Dead Beat Records is proud to announce the release of Killer Kin’s self-titled debut album on 04-28-23. The New Haven, CT five-piece has been causing a stir with their unapologetic sound that delivers a fierce and powerful “Metallic KO”.
This high-octane explosion of blistering riffs, pounding drums, and bark-snarling vocals capture the menace of high-energy rock n roll in its rawest form. With tracks like “Mr. Dynamite,” “On The Chain,” and “Motorbanger,” listeners are sure to get that dangerous rock n roll feeling in all the right places.
Lead singer Matt says, “If you haven’t seen a hound from hell, now you’ve heard one!” Our debut LP features ten chain-banging, soul-stripping and razor-sharp rock ‘n’ roll sluggers that are sure to have you stoned on raw powerage.”
Killer Kin promises to unchain an untamed beast inside the listener with their contagious energy and primal intensity that is sure to leave them begging for more.
When you want to release your latest solo album and rope in a few pals to give it a little lift, have a browse through your Rolodex and call some randoms. Jeff Beck (RIP) longtime pal Joe Elliott tick, Johnny Depp, why not. Billy Gibbons, Slash and Duff from Guns n Roses and Taylor Hawkins (RIP) thats some friends right there to be getting on with and the list goes on and on to be fair. Hell get Waddy Wachtel on the blower as well. Now before I’ve even heard a note of this album I’m excited. To Be fair Ian Hunter ozzes Rock n Roll anyway so I’m not really worried about how good these songs are gonna be I just hoped it wasn’t overwhelming. Hunter explained it as a fluke yeah right c’mon man you’ve got Ringo on your first single as well as Tom Petty’s six-string slinger.
Anyway, I digress they say people of Hunters age shouldn’t be making records into the twilight of his years and once the needle drops and you hear him make sweet sweet music with a metallica bass player and Slash winding in some cool grooves. You realise the title is a metaphotical finger poking you on the forehead say hey, have it! It’s classic Hunter and his voice sounds fantastic full of coolness and a knowledge that if this was a fluke he’s got the hand of God turning the dials because this is class.
The first single sounds like its been carved from granite of timeless cool laid back Rock n Roll. I love its late evening glass of wine vibe – we’re gonna wind things up gently and before you know it the bottle is empty and you’re on the table – arms aloft singing the chorus.
It’s not an album like ‘Dirty Laundry’ where the band sound like they’ve been partying for seven days but it is a classy slow burner in places like the ‘No Hard Feelings’ with Depp and Beck laying their DNA over the song in a haunting slide heavy slice of balladeering. If you want some boogie woogie you can head straight for ‘Pavlovs Dog’ or ‘I Hate Hate’ featuring Jeff Tweedy. On reflection this album would make a fantastic bed fellow companion to Keith Richards ‘Talk Is Cheap’ album. It has a classy vibe and I guess having so many unique players it has variety with every slice making it a very listenable and varied record.
The classic Hunter big Ballads are here and on songs like ‘Angel,’ he’s turning back the clock to classic Hoople. It’s pretty much what I was hoping for, and I’m delighted to hear how good these songs are. Either dipping in on a mix tape or going for the full playlist this works on every level form is temporary class is permanent and let’s face it Hunter is class and this Defiant little gem is an absolute Banger, the kids should be quaking because this old dog is still learning new tricks and wagging his tail like a puppy who got the cream. Buy it! Fuck RSD get this.
Hot on the heels of sharing the news of their upcoming album “Electric Sounds” last week, Danko Jones has now announced European & UK headlining tour dates for November and December 2023.
No band has ever sounded more ready to hit the road than the pumped-up threesome showcased on the hell-for-leather ragers featured on their forthcoming album. Armed with this collection of brand new bangers, Danko Jones launch themselves into 2023 on a renewed mission to rock the living shit-lights out of anyone and everyone that wants to join the party.
