man clearly loves so much, YYYYY (ATLANTIC) YYYYY
and leaves you thirsty for Shari Black Velvet Some things in life are Michael Coventry
more. And knowing him, unmistakable. You can
there is likely more to REVENANT hear just one second of
come… when he finds the WHAT A TIME TO BE sound and instantly know
time! ALIVE what, or who, it is. Such
YYYY (REVENANT) was the case when
Michael Coventry It's often the way that a Halestorm stepped onto
new band will go all or the iconic stage at Wemb-
SLASH nothing with their debut EP ley Arena as headliners for
ORGY OF THE DAMNED and kick things off with their the first time, and when
(GIBSON) best effort and do every- Lzzy Hale opened her
Say what you like thing they can to retain that mouth to sing 'Raise Your
about guitar god Slash, momentum throughout the Horns' a capella, there was
one thing you can never record. However, English no question of who it was. ONLAP
accuse him of is being lazy. quartet Revenant may You also get the impres- WAVES
You'd forgive one of the all- have played a master- sion that, when, a moment (AFM)
time greats if he wanted to stroke with their layout of or so later, she cries "Hello French alternative out-
rest on his laurels a little 'What A Time To Be Alive' Wembley", they are two fit ONLAP formed almost
these days, but instead, by hedging their bets at the words she has longed to two decades ago, and
he's been a busy bee again KRIS BARRAS BAND start of this record and say since she and younger have a combination of EPs
with his sixth solo album HALO EFFECT keeping the best for last. brother, Arejay, formed the and LPs under their belts.
and, not for the first time, (EARACHE) That's not to say 'Coming band when she was 13. Their new offering,
it's a little different. With Released on 12th April, Back To Life' and 'Draw From that point on, you just ‘Waves’, is very much a
‘Orgy Of The Damned’, he 2024, Kris Barras Band’s The Lines' are not a fine need to strap yourself in for hark back to the past as
has, again, teamed up with ‘Halo Effect’ entered the way to get things up and a rollercoaster ride, which they wear their 90s influ-
many of the industry’s UK album charts at No. 5, running. They are a great is a celebration of how far ences very much on their
finest, but this time, it is to showing how much support introduction to the band, the quartet have come sleeves. 'Fever' is a belting
produce an album almost frontman Kris and his band spearheaded by guitarist since their debut album in way to start, blasting into
entirely of blues covers. have built up over the past and vocalist Sugarman 2009 and their first visit to your ear drums with some
This will not be to every- few years. And it’s no won- Sam, who is ably accom- the UK and London, which crushing riffs, which are
one's taste and your opin- der why, as the album is panied on guitars by saw them open for Theory very much a staple of the
ion of 'Orgy Of The testimony to the talents that Matthew Hudson, and their Of A Deadman at the far album. This is followed by
Damned' may largely be the band possess. Collab- twin harmonies are fittingly more modest Electric Ball- 'Hypnotized', which stands
determined on your affec- orating with bandmate and deservedly compared room. The energy which out when it comes out of
tion for the genre. The rea- Josiah J. Manning, Kris’s to rock majesty Thin Lizzy, has moved them up the the gates at a steady pace,
son for this is that, by and songwriting skills have re- while fans of Southern and rock ladder step-by-step is but, when it reaches its
large, Slash and co. have ally produced some gems bluesy rock will lap this up. on display here and this peak, it hits as hard as any-
avoided veering too far off on this follow-up to 2022’s Revenant step things up, live recording successfully thing else on the album
the original path. This is ‘Death Valley Paradise’ ironically, by stepping captures how much the and is sure to join your fre-
very much a tribute to the album. One listen to ‘With things down a little with night means to the band quently-played list. 'Never
greats rather than the mu- You’ and you will definitely 'The Healer', a ballad, and and their fans. Lzzy's roars Ending Winter' shows an-
sicians trying to create a be with this band all the what a ballad it is. Sam's are not just raw, they are other side to the band's
unique spin on them. While way. Strong, powerful riffs vocal talents take the spot- downright primal. The 17- character with its melodic
