Simon Rushworth
It’s that time of the week again when we look at the very best in new rock and metal.
And this Sunday we focus on everything from classic rock to industrial metal and traditional hard rock.
Combichrist (pictured) return with their soundtrack to the new Devil May Cry game and UFO guitar hero Paul Raymond adds a touch of blues rock class.
Attica Rage and Your Army bring the noise while Cult Of Luna return to do battle with Man The Machetes.
Every week we focus on the RUSHONROCK RECORD OF THE WEEK.
And we bring you our unrivalled round-up of the BEST OF THE REST.
RUSHONROCK RECORD OF THE WEEK
Paul Raymond Project – Terms And Conditions Apply (Hear No Evil)
Genre: Classic Rock
Imagine an album that mixes Tom Petty with Elton John, Rod Stewart with Jon Bon Jovi and even throws in some (genuine) Michael Schenker for good measure?
Terms And Conditions Apply is that record. UFO’s Paul Raymond might be synonymous with hot and heavy riffs and luscious licks but it’s the vocals that are genuinely affecting here.
Emotion and enthusiasm are the primary traits underpinning a fantastic collection of classic rock gold with the Petty-esque End Of Life As We Know It and the Elton-meets-Queen pzazz of We Will Be Strong the stunning highlights.
Each new track places a fresh emphasis on the raw talent coursing through the very heart of Terms And Conditions Apply and it’s an album that demands instant devotion.
Schenker’s cameo on a surprisingly effective cover of Reach Out (I’ll Be There) is the icing on a cake smothered in the sweet sound of Raymond at his mercurial best. Simon Rushworth
RUSHONROCK RATED: 10/10 Terms Of Endearment
BEST OF THE REST
Attica Rage – 88mph (Off Yer Rocka)
Genre: Hard Rock/Metal
Scottish rockers, Attica Rage, bring their distinct biker rock and metal sound with the release of their new LP, 88mph , after two years of continuous touring. It’s a decent album but one that lacks imagination.
With its hard hitting, blues infused metal riffs and searing ballads, it is clear this album had potential. However, other than Long Ride Home and End Of An Era nothing stands out, leaving for a disappointing album that has offered nothing that rock fans haven’t heard a hundred times before.
The band’s hectic schedule over the last few years, including a number of headline slots at festivals such as High Voltage and Hard Rock Hell, may be one of the reasons for a such a disappointing album. Each track is founded on the basis of a good tune but the songwriting lacks the development needed to take the record to the next level. Adam Keys
RUSHONROCK RATED: 6/10 Misplaced Rage
Your Army – Ignite (Intono)
Genre: Alt Rock
Versatility without virtue: Brighton-based rockers Your Army kick off their debut album Ignite with a flurry of riffs and rapid drumming but it doesn’t get much better than that.
Without Regret opens up with a first minute that could be grabbed from any random Paramore song whilst the chorus for Dance sounds more like a pop hit rather than a rock riff.
In an attempt to show off their musical talent – which there is no lack of – the quartet seems to lose a bit of the unique style that got them signed in the first place. This is no more apparent than when Chase The World sneaks out of the speakers in a seemingly forced attempt to introduce a ballad-type song to their repertoire.
Lead vocalist Lucy Caffrey belts out the notes with great confidence and excels when she goes through the verses of Sleeping With Her. But Ignite is a botched attempt at making a great first impression with a wider public and the saying that “less is more” could never be more fitting. Nik Jakobsson
RUSHONROCK RATED: 6/10 Army Retreats
Cult Of Luna – Vertikal (Indie Recordings)
Genre: Post-rock
There are many post-rock, post-metal or post-whateveryouwanttocallit bands who think that long, drawn-out instrumentals, awash with delay effects and quiet/loud dynamics are all you need to fill a venue full of bearded head nodders. They should listen to Vertikal.
That’s because Swedes Cult Of Luna have once again crafted a majestic, brooding masterpiece of an album, an opus which demands patience from the listener, but rewards in myriad ways.
Taking inspiration from Fritz Lang’s 1920s sci-fi film Metropolis, Vertikal has a cold, almost-industrial underlayer – tracks like Synchronicity echo the clank of marching automatons, while the haunting Passing Through feels like a lament for a dying city.
While previous COL albums, such as Somewhere Along The Highway and Salvation have been rightly declared as classics, Vertikal sees the Umeå band reach even greater heights. A towering achievement. Richard Holmes
RUSHONROCK RATED: 9/10 A Cult Above
Man The Machetes – Idiokrati (Indie Recordings)
Genre: Hardcore
This Norwegian outfit’s spikey, high energy mix of hardcore and hard rock will inevitably draw comparisons with fellow countrymen Kvelertak, a band now set to conquer the world. Sadly the release of Idiokrati is unlikely to see Man The Machetes follow suit – the ten songs here simply aren’t quirky or original enough for that and at times they blend into one.
However, that’s not to say their debut album doesn’t bring something to the party. Tracks like explosive opener Sluk Det Rått suggest that MTM would be a fearsome live act, while Sudan and Deltidsidiot see the band bring some melodic subtlety to their punk-fuelled attack.
And there’s plenty of spirit on show here too, especially from vocalist Christopher Iverson, who must have been reaching for the Strepsils after the recording sessions.
Man The Machetes, then, have potential, but need to sharpen their songcraft if they’re ever going to be more than a support band. RH
RUSHONROCK RATED: 5.5/10 Chopping Away
Combichrist – No Redemption: Devil May Cry Soundtrack (Out Of Line)
Genre: Aggrotech
How many video games come and go without the music ever making a meaningful impression on those punching the buttons and blasting holes in faceless aliens?
When it comes to music, generic dirge is synonymous with the gaming industry. And Combichrist’s brave attempt to buck the trend fails miserably.
Associating themselves with the latest Devil May Cry title may be a commercial boon but it rapidly becomes evident it’s professional suicide.
The Norwegians know their way around an in-your-face industrial-tinged dance metal classic but No Redemption could barely be more aptly named. This desperate attempt at crossing boundaries evolves into car crash rock and contrived claptrap.
Combichrist are better than this and can be again. As long as they steer clear of second-rate soundtracks. SR
RUSHONROCK RATED: 4/10 Combi Boiler