Category: Album Reviews

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Album Reviews

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Unlimited Love

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RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – UNLIMITED LOVE – ALBUM REVIEW

Whilst many members have graced the Red Hot Chili Peppers over the past 40 years, there is no doubting the iconic line-up is Kiedis, Flea, Smith and Frusciante. So, the news that Frusciante was returning to the fold in 2019 was greeted with music excitement from their fanbase.

Sadly a pandemic related lack of touring and new music stifled some of that initial joy. There is no real wave of momentum now as the classic line-up release their first album together in 16 years.

Realistically the writing and release of ‘Unlimited Love’ is a thankless task for the band. Try to recapture their glory days and they are simply rehashing old ground, but try something different and rile fans excited by this reunion!

Listen to ‘Black Summer’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Pre-release singles ‘Black Summer’ and ‘Poster Child’ particularly showed that perhaps the band had shot for some middle ground in an attempt to please everybody. The obvious problem being that you can’t ever please everybody.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Poster Child’

Clearly their creative juices have flown again with word of some 50 tracks being recorded during these sessions. 17 have made it on to this album, which makes for a runtime of nearly an hour and fifteen minutes.

Of course the band, and this line-up in particular have history of lengthy releases, but I can’t help but feel a shorter punchier release may have done them more favours; especially in todays age of short attention spans.

This kind of brings us back to the point of who the band are trying to please on ‘Unlimited Love’. Realistically and perhaps rightly it’s not a new audience, nor really any lapsed early fans! The answer instead may lie internally, as this feels like four old friends reconnecting and testing the waters.

As we stated at the start, this release would always be a thankless task, so perhaps it’s only right the band get to take the time to feel each other out again. Let’s face it for a group on the level of Red Hot Chili Peppers, anything they release will be a commercial success.

Artistically they’ve not rested on any laurels, or simply played it safe, but for a band famous for their experimentation, you have to hope they will stretch their legs a little further on their next release!

Still, ‘Unlimited Love’ likely does what it needs to do. It doesn’t recapture past glories, but it may well lay the groundwork for the band to do so.

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Album Reviews

Fatherson

Fatherson

Normal Fears

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FATHERSON – NORMAL FEARS – ALBUM REVIEW

There are some bands that just capture you entirely when you first hear them. Fatherson were able to accomplish that with me in 2014 when I first saw them as a support act. Some 8 years and 3 albums later, the band has since established themselves in the alternative rock world, and now they are set to release their fourth album, ‘Normal Fears’.

Preceding the album have been a whopping five tracks. With the album comprising thirteen songs, I already had a good idea of what to expect from the album. That was something new and different, yet something extremely familiar.

Listen to ‘End Of The World’ on our Spotify Hot List!

From the opening salvo of ‘End Of The World’, ‘Love For Air’ and ‘Normal People’ the bands new expansive sound is clear for all to hear. Their evolution towards a poppier direction then continues to be documented with ‘Everything’, ‘Do It For Yourself’ and ‘Honest To God’.

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Fatherson – ‘Dive’

Singer Ross Leighton’s distinctive vocals still take centre stage, whether during tender moments such as ‘All The Time’ or more vibrant moments like ‘Dive’. Musically this album is a slight change of pace but it’s not a sprint to the finish. The band has done well to stay true to their sound whilst also embracing new ideas and reaching for new heights.

Fans both old and new will find pleasure with ‘Normal Fears’ capturing the sound of a band unshackled and just letting go. It has been a tough few years, with the world breaking more every day. We need music to keep us sane, and with ‘Normal Fears’ being thematically relatable and sonically aspiring, there is perhaps no better album to do that right now.

It’s always great to find a new act, but it’s even better to watch them grow.

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Read our review of ‘Heavy Like A Headache’ from The Ninth Wave

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Placebo

Placebo

Never Let Me Go

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PLACEBO – NEVER LET ME GO – ALBUM REVIEW

It’s been over eight long years since the last Placebo album, but they are finally back with their eighth studio album, ‘Never Let Me Go’. The band has always been a law upon themselves and operated on their own terms, and that’s a right that they’ve well and truly earned. But after such a long break, can ‘Never Let Me Go’ do their legacy justice?

Pre-release singles such as ‘Beautiful James’ and ‘Surrounded By Spies’ were promising, and as the album starts with ‘Forever Chemicals’ you already sense that this is definitely the Placebo that we know and love.