songs like 'Crossroads', are the perfect base for light and he really shows song set list is a greatest majesty. At the midway
'Born Under A Bad Sign', Kris’s luxurious vocals. his ability here. The saying hits recap of the band's point of the album, ONLAP
'Papa Was A Rolling Stone' There’s a sumptuous of ‘less is more’ is certainly finest work, plus an obliga- produce another trick from
and 'Killing Floor', sung by rhythm and some excep- the case with this beautiful, tory drum solo from Arejay. up their sleeves and that is
Gary Clark Jr., Paul tional instrumentation. stripped-back four minutes Lzzy's interactions with the the ability to work with oth-
Rodgers, Demi Lovato and ‘Savages’ secures Kris of bliss. ‘Do you dream of audience are so heartfelt, ers. First is 'Ghosts', featur-
Brian Johnson respectively, Barras Band as one of the freedom? Do you dare to you feel she's talking di- ing Lansdowne, which is a
will likely be easily recog- UK’s brightest hopes, with believe?’ These are two of rectly to you. The outbreak cracker, but this is soon
nisable, the remainder of its solid rock output. ‘Se- the questions pondered in of 'Crazy On You' in the eclipsed by 'Never Too
the album probably won't crets’ is another hit, which this song and it creates midst of 'I Get Off' is quite Late', starring Kiiara, who
be, unless you are a huge features just the right much for you to dream and superb. The piano versions some may recall from her
fan of the blues. ‘Hoochie amount of everything – believe of this band's po- of 'Break In', 'Shatter Me' star performance alongside
Coochie Man’, performed passion, succulent lyrics, tential. Following 'The and 'Raise Your Horns' are Chester Bennington on
by ZZ Top's Billy F. Gib- hooks a-plenty, a vital beat Healer', the band open the quite beautiful and the 'Heavy', one of the final sin-
bons is so bluesy, it's al- and some climatic guitar throttle again for the EP's chaotic conclusion of 'The gles released by Linkin
most like a shade of black, playing - a song we’ll be conclusion and the respite Steeple', with hints of 'I Park. The heartfelt lyrics,
and is one of the songs singing along to in arenas in the middle gives 'The Miss The Misery', with a ‘You keep smiling so they
where Slash lets himself a in decades to come. ‘Land- Masquerade' even more of fired-up crowd, who the don't know,’ are words
little more off the leash. slide’ is another power- a punch, the song boasting band are eager to get many will likely resonate
'Key To The Highway' is house, which heads a blistering riff that you'll every last drop of energy with, and the song duly
sung quite marvellously by straight for your heart. The have on repeat, before from, are all fantastic. 'Fa- steals the show. The album
Dorothy and brings a wel- album features renowned 'Rolling On My Back' con- miliar Taste of Poison' re- ends with reimagined ver-
come injection of unique- songwriters Zac Maloy and cludes things in the best of mains a spellbinding piece sions of ‘Ghosts’ and
ness to the album. Blair Daly, but every single fashion. The final track of work, where Lzzy’s vo- ‘Never Too Late’, which
However, it's the album's song sounds top-notch and builds into a wonderful ex- cals soar higher than ever, leaves a slightly disen-
closer which offers the it’s hard to tell which of plosion of sound and sense and the inclusion of 'Takes chanting note. Although,
most intrigue. 'Metal Chest- them had any outside influ- that is so good, you'll likely My Life' rewards the hard- despite this, 'Waves' offers
nut' is an instrumental ence. In ‘With You’ Kris restart playing the record est of diehards. Ultimately, much to enjoy and, as our
piece coined by Slash, sings ‘I’m in love with the as soon as it's finished, as a live album has two objec- favourite song suggests,
which proves, if it were pain’ – but ‘Halo Effect’ is you'll be so eager for more. tives: to act as a timely when it comes to discover-
ever needed, just how definitely a case of no pain, What a time to be alive, in- souvenir for those who ing great music, it truly is
much creative juice the and all gain. It’s an album deed! were fortunate to be there 'Never Too Late'.
Stoke native possesses. It that will stand the test of YYYY and to compensate those YYYY
ebbs and flows with pure
time and one of those Michael Coventry who couldn’t with what they Michael Coventry
ALBUMS