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Live Reviews

Dead Man’s Whiskey

Dead Man's Whiskey

B2, Norwich

Friday 5th May 2023

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DEAD MAN’s WHISKEY – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

With thousands heading into London and millions more preparing to watch the outlandish Coronation on the TV, a hundred or so hard rockers file into the B2 venue in Norwich for a old school rock show.

This feels much more of a celebration of our great nation’s true culture and community than the scenes that we’ll see in Westminster Abbey. There is less pomp and ceremony here but there is still a great time to be had.

BROKEN SOUL

Getting these festivities underway are four-piece Broken Soul who get the crowd suitably warned up with tracks such as ‘By My Side’ and ‘Always Be With Me’. They may not have the military precision of the Coldstream Guards band but that’s actually the charm! It’s rough, it’s ready and tonight Broken Soul get the crowd rocking.

ATTIC THEORY

Next up on the compact stage are sextet Attic Theory who clearly have a number of readymade fans out in the audience. Their time on stage feels short, which is always a good sign and by the time they close out their set with ‘Saints Amongst Us’, they have the venue in full swing, singing along to every word as if they were reciting the national anthem in the presence of the new king!

DEAD MAN’S WHISKEY

Feeling the tedious Coronation link coming to an end, it’s time for Dead Man’s Whiskey to sit upon the B2 throne. The group started making waves with their debut album, ‘Under the Gun’, around 2017 and seemed on the cusp of something special just as the pandemic hit.

Like many, particularly in the music industry, 2020 was something of a momentum killer, but the band now appear ready to reach for the sceptre once more. New single, ‘Masquerade’ has been very well received and tonight the crowd can’t wait to kneel before their new masters.

The band are more than prepared to lead the crowd through an hour of good honest rock n’ roll. The new material on offer is greeted with equal delight to older tracks such as ‘War Machine’ and ‘This Fight’, which is another good sign this evening.

The closing trio of ‘Hoe Street’, the emotive ‘Make You Proud’ and the fantastic ‘Racing Bullet’ showcase a band ready to ascend, perhaps not to sovereignty but certainly to the next level in the hierarchy of the music industry.

There is even time for an encore of AC/DC classic ‘Highway To Hell’, which sends the fans out the door happy. Tomorrow’s events in London will be remembered for years to come, but it’s nights like these happening every night in great venues across the land that make this country what it is!

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Read our review of ‘Hard Cold Fire’ from Therapy?

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Album Reviews

Therapy?

Therapy?

Hard Cold Fire

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THERAPY? – HARD COLD FIRE – ALBUM REVIEW

Thankfully it feels like we are past having to talk about postponements and delays due to the pandemic, but the latest album from Therapy? is another little reminder of what we’ve been through.

Recorded in November 2021, ‘Hard Cold Fire’ is seeing the light of day now having been held back to allow the band to conclude their well received 30th Anniversary Tour. That tour celebrated the incredible journey the band have had; but a major part of their career has always been new music, so it’s fitting that they follow is up with another collection of fresh material.

In fact ‘Hard Cold Fire’ is the band’s 16th album given them an average output of an album just over every two years. Over such a sustained period this is a remarkable achievement, particularly over the past decade during which most acts of a similar ilk would have long slowed down.

Those live shows last year were a clear indication that the band won’t be slowing down anytime soon, either in work ethic or indeed sonically. The velocity at which the riffs on this album are delivered are echoed in the length of the record at just over the half hour mark.

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Therapy? – ‘Poundland of Hope and Glory’

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Musically this is Therapy? at their very best and the album simply flies by with all ten tracks adding something to the album. There are some standout moments such as fantastic opener ‘They Shoot the Terrible Master’, the juxtaposition of ‘Woe’ and ‘Joy’ and the stunningly titled ‘Poundland of Hope and Glory’ (fitting on this coronation weekend!), but every track is a winner.

If the delivery rate for Therapy? albums is something to be admired, the consistency in quality truly must be revered. ‘Hard Cold Fire’ isn’t just “another one for the collection”, this is another highly relevant and hard rocking exhibit in the case that Therapy? are one of the most criminally undervalued rock bands of the last three decades!