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Placebo – ‘Surrounded By Spies’

We aren’t that far from then bands 30th anniversary, and over that lengthy career they’ve mastered their own iconic sound. Able to effortlessly switch from melancholy to inspiring, from mellow to rampant, Placebo have become an influence to many that followed in their footsteps.

The first thing to note is that ‘Never Let Me Go’ is that sound at its truest. Close your eyes, listen, and you’re back in time to when you first fell in love with the band. For me that’s the hedonistic days of high school, which then makes me feel rather old!

Secondly, it’s clear that during their time away, Placebo have lost none of their quality. Whilst it’s somewhat easy for a band to rinse and repeat their sound, ‘Never Let Me Go’ is that classic sound in the modern era. As the album progresses there are many highlights that emphasise these points such as ‘Hugz’, ‘Try Better Next Time’ and ‘Sad White Reggae’.

Listen to ‘Try Better Next Time’ on our Spotify Hot List!

After such a long period away, the transition to a duo and just the general mystique around the band, there was a worry that this album could fail to live up to expectations. Thankfully those worries were completely misguided and Placebo in 2022 remain an extremely prosperous proposition.

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Read our review of ‘Torpedo’ from Feeder

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Album Reviews

THUMPER

THUMPER

Delusions of Grandeur

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THUMPER – DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR – ALBUM REVIEW

If there is a rule book for the music industry to follow then THUMPER took one look and threw it out the window! The band has slowly been gaining traction over the past couple of years with a string of complex yet catchy singles and chaotic live shows.

Ironically titled debut album ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ arrives as a statement of intent from a band determined to do things their way. The norms of simple three minute radio friendly songs is brazenly ignored, the idea that one drummer is enough is laughed at and any road map for success is torn up. Yet, the outcome is a stunning record that should propel the band to much bigger things.

Another industry standard these days is a genre. Everything needs to have a label on it. Well, good luck choosing what you want to plug THUMPER as. There are touches and glimpses of everything here from punk to psych to pop and so much more.

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THUMPER – ‘Fear of Art’

Opening with latest single ‘Fear of Art’, and early release ‘Ad Nauseuem’ the album is hypnotising from the very start. You’ll find yourself getting lost in the sound of a band stretching their musical legs, and then lose your inhibitions completely as they hit their stride with the likes of ‘The Loser’ and ‘Topher Grace’.

Listen to ‘The Loser’ on our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Perhaps the most ambitious moment however comes at the end of the album with a trilogy of tracks written and recorded as one long piece. ‘Overbite’, ‘The Ghost’ and ‘Down in Heaven’ provide a stunning finale to a masterpiece of a debut album.

Yes, it’s worth remembering that this is the first album from THUMPER. There is no playing it safe, no parking the bus; this is a remarkable magnum opus which leaves you wondering where the band will go next!

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Feeder

Feeder

Torpedo

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FEEDER – TORPEDO – ALBUM REVIEW

Feeder are a band who have experienced most of what the music industry has to offer; the highest highs and the lowest lows. Their endurance has to be admired and here they are with their eleventh studio album, ‘Torpedo’!

Part of their staying power has been fuelled by a proficiency of stability. They’ve never really attempted to break the mould or reinvent the wheel. But, and it’s an important but, they’ve also shown enough evolution to avoid becoming stale.

So, they’ve never put out a dance album and they’ve avoided a paint by numbers formula! What does that mean for ‘Torpedo’? Well, you guessed it more of the same!

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Feeder – ‘Torpedo’

Yes, ‘Torpedo’ is instantly recognisable as a Feeder album, but this time around there are darker, murkier undertones both thematically and sonically. The band have proven their ability to play heavier styles in the past and this record certainly leans in that direction frequently.

The title track together with ‘Magpie’ and ‘Decompress’ exude this whilst there are more standard Feeder offerings in ‘When It All Breaks Down’ and ‘Hide and Seek’. There are ambitious moments such as album opener ‘The Healing’, and there are classic single compositions like ‘Wall of Silence’.

Listen to ‘Wall of Silence’ on our Spotify Hot List!

If you are already a fan of the band, then this album is a fantastic addition to your collection. If you are somebody just discovering the band then ‘Torpedo’ is a nice little sampler, but you’ll need to further explore for the bands highest moments.

At the point in their career, ‘Torpedo’, does exactly what Feeder needs it to do and it will ensure that their endurance levels are well maintained.

