Page 31 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 112

BV112 albums pg31.qxp_BV112 pg 31 22/06/2025 16:18 Page 1

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guys have definitely listens at least, while strumental section, is en- tal, and then, up-and-at-
stormed into our hearts, 'Weekend in Rome' is per- hanced remarkably by Flo- ‘em again, with convulsing
that’s for sure. haps the most ‘WTF?’ mo- rian's vocals. This is a riffs and another round of
YYYYY ment the band has ever highlight of the album. Ginger’s melodic vocals. To
Shari Black Velvet created, and everything But, towards the end is say he’s a creative genius
else falls somewhere in be- where Rock-Out surprise is an understatement. He
tween. While these songs you. The first swerve can change paces and
may not be to everyone's comes with 'Tears Are The styles faster than the
liking, The Darkness just Rain', a stripped-back bal- speed of light, while mak-
wouldn't be The Darkness lad, in which the band ing it all gel at the same
without them and a world show a completely different time.
STORM ORCHESTRA without The Darkness is side to their character. The 5 minute, 16 sec-
GET BETTER one that's a little less fun, They continue this with 'Hit ond ‘Scared Of Glass’ is
(MASCOT) and no one wants that. Me', a marvellously punchy, exuberant, and
‘Get Better’ is Storm YYYY melodic slice of hip-sway- has all the elements of a
Orchestra’s second full- Michael Coventry ing and shaking rock to classic Wildhearts tune.
length album release, and help bring the show to a The kind of song that will
first album on Mascot close, and prove, once slot into a live set nicely in
Records, and you can def- THE DARKNESS again, why you should between ‘Caffeine Bomb’
initely see why the Nether- DREAMS ON TOAST never judge a book by its and ‘I Wanna Go Where
lands-based label wanted (COOKING VINYL) cover. Even if the cover The People Go’. I wanna
to sign them. The three- Almost a quarter of a does bear a song called go where ‘Scared Of Glass’
piece from Paris, France century after they crashed 'HCRNRSM'. goes. Delightful harmonies
have created a stunning into existence and our YYYY fuel ‘Troubadour Moon’,
12-track album. Songs lives, it's truly a joy that The Michael Coventry another highlight of the
such as ‘Drummer’ have a Darkness still have the abil- album. It’s a cautionary tale
quirky infectiousness, a ity to entertain in a way for any musician that lis-
cocktail of fun with an un- which so few others can. tens to too much advice.
derlying soberness, some Lowestoft's finest are back ROCK-OUT Ginger manages to come
zesty vocals backed by and, with 'Dreams On LET'S CALL IT ROCK ‘N' up with the rather unique
steadfast drumming and in- Toast', they are every bit as ROLL rhyming lyric of ‘He never
terjected with potent fab as ever, with an album (FRONTIERS) bought the second home in
riffage. which is equal parts brilliant Sometimes, you don't Paris, never saw the au-
‘Crush The Mirrors’ and brilliantly bonkers, in need to listen to a band's rora borealis’. After a quiet,
sees frontman Max true Darkness fashion. music to already know ex- crackly vinyl, old-time,
Goudard pristinely sing, Kicking off with 'Rock And actly what they sound like, album-like, acoustic intro,
‘My pain won’t yield, and Roll Party Cowboy', the and Rock-Out fit that cate- ‘Fire In The Cheap Seats’
my instinct is shouting: fuck first of a handful of songs to gory perfectly. And, what emerges as a chaotic pum-
them all’. There’s a serenity remind you just what an they do, they do very well. THE WILDHEARTS melling of the senses. Gin-
to the song, despite the underrated guitarist Dan If you'd like an idea of what SATANIC RITES OF THE ger shouts, ‘There’s no way
helpless lyrics, until Hawkins is, the song not that taste is, the band WILDHEARTS out, but through.’ 30 sec-
Bertrand Poncet of Chunk! only boasts an infectious name itself will give you a (SNAKEFARM) onds later, the song has
No, Captain Chunk!, who riff, but it also sticks a great clue, the album title, 'Let's ‘Your story is far from switched over into dreamy
produced the album, caus- big smile on your face, Call It Rock ‘N' Roll' is a done,’ Ginger Wildheart harmonies, before a
tically adds septic metal vo- while the line ‘hard rock, strong hint and, if that's not sings in ‘Hurt People Hurt thrashing and tumultuous
cals over a heavy-duty soft rock, big party’ is a enough, songs like 'Pump People’, on The Wildhearts’ reprise of ‘You’d better call
breakdown. Royal Repub- clear-as-crystal indication It Up' and 'Dynamite' latest album, ‘Satanic Rites the police, you’d better call
lic fans will adore ‘Super- of what is to come. should. And, if you are still Of The Wildhearts’. It’s a the police’.