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EP Reviews

Jamie Lenman

iknowyouknowiknow

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Jamie Lenman

On his latest album, ‘The Atheist’, Jamie Lenman demonstrated his pop sensibilities as he delivered perhaps his most accessible album yet. The outpouring of creativity that made that album has now also produced a companion EP, ‘iknowyouknowiknow’.

Given that ‘The Atheist’ was a stunning piece of art which saw Lenman soaring to new heights, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this sister release is just as magnificent.

‘iknowyouknowiknow’ sees Lenman embracing his folkier side with the acoustic guitar at the centre of some of the EP’s most delicate and beautiful tracks.

Finishing the EP with an acoustic rendition of ‘This Town Will Never Let Us Go’ is a hauntingly perfect way to close out not just the EP but the ensemble that is ‘The Atheist’ and ‘iknowyouknowiknow’.

Lenman is a genius of a songwriter who is currently operating at his very best, and this record is the bow on top of his latest masterpiece.

Read our review of ‘The Atheist’ from Jamie Lenman

Read our review of Jamie Lenman live in Hertford

Watch episode 13 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guest Jamie Lenman

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 13 – Jamie Lenman

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EP Reviews

BLACKGOLD

Volume 2

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Metal fans will be getting used to seeing the name BLACKGOLD on festival bills and in prominent support slots. The mysterious group released their unashamed nu-metal honouring debut EP last year and they’ve subsequently bagged support slots with Limp Bizkit and Skindred and will be making a noise at the likes of Download and 2000trees this summer.

Ahead of those appearances, the band has more music to unleash into the world with their second EP, simply title ‘Volume 2’. Picking right up where their self-titled debut record left off, this is another rambunctious blast of those nu-metal-esque riffs and rhymes.

With its highly confrontational lyrics and brash sonic outbursts this is certainly an EP to get riled up to, and would make a great gym soundtrack to get pumped to. There is more than enough here to justify the initial hype for this group, and it will be interesting to see what they have up their sleeves next.

One thing for sure, is that you will be hearing even more of the name BLACKGOLD in the coming years!

Read our review of BLACKGOLD’s self-titled debut EP

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Album Reviews

Ryan Hamilton

Ryan Hamilton

Haunted by the Holy Ghost

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RYAN HAMILTON – HAUNTED BY THE HOLY GHOST – ALBUM REVIEW

Ryan Hamilton has always been something of a musical chameleon and on his new album, ‘Haunted by the Holy Ghost’, Hamilton evolves once again. For this album Hamilton takes elements from everything he has done already and wraps them in an Americana inspired bow.

Rock ‘n’ roll, indie rock, power pop and influences from across generations, this album really is a smorgasbord of sonic delights. At this point in Ryan Hamilton’s career, it’s important for listeners to leave their expectations at the door and strap themselves in for whatever wonders have been emanating from his mind.

This is a very enjoyable, fun listen which is obviously an important quality for any album. This record will have you laughing, crying and bopping through three quarters of an hour of finely tuned rock ‘n’ roll mastery.

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Ryan Hamilton – ‘Asshole’

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On one of the standout songs, ‘Asshole’, Hamilton sings “…don’t wanna be that guy I’ve been before..”, which is something that seems like something of a motto throughout his career, as he continually reinvents himself.

One thing has remained consistent through his career however and that is the quality of his songwriting. Insightful, deep and meaningful one moment, tongue-in-cheek and brash the next, whatever he turns his mind to, Hamilton comes out with something spectacular.

‘Haunted by the Holy Ghost’ ultimately is another fine release from Ryan Hamilton, which will remain on repeat for quite some time for those that dive in. What comes next from Hamilton, only time will tell, but odds are it will be great!

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Hear all about the album from Ryan Hamilton himself on The Full Pelt Music Podcast!

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 15 – Ryan Hamilton

Read our review of ‘Love, Chaos’ from The Pearl Harts

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Album Reviews

Lottery Winners

Lottery Winners

Anxiety Replacement Therapy

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LOTTERY WINNERS – ANXIETY REPLACEMENT THERAPY – ALBUM REVIEW

The Lottery Winners have been building up an indelible reputation for their incredibly fun live shows. Numerous memorable festival shows and hugely popular support slots have created a real buzz around the band, and now feels like the time for them to strike while that proverbial iron is hot.