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Read our review of ‘Oochya!’ from Stereophonics

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Von Hertzen Brothers

Von Hertzen Brothers

Red Alert In The Blue Forest

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VON HERTZEN BROTHERS – RED ALERT IN THE BLUE FOREST – ALBUM REVIEW

Finnish rockers Von Hertzen Brothers have always been progressive in nature, but new album ‘Red Alert In The Blue Forest’ is surely their most ambitious work to date.

I’ll admit that seeing a runtime of well over an hour appeared daunting at first, but as the album progresses any fears prove unwarranted. There is plenty of experimentation, lots of expansive musical exploration and countless grandiose rock moments, but at no point does the album drag or lull.

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Von Hertzen Brothers – ‘All of a Sudden, You’re Gone’

Listen to ‘All of a Sudden, You’re Gone’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Spotify Playlist!

In fact, the reverse is true and time actually flies by whilst listening to the bands epic creation. From the towering opener ‘Day Of Reckoning’ through to tender finale ‘Disappear There’, the album is packed full of mesmerising melodies, stunning solos and valiant vocals.

All the aspects and genres that make up the traditional Von Hertzen Brothers sound are here at various points, with folk and prog moments intertwined with classic and modern rock. On ‘Red Alert In The Blue Forest’, the band take us on a musical journey, but as mentioned not a trek!

This is a very digestible effort from a band potentially reaching the peak of their powers. This perhaps is summed up best on the remarkable ‘Northern Lights’ which incredibly features samples of sounds of the actual Aurora Borealis.

Yes, there is certainly a lot packed in the 11 tracks that comprise the album. ‘Red Alert In The Blue Forest’ therefore deserves your full undivided attention, you won’t regret it.

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Read our review of ‘IMPERA’ from Ghost

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Album Reviews

H.E.R.O.

H.E.R.O.

Alternate Realities

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H.E.R.O. – ALTERNATE REALITIES – ALBUM REVIEW

In a very short period of time Danish rock band H.E.R.O. have established themselves as purveyors of soaring anthemic pop rock. Despite the disruptions of the past few years the band are now releasing their third album since 2019.

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H.E.R.O. – ‘Gravity’

That album is entitled ‘Alternate Realities’ and shows no easing off the throttle. Bursting straight to life with the ambitious ‘Gravity’, and ‘Lead The Blind’ which features Philip Strand of Normandie. That certainly feels like a match made in heaven with H.E.R.O.’s sound following a similar path to that band and many others.

Listen to ‘Lead The Blind’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Spotify Playlist

Whilst those singles set the tone very much for what follows on the record, there is no lull over the following eight tracks, either in terms of intensity or indeed quality. The likes of ‘Oxygen’ and ‘Made to be Broken’ particularly maintain the albums energy levels.

Whilst the fusion of rock and pop is far from a new concept, the likes of Bring Me The Horizon have broken ground and engaged new audiences for the genre hybrid. Many acts have since attempted to follow in those footsteps with many feeling forced and disjointed; that can’t be said of ‘Alternate Realities’, with H.E.R.O. surrounding natural and polished.

Perhaps the best example of this is the Melissa Bonny featuring single, ‘Monster’, as the track lives up its name with its monstrous chorus and thunderous riffs!

The album closes out with the tender ‘Heavy Heart’ which really showcases the softer side of the band, and neatly puts the icing on the very delicious cake that is ‘Alternate Realities’.

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H.E.R.O. feature on Episode 8 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with the episode debuting on Monday 21st March 2022! Be sure to subscribe to Full Pelt Music wherever you watch or listen to your Podcasts so you don’t miss out!

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Album Reviews

The Ninth Wave

The Ninth Wave

Heavy Like A Headache

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Glasgow’s The Ninth Wave released their debut album, ‘Infancy’, to much critical acclaim in 2019. That album arrived as the band were building upwards momentum with a string of impressive support slots. They’ve since released another acclaimed EP, ‘Happy Days’ and can boast numerous sold out shows.

It was somewhat surprising therefore when the band recently announced their imminent indefinite hiatus. That break arrives as they release their second album, ‘Heavy Like A Headache’, and play a farewell run of shows.

