Simon RushworthMassive – Destination Somewhere (Earache)
Genre: Classic Rock
As soon as Brendan Forward launches into the first of many soaring and memorable riffs on the most rock and roll of openers – One For The Road – it’s clear Massive are bullishly immune to so-called ‘second album syndrome’.
In fact the pure ferocity with which the Aussie quartet launch into the follow-up to Full Throttle is proof that this is a band that’s been kicking its heels for far too long. And the punky, punchy Blood Money Blues offers further evidence, it was needed, that Airborne aren’t the only Antipodean upstarts likely to fill the AC/DC void.
Frontman Brad Marr might be knee high to a Marshall stack but he belts out every word with the power of Superman and Batman combined. In fact his is a voice made for the next Marvel soundtrack: at times blues soaked and brooding and times high pitched and screaming like his life depends on it.
Marr and Forward might just be the new Johnson and Young but the latter has a little more in his armoury than Angus – check out the solo on Sinking Ship! Massive’s guitar hero might be accused of overplaying his hand but there’s no denying the bloke has balls of steel and strings of fire.
When Massive played their first live show in the UK, RUSHONROCK was there to capture the groove-laden retro rock and rollers in all of their glory. Destination Somewhere is a decisive move forward – suddenly Rival Sons’ label mates sound like their final stop is superstardom.
RUSHONROCK RATED: 9/10 Next Big Thing