The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!
Volume 16 is a special edition where we run down our Top 50 Albums of the Year! 2023 has seen some amazing records released, but who will take the coveted number one spot?
Our News Report is still here also covering the latest from Vended, Slam Dunk Festival, Liam Gallagher & John Squire, Teddy Rocks, Brighten the Corners and LeeStock!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Telltale, Shooting Daggers and Fraser Morgan!
Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the sixth issue now for free!
Volume six includes an update from cover stars Dream Nails, reviews of Ash, The Subways and Muse live and a load more!
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Mike Shinoda, Normandie, The Cadillac Three, Tesseract, Haunt The Woods, Millie Manders and the Shutup, LØLØ, Tropic Gold and BLACKGOLD!
Plus new live announcements from Within Temptation, Tenacious D, The Gaslight Anthem, 2000trees, Suede, Manic Street Preachers, Beartooth, Blackberry Smoke, The Sleeping Souls and Sean McGowan.
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with modernlove., Break Fifty and Noah and the Loners!
Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the fourth issue now for free!
Volume four includes an update from cover stars Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, reviews of new albums from Black Stone Cherry and King Nun, a live review of Theory of a Deadman plus a special feature on the upcoming Ash vs The Subways tour!
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Neck Deep, Within Temptation, Europe, Lake Malice, Filth Is Eternal, Nervosa and Sum 41!
Plus new live announcements from Yard Act, James, Nothing More, VUKOVI, Lynks and The Longest Johns.
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Spiritual Cramp, Butterfly Hurricane and Grove Street!
Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the third issue now for free!
Volume three includes an update from cover star Chris Shiflett, and a review of ‘Race the Night’ from Ash.
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Don Broco, Lonely The Brave, Dream Wife, TesseracT, DragonForce, Staind, Duff McKagan, Skinny Lister, All Time Low, While She Sleeps, K.Flay, The Meffs, END and Mother Mother!
Plus new live announcements from British Lion, Fozzy, KITE THIEF, VV, The Amazons, The Coral, Twin Atlantic and Lonely The Brave.
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Major Moment, Tropic Gold and Future Static!
At this point in their thirty year career Ash are something of a safe bet with consistently good records and always solid live. When other bands have self-destructed, lost the magic or faded away, Ash have remained a constant.
The relationships within the trio will of course be one key reason behind this longevity and when early press releases teased Tim Wheeler as describing ‘Race the Night’ as “the sound of the band reveling in the sheer joy of being a band after being separated by time and distance through the insanity of the early 2020s.”, the seeds were sewn for a change.
Change probably isn’t the right word to use though, perhaps re-emergence would suit better because as the band have drip fed singles from the new album many have likened the sound to 2004’s ‘Meltdown’ album in terms is heaviness.
The constant will to pigeonhole and connect releases is always is kneejerk temptation from music press though, and whilst sonically the connection is obvious, ‘Race the Night’ actually stands out for the reason highlighted by Wheeler. That is plain and simply that this sounds like a band having fun and making an album that follows no set rulebook just a desire to unleash their creativity and see what happens.
Well what has happened with ‘Race the Night’ is a sublime slice of pop rock perfection. Fans of the band that have enjoyed recent offerings ‘Kablammo!’ and ‘Islands’ and observed how good those releases are will perhaps be surprised by the quality of this album. That’s because both those albums were very decent and maintained the legacy of the band, but ‘Race the Night’ sees the band take a giant leap forward.
There are of course radio hits, delicate melodies and rifftastic moments spread throughout the well balanced release as you’d expect from Ash, but if in doubt just listen to the fantastic album closer, ‘Like A God – Reprise’. You just can’t help but picture a young band just jamming together in a garage!
Yes, whilst Ash have never failed to deliver the goods, ‘Race the Night’ feels like a special present indeed.
Disillusioned and close to bankruptcy, it is fair to say that 2001’s ‘Free All Angels’, was a make or break record for Ash. Whilst debut album, ‘1977’, had hit the number one spot and made the band a household name, sophomore release, ‘Nu-Clear Sounds’ had seen the bands momentum stall.
Having seemingly hit rock bottom, a refreshed approach saw the band write and record what would be their saving grace, ‘Free All Angels’. Returning the band to the top of the charts, and serving as a springboard to greater success, it is again fair comment to say that the album rescued the group’s career.
This week has seen the band celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the album with three very special shows. Rejoined by guitarist Charlotte Hatherley, who departed the band in 2006, Ash have played the album in full first in Manchester, then Birmingham and finally tonight at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London.
On the eve of the funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, there is a perfectly observed minutes silence at 8pm.
Shortly thereafter opening act The Gulps take to the stage and do a suitable job of raising spirits and getting those in attendance ready for our headliners.
WATCH ‘SHINING LIGHT’ ON YOUTUBE
Ash – ‘Shining Light’
A mighty roar greets Ash and particularly Hatherley to the stage and the band proceed to play the entirety of ‘Free All Angels’. The quality of the record is borne out with opening trio, ‘Walking Barefoot’, ‘Shining Light’ and ‘Burn Baby Burn’, with even frontman Tim Wheeler commenting on the run.
The singles, naturally, played a large role in the success of the album but it is the overall quality that ensures that remains as revered today as when released in 2001. ‘Candy’, ‘Someday’, ‘Sometimes’ and ‘There’s A Star’ are all glorious before ‘World Domination’ brings the run though to a close.
This doesn’t end the evening however as Wheeler quips about making the most of their time with Hatherley, before introducing the first song that they worked on together, ‘A Life Less Ordinary’.
Ash are a fine live act, but tonight the addition of Hatherley really ratchets things up a notch or two. The added layers and intricacies level up the band and the likes of ‘Goldfinger’, ‘Orpheus’ and ‘Clones’ sound absolutely huge tonight.
Towards the end of the night the band break out tracks such as ‘Numbskull’, ‘Kung Fu’ and ‘Girl From Mars’ much to the delight of the audience.
Tonight has been a reflection of a period of time not just for Ash but in British music. It’s an evening drenched in nostalgia but for those in the venue it’s all about the immediacy of the performance. It’s only fitting that a final airing of ‘Burn Baby Burn’ closes out what has been a successful celebration of a truly great album.