Frontman Danko declares: “We love touring in the UK and thankfully we are coming back! What’s not to love when you play in front of crowds that know their rock and know how to rock out?! Every day is just one more day we have to patiently get through until the tour starts. I think you can tell I’m already very ready to do this. Give me a guitar and get me to the stage NOW”!
Special guests for the dates will be US punk squad Radkey.
European & UK Tour Dates 2023: 11/14/23 Helsinki (FI) – Tavastia* 11/16/23 Zwolle (NL) – Hedon 11/17/23 Luxembourg (LU) – Den Altier 11/18/23 Leuven (BE) – Het Depot 11/21/23 Copenhagen (DK) – Pumpehuset 11/22/23 Oslo (NO) – Rockefeller 11/24/23 Stockholm (SE) – Debaser 11/25/23 Malmö (SE) – KB 11/27/23 Arnhem (NL) – Luxor Live 11/28/23 Cologne (DE) – Essigfabrik 11/29/23 Berlin (DE) – Festsaal Kreuzberg 12/01/23 Aschaffenburg (DE) – Colos-Saal 12/02/23 Leipzig (DE) – Täubchenthal 12/03/23 Porthcawl, Trecco Bay (UK) – Planet Rockstock 12/05/23 Lindau (DE) – lub Vaudeville 12/06/23 Zurich (NL) – Dynamo 12/07/23 Milano (IT) – Legend Club 12/09/23 Paris (FR) – Backstage by The Mill 12/10/23 Bergen op Zoom (NL) – Gebouw T 12/12/23 Bristol (UK) – Thekla 12/13/23 Glasgow (UK) – King Tuts 12/14/23 Nottingham (UK) – Rescure Rooms 12/15/23 Manchester (UK) – Rebellion 12/16/23 London (UK) – Garage * (no Radkey)
Set your alarm! Pre-sales for tickets begin at 10am BST, Wednesday 19th April. Tickets go on general sale starting at 10am BST on Friday 21st April. For all ticketing links and more information, click here.
In addition, Danko Jones are confirmed as main support on Sunday 3rd December at the rifftastic extravaganza that is Planet Rockstock, taking place in Trecco Bay, South Wales and marking its10th anniversary this year. Tickets for that event are on sale now.
Toronto’s archbishops of amplification prove that even a global pandemic couldn’t stop Danko Jones. As first album single “Guess Who’s Back” clearly displays, it just made them even more unstoppable. “‘Guess Who’s Back’ is not only the lead-off track to our new album, ‘Electric Sounds’, it’s also the imperative sentence everyone is begging to answer – Danko Jones”, quips charismatic frontman Danko.
“Electric Sounds” promises to have the instant sound and feel of a classic. With no need to reinvent the wheel, the group have further honed and refined their craft – always at full volume – although Electric Sounds is a deceptively diverse affair. “Electric Sounds” was produced by Eric Ratz, and features guest spots from Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies), Damian Abraham (Fucked Up) and guitarist Daniel Dekay (from Canadian thrash legends Exciter).
“Electric Sounds” was produced by Eric Ratz, and features guest spots from Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies), Damian Abraham (Fucked Up) and guitarist Daniel Dekay (from Canadian thrash legends Exciter). Slated for a release on September 15th, 2023, through AFM Records, the album pre-sale has just started here.
It’s been a few years since Tyla has graced us with his presence here at The Fulford Arms, what with lockdowns, ill health and all that jazz. Still, here we are celebrating 40 years of The Dogs D’amour with a few low-key shows at independent venues across the country. The first weekender is a couple of ‘spiritual home’ gigs for the band, and following last night’s tour opener at Bannerman’s in Edinburgh, Tyla and the gang roll into York for a sold-out show that will probably be tinged with sadness following the announcement of Quireboys original guitarist Guy Bailey’s passing just the day before.