With the band finishing out their current headline tour, the iron is in fact not just hot but absolutely steaming and it’s no surprise that they now find themselves in a little chart battle for the number one spot. Some ingenious sales techniques will certainly have helped those pre-order numbers.

But, all that build needs an important thing at the end of the day and that’s a top quality album! So, when you strip back all the showmanship and focus on the music, can the Lottery Winners deliver the goods required to take their next big leap forward?

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Lottery Winners – ‘Worry’

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Spoiler alert – you’re damn right they can! ‘Anxiety Repleacement Therapy’ is a perfectly timed blast of infectious indie pop that gets your feet moving and your brain thinking. Sonically uplifting and thematically inspiring, the album takes you on a literal journey towards enlightenment.

There are some purely stunning moments that will have you completely lost in the music such as ‘Worry’, ‘Burning House’ and ‘Sertraline’, then there are times where the smart lyrics will have you considering the depths of your inner being such as the highly relatable ‘Letter To Myself’ and ‘You’re Not Alone’.

Everything on this album just clicks and flows effortlessly. For example, seeing in advance of release that the album would feature guest slots from Frank Turner, Boy George and Shaun Ryder; I wondered if these would take something away from the Lottery Winners and disrupt the album. Quite the opposite is in fact the reality as each fits in seamlessly and works superbly within the context of the album.

The time really does feel like such an important one in the history of the band as they look like they are ready to firmly breakout into the mainstream. They have the live show to back up the music and now they have a masterpiece of an album to showcase, the world very much appears to be their oyster!

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Live Reviews

Paramore

Paramore

O2 Arena, London

Thursday 20th April 2023

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PARAMORE – LONDON – LIVE REVIEW

It’s fitting that Paramore come back to the UK around Easter time as their return has been received much like the second coming. Yes, you’d struggle to find a more engaged and dedicated audience than the hardcore Paramore fanbase.

Tonight their tour arrives in London at the gargantuan O2 Arena. It’s within this cavernous space that opening act Rozi Plain serenade the early attendees. What I can hear sounds delightful however their sound does struggle to fill the venue.

Our next act don’t struggle with that issue however as indie icons Bloc Party deliver a short and succinct set that mixes old and new to good measure. The uninitiated in the crowd seem somewhat unsure of what they are watching, but those familiar like myself have a great time with this gem of the landfill indie era. How can anybody not perk up to the likes of ‘Banquet’, ‘Flux’ and ‘Helicopter’?

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Bloc Party – ‘Helicopter’

Read our review of ‘Alpha Games’ from Bloc Party

Soon enough the lights are dimmed and Paramore arrive on stage where they quickly deliver two new tracks ‘You First’ and ‘The News’ from recent album ‘This Is Why’. Soon thereafter classic tracks ‘That’s What You Get’ and ‘Playing God’ kick the evening into another level.

The dynamics of arena seating has always intrigued and annoyed me; particularly the perhaps controversial issue of whether fans in seating should stand up during the show. Personally, it’s fine but it needs to be all or nothing – either everyone stands or everyone sits, not little pockets of standing people ignoring the fact they are blocking the view of those around that remain seated.

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Paramore – ‘This Is Why’

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The other thing that gets me is the disrespect of only standing during certain songs. Tonight it was telling the moment Hayley Williams said “my band are letting me play a solo song” or “Zac is going to sing a HalfNoise song” that the vast majority instantly sat down before even a note was played clearly indicating that they weren’t interested in even giving these tracks an opportunity.

This was a theme throughout the night with the older hits getting people stood up (usually to just film the song on their phones), and anything more obscure being treated with utter contempt. This isn’t of course a new phenomenon but it was very noticeable this evening.

Performance wise though, whether the audience reciprocated or not, the entire set was Paramore on top form. It was great to see the band clearly enjoying themselves again, something else which was evident from the night.

By the encore of ‘All I Wanted’ and ‘This Is Why’, the band have delivered the goods and the fans whether sat down or stood up are all clearly pleased with the show. It’s great to have the band back!

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Read our review of ‘This Is Why’ from Paramore

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Album Reviews

The Pearl Harts

The Pearl Harts

Love, Chaos

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THE PEARL HARTS – LOVE, CHAOS – ALBUM REVIEW

Time moves so quickly these days, even that life changing time when the world stood still seems a long time ago. It certainly doesn’t feel like five years since The Pearl Harts released their phenomenal debut album, ‘Glitter & Spit’!