player’. It’s got an It's the harder rock unclear, then what about message for anyone listen- ‘Hurt People Hurt Peo-
entertaining funky strut that where The Darkness are at 'HCRNRSM', which, you ing that’s going through a ple’ is tender, heartbreak-
is captivating until its cli- their best on this record will soon come to under- tough time, but could also ing and inspiring, all in one.
mactic ending. With lyrics and ‘Walking Through Fire’ stand, stands for ‘Hard be a message to himself in It has the power to help a
inspired by sports, the continues the trend of their Core Rock ‘N’ Roll Sex Ma- the mirror. After battling lot of people with its hon-
song is packed with energy post-reunion albums all chine’. Whether you want through an extremely low esty and openness. ‘I’ll Be
and adrenaline. producing at least one to call it sleaze or party point in his life, which re- Your Monster’ has a real
‘Cut Loose, Somehow’ song which easily stands rock, this will put a smile sulted in no interest in writ- tribal vibe, voodoo rock ‘n’
has an almost conveyor amongst their finest work firmly on your face. ing any songs or working roll, with a stomping drum
belt-like, riveting beat. The and, for 'Dreams On Toast', Having said that, the on music, Ginger moved to beat that gets under your
tune is addictive, with a this is it. A brilliantly-cre- album starts in somewhat the countryside and, sud- skin, while album closer
break that lifts it higher be- ated slab of fun-filled rock generic fashion: 'The Boys denly, flashes of inspiration ‘Failure Is The Mother Of
fore almost spinning back ‘n’ roll showcasing all their are Back' and the title track popped into sight. ‘Satanic Success’ is an epic, 7
around and reverting back talents, with Justin are perfectly serviceable, Rites Of The Wildhearts’ is minute 46 second, multi-
to the original beat. And Hawkins' unmistakable vo- but, equally nothing overly a raw and real journey faceted, interstellar con-
then, ‘Désolé’ proves to be cals at the forefront. 'Mortal attention-grabbing. Al- through a gamut of emo- struction, straight from the
a true power ballad and Dread' continues this trend, though things take a step tions, which range from cosmos. It’s almost like
one of the star moments on while 'The Battle For Gad- up with 'American Way' hopelessness to hopeful- being at the theatre and
the album. With a soft intro get Land' and 'I Hate My- and 'Pump It Up', where an ness. Kicking off with getting to watch an award-
featuring Max’s vocals, he self' add that element of increased tempo makes a ‘Eventually’, Ginger re- winning play that’s been
is soon joined by Canadian Darknessy mayhem and world of difference, with the veals, ‘Eventually, it’s condensed from two hours,
singer JJ Wilde to create a creativity to the record, the vocals of Florian gonna break your heart. down into under 8 minutes.
male/female back-and- latter having the added Badetscher coming alive Eventually, it’s gonna tear The variety of sounds and
forth in the relationship-in- bonus of some excellent on these songs. Better still us apart’. The song is a emotions rotate like an ex-
spired song. You can feel brass work to give it that is 'I Wanna Live', where the conglomeration of thunder- peditious, transmuting
lighters in the air of an extra kick. guitar work of Florian and ous, psychotic riffs, rum- merry-go-round.
arena while listening to it, But it's the rest of the Severin Held rises to an- bling beats, and deathly, And that’s the sort of
and hearts aching. It’s a album which makes this a other level of foot stompi- caustic screams, before merry-go-round that we
truly beautiful song. true Darkness album. 'Cold ness and swagger and the morphing into a harmo- want to jump on.
If you haven’t checked Hearted Woman' is sure to main riff is, quite simply, a nious chorus, before an- YYYYY
Storm Orchestra out, then make your smile that little thing of beauty, and what other change of pace for a Shari Black Velvet
this album is a must. These wider on the first couple of should, in theory, be the in- slower, loungey instrumen-
ALBUMS