Up first we have local troubadour Daniel Lucas aka Boss Caine. The last time I saw him live was probably supporting The Dogs here actually. Covid times don’t seem to have changed the man too much, the hair is shorter and the cowboy hat has been replaced by a flat cap, but the song remains the same.
Opening with ‘Ghosts And Drunks’ sets the scene nicely with mournful chords and sandpaper vocals that sit somewhere on the nicer side of Tom Waits. His storytelling and observations of life, whether his or those around him are captivating, and he has a way of drawing you in and paying attention. Just a man and his acoustic guitar with a bunch of tales of love, loss and addiction seems quite a fitting match for the main attraction and the growing crowd seem to think so too by the response.
I’m sure most live reviews of The Dogs D’amour could start with the sentence “Tyla looks like he has a had a few bevvies already as he takes to the stage”, and tonight is one of those nights. Dressed in an oversized suit, sporting a big, shaggy beard and his dyed black hair longer than I can ever remember him wearing it, the Wolverhampton Wanderer looks like Lemmy meets Fagin and he is in good spirits tonight, or should I say is full of good spirits tonight!
You cannot dislike the gloriously ramshackle sound that The Dogs D’amour create in any guise, and they are always entertaining live. Tyla has written many songs that soundtrack my youth, from those very early days up until the early 2000’s anyway. And as the band are celebrating 40 years of The Dogs D’amour, they are doing things a bit differently tonight. Not only is it a set of just classic songs, but it is also played chronologically, with stories and anecdotes in-between each song from the main man and songwriter himself. Whether half of these stories are true, only one man knows, but its comedy gold all the same.
As Tyla picks the opening notes to ‘Heroine’ those who are witnessing things for the first time may wonder whether he’ll make it through the first song without fucking it up, of course he does! Between songs Tyla explains the origin of each song he is about to play, usually with the words “anyway, and so the next day…” or something similar. And what transpires is possibly a dream set list for any fan of classic Dogs material. None are actually introduced by name, but he doesn’t need to do that, we know them all anyway. From early obscurities like ‘The State I’m In’ and ‘How Do You Fall In Love Again’ to chart bothering singles (“we were on Top Of The Pops you know!”) such as ‘How Come It Never Rains’ and ‘Satellite Kid’, to personal favourites such as ‘Last Bandit’ (dedicated to Guy), ‘Firework Girl’ and ‘Billy Two Rivers’ it is all delivered with passion.
Backed as ever by guitarist Gaz Pennick and fellow Balladmongrel Matty James Cassidy on bass, the band are suitably ramshackle, yet never on the verge of falling apart. Props to drummer Dave Cumming who stood in for the much-missed Simon Hanson for these shows.
Tyla sips from a pint of Guinness between songs and performs several songs sat on a chair. His banter is comedy gold and the stories are informative. Who ever knew that ‘Angel’ was inspired by a guy in a bowler hat who narrowly missed getting squashed by a falling fridge freezer, but Tyla changed it to a piano as it sounded cooler? Did Bukowski have such inspiration to draw from I wonder?
When Gaz informs Tyla they only have time for 3 more songs, he calls Matty over to take lead vocals for the latest Balladmongrels single ‘How The Beautiful Fall’ before ending the set with a killer singalong of ‘Drunk Like Me’.
Armed with the most sentimental of melodies and the most poetic lyrics, The Dogs D’amour came to celebrate 40 years of debauchery and York came with their loudest voices to sing every chorus back to them. A good time, no a great time.
Metallica have had a busy time recently; they have picked up a legion of younger Metallifans due to the TV show Stranger Things using the epic Master Of Puppets in a pivotal scene. This thrusted the metal titans into the consciousness of the masses and threw the spotlight onto what we longtime fans have known since the Eighties, that Metallica are the undisputed kings of heavy metal. They have also been busy recording a new opus that finally lands in our sweaty hands today.