Well, it somehow was, but after everything that has happened in the intervening time, it’s finally time for the duo to unleash their sophomore record, ‘Love, Chaos’.

The build up towards the release of the album has seen the singles ‘More’, ‘Wild Me’ and ‘Hypocritical’ hint that whilst the bands ferocious hooks remain front and centre, this new material has had the groove turned up to eleven.

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The Pearl Harts – ‘Hypocritical’

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The album in its entirety continues the theme of sonic growth building on the solid foundations that their debut album laid. ‘Love, Chaos’ is stylish and elegant rock and roll fun, that isn’t afraid to challenge the unhealthy and the unjust through some witty lyricism.

Packed full of a healthy mix of attitude and unashamed chic, ‘Love, Chaos’ is a charming collection of songs that also happens to pack a punch.

There may have been a bit of a wait between albums, but the wait for more of The Pearl Harts has been worth the wait and more. This duo are a force of nature and ‘Love, Chaos’ is another spectacular statement from a group with so much potential. Remember the name The Pearl Harts!

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Album Reviews

Enter Shikari

Enter Shikari

A Kiss for the Whole World

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ENTER SHIKARI – A KISS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD – ALBUM REVIEW

Enter Shikari have been riding on a hot streak that some would argue dates back to their 2007 debut album, ‘Take To The Skies’. Others may point towards 2015 masterpiece ‘The Mindsweep’ as the moment that a band with all the potential in the world finally seized on their talents to move to a different level.

Either way, it’s clear at this point that the band operate on their own level and creatively not many contemporaries can keep their pace. New seventh album, ‘A Kiss for the Whole World’ is another unpredictable collection of genre-defying bangers which will get the listeners moving.

Where Enter Shikari regularly raise the game however is their ability not just to get their audience moving, but also thinking. Again on this album, the band tackle the complexities and dangers of the modern world – and let’s face it there is no shortage of source material for the band to explore given the state of the world these days.

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Enter Shikari – ‘A Kiss for the Whole World x’

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Always willing to confront and inspect the signs of the times, ‘A Kiss for the Whole World’ finds the band lighting a spark found missing during the pandemic years. Fittingly ignited by their appearance at the Download Pilot Festival that represented one of the first glimmers of life for the music industry, this is the sound of a band regrouping with another affirming record.

The likes of the title track, and pre-release singles ‘(pls) set me on fire’, ‘It Hurts’ and ‘Bloodshot’ are typical of what to expect from the rest of the album. If there was any doubt this would be more of Enter Shikari at their very best, one quick run through of the album will dispel those doubts immediately.

The hot streak is very much intact, and this album can only be heralded as another stunning success for a band showing no signs of resting on their laurels.

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Read our review of Enter Shikari live in London

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Album Reviews

Black Orchid Empire

Black Orchid Empire

Tempus Veritas

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BLACK ORCHID EMPIRE – TEMPUS VERITAS – ALBUM REVIEW

Black Orchid Empire have been quietly assembling a formidable back catalogue and now they are back to further showcase themselves as a creative force with their fourth album, ‘Tempus Veritas’.

Once again packed full of killer riffs, driving rhythm and soaring vocals this is another stunning collection of songs from a band who have certainly mastered their sound.

There is something for everyone across these eleven tracks with elements of hard rock, melodic pop rock and radio friendly choruses all bound by their ferocious technical hooks. Whether you are after a rocker to sing-a-long to or something with a little more substance, Black Orchid Empire have you covered on ‘Tempus Veritas’.

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Black Orchid Empire – ‘The Raven’

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The likes of ‘The Raven’, ‘Deny the Sun’ and ‘Glory to the King’ are massive but realistically there isn’t a song on here to drops below the high standards that the band has already set for themselves.

At around 37 minutes, the album just flies by which feels so refreshing having just reviewed the new Metallica album! As with that record, the quality is well and truly here but this one doesn’t feel like a slog to get from start to finish. In fact once the album does finish, your first instinct is the hit play again, which is always the best sign that an album is a winner.

Don’t sleep on this band, whilst criminally underappreciated they are one of the finest rock bands currently plying their craft!

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Read our review of ’72 Seasons’ from Metallica