WATCH ‘MAYBE YOU DIDN’T KNOW’ ON YOUTUBE
The Ninth Wave – ‘Maybe You Didn’t Know’

The question on our mind as we dive into the album consequently is – can the album do their career justice? Well, instantly as ‘Maybe You Didn’t Know’ segues into ‘Heron On The Water’ you feel yourself getting absorbed into a dark, moody yet somehow upbeat world.

This is an emotive and stylistically diverse album that pulls from various influences and genres and refuses to settle. The Ninth Wave take us on something of an sonic rollercoaster over the course of ‘Heavy Like A Headache’.

Listen to ‘What Makes You A Man’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Standout moments include ‘Hard Not To Hold You’, ‘What Makes You A Man’ and ‘Piece And Pound Coins’, but the album as a whole is more than able to deliver that justice.

If this is to be the last hoorah for the band then they go out on a high with a stunning album punctuating a short but impressive career.

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We recently caught up with Haydn from The Ninth Wave to discuss ‘Heavy Like A Headache’, their final shows and much more. Watch the video below or find audio options here.

Read our review of PET NEEDS live in Norwich

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Ghost

Ghost

IMPERA

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GHOST – IMPERA – ALBUM REVIEW

The evolution of Ghost over the years has been fascinating to watch. The imaginary around the band, their stage show and importantly their musical output have always evolved and grown in majesty with each incarnation.

With the band at their commercial and creative peak and with the revelation of Papa Emeritus IV coming just days before the pandemic took a grip on the world, I was worried that their momentum could die.

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Ghost – ‘Hunter’s Moon’

In September as the band emerged from the darkness once more with the single ‘Hunter’s Moon’, I again considered whether the band would be able to pick up where they left off. This apprehension may of translated across to the way I received their pre-release singles, ‘Call Me Little Sunshine’ and ‘Twenties’.

Ahead of the release of ‘IMPERA’ I will admit to having my doubts that the band would be able to continue their hot streak. All of that however quickly dissipates when the opening fanfare of ‘Imperium’ takes hold. Soon thereafter ‘Kaisarion’ and ‘Spillways’ suck me straight into the magnificence that is Ghost!

Listen to ‘Call Me Little Sunshine’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

By the time we have passed through ‘Hunter’s Moon’ and ‘Call Me Little Sunshine’ to ‘Twenties’, which I’d initially bulked at, this incredible band has once again hypnotised me. It’s a magical place under the mesmerising spell of Ghost at their pinnacle, and by the time the album closes out all my doubts and worries have disappeared.

‘IMPERA’ may not instantly standout as a masterpiece as its predecessors have done, but it burns slowly into your conscience and enthrals you with the unparalleled glory of Ghost. How, just how could I have ever doubted this band?

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The Mysterines

The Mysterines

Reeling

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THE MYSTERINES – REELING – ALBUM REVIEW

The Mysterines have been busy building a solid reputation over the past few years and anticipation is high for their debut album. Thankfully the wait is over and ‘Reeling’ now belongs to the world, but can it live up to the hype?

Spoiler Alert, it can! Yes, upon hitting play you are instantly struck by the quality on offer. Opening track ‘Life’s a Bitch (But I Like It So Much)’ sets the tone immediately for what’s to follow. That is a very polished, fast paced explosion of cataclysmic rock.

As the album continues with ‘Hung Up’, ‘Reeling’ and ‘Old Friends / Die Hard’, you can hear a massive sound that you sense will feel equally at home in stadiums as it will in small venues. That’s a credit to the versatile sound that the band has struck upon.

The Mysterines have featured on our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist – Listen here to discover more incredible new artists!

It’s hard when listening to debut albums not to try and picture what the future may hold for the artist. Trajectories can be difficult to predict with many variables on the way, but with ‘Reeling’ you can’t help but picture this band taking over the world.

The album is that good; in fact it is an early contender for Album of the Year. Instead of listing highlights on the album I could probably just copy and paste the entire tracklist. The likes of ‘Dangerous’ and ‘In My Head’ however are particularly noteworthy.

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The Mysterines – ‘Dangerous’

Something that helps to elevate the record is that each song has its own identity. Whilst some bands strike gold and try and make carbon copies of that success, The Mysterines have clearly allowed each track room to breathe whilst ensuring enough cohesion to hold the album together.

Hype can be dangerous in the music industry and has suffocated many promising acts. Only time will tell what the future truly holds in store for this band, but with ‘Reeling’ they have cleared an enormous hurdle on the road to major success.

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