A new Metallica album isn’t just a release, it’s an event. The juggernaut that is the Metallica marketing machine does a fantastic job of drip feeding just enough new material in advance of the album release to keep us rabid Metallifans happy until release day. The four tracks that we are now already more than familiar with; Lux Eterna, Screaming Suicide,If Darkness Had a Son, and the title track 72 Seasons are now ingrained into our brains.
The album’s title is explained by James Hetfield as; ‘The first 18 years of our lives that form our true or false selves. The concept that we were told ‘who we are’ by our parents. A possible pigeonholing around what kind of personality we are’. The album consists of twelve tracks and clocks in at 1 hr 17 min. It isn’t an easy listen by any means. Hetfield’s demons have been well documented with his recent addiction relapse and divorce from his long-time wife feeding into the lyrical content of the album. Musically it’s everything you could possibly want from a Metallica album in 2023. Hetfield sounds amazing, he seems to get better with age. He spits out the lyrics with ferocity, and you know he means every word.
The whole band are pushing themselves here, Kirk Hammett brings back some Kill ‘Em All era soloing which put a smile on this scribe’s face. Lars Ulrich always has his critics, but he does a fine job here grooving, stabbing, and accenting Hetfield’s huge riffs as only he knows how. Forever the new boy, Robert Trujillo (he’s been in Metallica for twenty years) plays a blinder here. His solid groove holding everything together with Ulrich’s kick drum is highlighted beautifully on Sleepwalk My Life Away. You Must Burn chugs along nicely with another monstrous riff. Crown of Barbed Wire has a Sabbath fused riff that has you nodding along from the start. Another highlight is Chasing Light, Hammett using his trademark Wah – Wah to colour the intro before the band kicks in with a pummeling riff. Hetfield really has stretched himself vocally on this album, he sounds fantastic. The album closes with the epic eleven-minute Inamorata.
2023 Metallica is as relevant and important as ever. Thank you for continuing to inspire us, your ever-growing legion of Metallifans.
Ah, the good old New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). It conjures up such names as Saxon, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard (Yes, them as well), Angel Witch, Diamond Head, Samson, Tygers of Pan Tang, Demon etc. How many of you remember Trespass though? I vaguely remember them being name checked by Lars Ulrich of Metallica a few times (love him or hate him, Lars has helped a lot of those bands out over the years).
Trespass were formed back in 1979 in Sudbury, Suffolk by Mark Sutcliffe (guitar, vocals) and his brother Paul on drums. They only released a few singles and an EP which were critically acclaimed at the time and after a live session on the Friday Rock Show with Tommy Vance the band were included on a BBC compilation Metal Explosion, and they had two tracks featured on the second volume of the Metal For Muthas compilation series.
The band split and reformed in the 90s and finally released a debut album Head. It wasn’t until 2015 that a second album was released and Footprints In The Rock marked a turning point for the band. Their traditional metal sound arching back to the twin lead guitar antics of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Thin Lizzy ensured that Trespass found new (and old) fans who were ready to embrace the new revitalised line up.
Jump forward to 2023 and Trespass are ready to let the world hear their latest long player Wolf At The Door. The album features eleven brand new tracks and production was overseen by Nigel Palmer (Raging Speedhorn). The album deals with a plethora of lyrical themes including environmental issues and world affairs and the production is crisp and clear.
Album opener Blackthorn (no its not about cider) is extremely catchy with some quality guitar playing from Mark Sutcliffe and Joe Fawcett. Daggers Drawn is another ear worm with more of that warm sounding twin lead guitar work. Force Of Nature has a Rush like intro that rolls into a riff which has more than a passing resemblance to Rainbow’s Stargazer. Other Worlds has a more melodic feel in the vein of later Maiden. Ghost Pilot is a straight-ahead rocker with a nod along riff and more fantastic playing from the entire band, Sutcliffe has a more than capable voice and sings well here. Back To The Woods has more of a Wishbone Ash vibe to it with a dreamlike quality that really holds the listeners attention. Crooked Cross is another head banger with some tasteful drumming from Jason Roberts.
