Fuck me sideways I forgot I left the speakers on full tilt and boy did the neighbours about ten doors away notice once ‘Holy Mother’ marched out of the speakers like a panzer tank set to destroy and plow everything in its way and that was before the vocals kicked in assuring us we hadn’t been lulled into a false sense of security and Mick Geggus new band mean business. Remember when the Rejects recorded an album with Pete Way back in the early 80s? Well, Mick does, and he’s never lost his passion for hard rock n roll. ‘I Wanna Know What It’s Like’ is the sound of a hard-rockin’ band ripping the living shit out of the guitar strings via a full blooded riff and some hefty vocals. It’s got a foot stomping bit of Sparrer in there on the melody, but it’s as much a tip of the hat to bands like Slade and UFO.

It’s not all full tilt ROCK as the reflective ‘Days Of Our Lives’ will testify. With a great hook, it’s made for radio and in another time and place, this would be massive. As far as modern Rock albums go, Punchdrunk Saints have picked up a thing or two along the way. Choruses that hit hard riffs that hit harder and the odd gentler machine gun hand, knowing when to blast off and when to relax and kick back. Sure, there are cliches peppering the album, but who cares live in the moment and sing along, be it a fist in the air or the horns. This album crosses genres and labels, but it shows that there is magic in those fingers and Geggus can pull some shapes with the best of em.

Of the cough cough Ballads on offer ‘I Know How To Find You’ is borderline AOR with strings n all. I’m trying to take it in myself but unashamed and with chests puffed out, it adds texture to the record and is well placed in the running order giving you a breather. No sooner have we caught our breath the filthy, dirty riff of ‘Your Time Is Done’ rises from the darkness, but breaks for a layered chorus I wasn’t expecting amidst the shock and awe of that riff.

‘Dirty Dreams’ ushers in some boogie woogie before a pretty nifty take on the Credence Clearwater Revival classic ‘Fortunate Son’ when vocalist Marc Salmon does a sterling job on a classic rocker. Leaving just a couple of songs with the bounce of ‘Over You’ getting the listener to tap a foot before closing with the acoustic ‘Coming Home’, being, dare I say it, a power ballad, showing that some old punks can slide effortlessly into other genres with ease, power and passion and do it convincingly by writing top tunes and knwing exactly how to polish them off with a warm authentic full bodied production that will impress and elevate the songs for a lasting impression and hopefully set the foundations for somethign long lasting. Hell Yeah! Punchdrunk Saints Rock! Buy It!

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Author: Dom Daley