The album concludes in style with the title track that has a touch of Kings X about it. Trespass have done themselves proud here, this really is a quality slab of traditional metal that will hopefully open more doors for them. The album artwork by Mark Wilkinson (Marillion, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden) is exceptional too.
‘Wolf At The Door’ will be released on LP (black vinyl, limited to 500), CD and digital formats via From The Vaults on May 26th, 2023.
So a long time ago almost another life pre-pandemic I got to hear a record by a band called Nuclears from the East Coast of America and they had a record that sounded fantastic. Well, during lockdown the main man Mike started another chapter in music with a new band Bayaz after covid pretty much killed Nuclears and some years later we find ourselves here in easter 2023 and a new dawn with a new record. I forgot to mention Mike pretty much has the gift of writing pretty fucking good rock n roll tunes that have catchy hooks riffs n everything that will brighten your day up a notch or two.
This record was recorded in Brooklyn and from the off its a sonic blast off with howling guitars racing off like a wild horse and you have Mike Dudolevitch riding this damn beast trying to tame that Stallion with hooks and melodies twisting and turning on opener ‘Someone Elses Dream’. The dueling guitar solo is a whip crack n smash as the album opener is an exciting song that sets the tone really well.
Don’t be judging just yet because ‘Running’ is a slower beast with some great percussion driving the song on. With a steaming 70s Rock heart beat this is another twist on the opener drilling down on the legacy left by the likes of Thin Lizzy for sure. But hold on to your hat because ‘I Wanna Be Oppressed’ is a snotty slice of glam slammin punk n roll where you get to have the chorus and song title rattle round your head within an instant and trust me it wont let go for a while. Excellently delivered Rock n Roll.
I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I wasn’t championing records like this. An album you might never ever hve the pleasure of crossing paths withunless you are also down on those crossroads trading your soul for some Rock n Roll. This record continues to twist and turn as it navigates the middle part of an album from the uptempo rockers like ‘Found Money’ as it passes the more laid back deep cuts like ‘Up All night’ and the epic six minute plus workout that is ‘Circle’ that drifts through your speakers fucking with your head as the saxophone blows any cobwebs away as part of what can only be described as an album within an album and all in six minutes, mental.
‘Please Please Please’ just turns the amps up and rocks the fuck out like the spirit of Fast Eddie is with us. ‘Bayaz’ is the name of the band, the name of the album and the name of the penultimate track thats a beast of tune heavy as fuck and smashing it over the first few minutes before fucking with your head like some big cock rock guitar noodle fest. If that didn’t mess your head up enough the band sign off this album with three minutes of Rock n Roll with Little Richard piano and harmonies all over a flamin’ guitar lick ‘Spinning Bird Kick’ is a fine way to sign off a mighty fine record.
Hit the link and go check it out for yourself, Happy Easter rock n rollers heres a gift from me.
Celebrating the release of a 10th anniversary edition of their debut album, Nottingham based Celtic punks Ferocious Dog announced a special one-off gig at The Barbican in York following their appearance at the Scarborough Punk Festival. This unique event would see the band play a 2-hour show including a performance of the whole of the debut album with a full orchestra.
Being veterans of the festival circuit and with a formidable, energetic live reputation, it would seem to be a no brainer to witness this event.
Not only are Ferocious Dog influenced by the Levellers, but they can also call them friends. Both bands have toured together extensively and shared festival stages over the years, so it seems fitting that Levellers frontman Mark Chadwick has offered his services to warm up an already slightly inebriated and rowdy crowd.
Armed with just an acoustic guitar and with a full house watching his every move, he proceeds to have the whole place in the palm of his hands as he plays a 40-minute set of Levellers hits and deep cuts. You could literally hear a pin drop during the opening ‘Liberty Song’, and what follows is not just mini greatest hits set, but also a masterclass in how to work a crowd with ease, not only proving what a charismatic frontman Mark is, but what a great discography the Levellers have.
Having captured the band’s recent acoustic tour I know these songs work well in an acoustic setting, but what I didn’t realise is, stripped of a band and laid bare, how good Mark Chadwick is.
The fluttery folk of ‘The Boatman’ is perfect, ‘Julie’ is as beautiful as the studio version and even the usually upbeat and powerful ‘15 Years’ sounds magnificent given the stripped-back acoustic arrangement.
“Is anyone drunk yet?” Mark hollers to great cheers, he has the crowd where he wants them and they sing every chorus back to him. Classic singles like ‘Just The One’, ‘Beautiful Day’ and ‘One Way’ were always going to go down well tonight, but it was the rousing and emotive ‘Carry Me’ that sent shivers down my spine and got possibly the biggest reaction from a crowd that were on his side before he even played a note. Mesmerising stuff indeed.
With the orchestra in their seats, Ferocious Dog take to the stage to massive cheers, and frontman Ken Bonsall, looking all Peaky Blinders in his white shirt, waistcoat and flat cap, takes to the mic to sing the poetic ‘Verse For Lee’ before blasting into album opener ‘The Glass’. A sense of euphoria is evident from the off, as the whole crowd sings as one. Ferocious Dog class their fans as family and the Hell Hounds, as they are affectionately known, are in fine voice tonight, as the band deliver a high energy set that never falters. The album is played through in sequence and while the orchestra adds an expanse to the sound, this ain’t no laid-back affair. But then you can’t really give the mellow treatment to a song as dancey and upbeat as the instrumental ‘Lee’s Song’, can you?
The band seem to be loving it as much as their fans, bassist Nick Wragg is all over the stage mouthing the words, as is recently reinstated guitarist Kyle Peters, who shares lead vocals on a few songs tonight. Shout out to multi-instrumentalist Sam Wood who shines on banjo and mandolin all night and all so brings a comedy element to the show.
Recently re-recorded single ‘Too Late’ is a live anthem for sure and gets the rowdy down the front dancing. There is no let up in the energy levels from start to finish, except maybe the dub reggae vibes of ‘Freeborn John, and even that erupts into a dancefloor skank. It’s all killer no filler for an hour.
After a short break the band return to the stage, minus the orchestra, to play another hour set of their standards. Like Chadwick before him, Ken is no stranger to working a crowd and getting audience participation. The likes of ‘Spin’, ‘Broken Soldier’ and closer ‘Slow Motion Suicide’ are crowd favourites that the audience devour like old friends.
Both artists bought the festival vibes to the Barbican tonight with a special event that will probably never be repeated. The drinks did flow, the songs were sung and there will be a few sore heads and throats in the morning. But you what? It was all worth it.
Hailing from Bologna in Italy Cut peddle a post punk garage rock n roll sound with sharp angular riffs rasping floor tom drum drills and decent vocals that remind me of International Noise Conspiracy as the songs unfold thats exactly who they remind me of, off kilter rhythms, delivered at pace.
This is their seventh album and the first in six years and the first with the “New” drummer Tony. You have thirteen songs of variety and I love the uneasy rhythmic ‘I Ain’t Got You’ as its jerkin’ rhythm evolves around the drums with a sharp guitar and jarring desperate vocals. Impressive stuff. The theme of the album deals with the pandemic and the ‘Dead City Nights’. The rhythm pattern of drum and bass works well on the head fuck of ‘Your Face’ which has a beating heart force-fed on classic Therapy? and other uncompromising bands who dish out cold angular rock n roll from all directions. More chanting at you than singing whilst the guitars attack from all corners.
To find out these three have shared the stage with th elikes of Iggy , Royal Trux and Guitar Wolf comes as no suprise and whover is pairing these up has done a great job and the quality of the songs ensures they are in good company and vice versa. Cut do a great line in rapid disjointed jarring punk rock n roll and tracks like ‘Dig It!’ work really well.
The album’s title track is a dark meandering pulverising song that works well in the middle of the record from the tortured intro to the hypnotic beat. Great stuff. An impressive album that works really well as a whole or diving in now and then.
The fiercely independent Celtic punk collective Ferocious Dog mesh traditional instruments such as fiddle, banjo and mandolin with distorted guitars, punk, ska and folky goodness. They mix politics and music well and have a fiery live reputation that makes them regulars on the festival circuit.
Although the Nottingham based 6 piece have been around since the late 80’s, their debut album was not released until 2013. A debut album born out of tragedy after Lee, the son of singer Ken Bonsall, tragically took his own life in 2012 at just 24 years of age.
With main man Ken having a working class, miners upbringing and taking influence from political artists such as Billy Bragg, New Model Army, and the Levellers, it’s no surprise that the band is a platform to tackle and raise awareness to social issues from history and spread the message of justice and solidarity.
This remastered version of their debut album comes packaged with a second disc recorded live at Leeds O2 Academy last year, with the addition of a 6-piece orchestra.
Ferocious Dog have a habit of leading you into a false sense of security with a mournful fiddle introduction, a wistfully picked mandolin, or a strummed acoustic chord progression before they take things up several notches. For there is as much power in their music as there is in the lyrics. This debut album doesn’t leave much room for balladry, the emphasis is on passion, anger and the themes of liberty and justice for all.
Opener ‘The Glass’ documents Lee Bonsall’s last day on earth, yet musically is an upbeat and euphoric blast of Celtic punk. It rides on a cool banjo riff to an urgent rhythmic backing and is as anthemic as anything I have heard in recent years, a perfect album opener and a perfect introduction to Ferocious Dog.
Yes, the Levellers comparisons are justified, but there is a bit more to Ferocious Dog than that. There are raucous upbeat drinking songs such as the instrumental ‘Lee’s Tune’ and the classic fan favourite ‘Hell Hounds’ that are fantastic examples, but elsewhere, there are dub vibes on the likes of ‘Freeborn John’ and heavy ska influences in the excellent ‘Pocket Of Madness’. There is also traditional folk, ‘Paddy On The Railways’ is as close to the Pogues you can get without having a whiskey with Shane McGowan.
Mixed and mastered superbly by Al Scott, who brings out the best in the songs especially the vocal department, ‘Ferocious Dog’ is as fresh and vibrant as the day it was released and lyrically it probably means even more in these trying times.
If you are already a fan or have even just caught Ferocious Dog live in the past 10 years, then the real gem of this release lies in the bonus disc, a full gig recorded at the O2 Academy in Leeds last year with a 6-piece string section. A full set of their songs reimagined with a different, orchestral soundscape.
Opener ‘Landscape Artist’ lets the listener know that this is not to be a laid-back affair. The mass of strings weave their magic over the melodies and Ken’s raw, but perfectly delivered vocals.
Stripped of electric guitars, the folk inspired ditties lose none of their power, in fact as with other orchestral rock albums of the past (Metallica for example) it adds a cinematic depth which can be just as powerful as a bank of Marshall stacks.
The strings amplify the emotion in the beauty. The likes of ‘A&B’ and ‘Justice For 96’ benefit immensely and the euphoria created in ‘Broken Soldiers’ will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention.
Ken Bonsall’s loveable charm as a frontman comes across well, and his ability to engage with his audience is second to none, even teasing the local crowd to a ”Yorkshire, Yorkshire!” chant.
The addition of a new studio recording of ‘Too Late’ is tagged on at the end for good measure.
If you are a longtime Hell Hound or a curious Furious Dog virgin, there is much to enjoy in this 10th anniversary edition. A debut album that is as urgent and vital as the day it was released, backed with a document of a magical evening in Leeds that may make you check out why this band have a great live reputation.
Recent Comments