Simon RushworthThose Damn Crows – Point Of No Return (Earache)
Is there more to this record’s rather foreboding title than meets the eye?
If everything suddenly goes tits up for Those Damn Crows on the back of their new long player will that be the end?
Worse still, have the riotous Welshmen already reached The Point Of No Return?
For the sake of balls-to-the-wall rock and roll, let’s hope not.
This feisty release surely represents the end of the beginning, rather than the beginning of the end for the bullish Bridgend five-piece.
And anyone lucky enough to experience TDC in full flow on this month’s UK headline tour will gain a sure sense that the future’s brilliantly bright.
Point Of No Return is a punchy, unapologetic shot in the arm for fans desperately seeking the next generation of headline makers and bona fide heroes.
It’s cocksure, confident and classy.
Moments of biting clarity are mixed with blasts of immersive melody as TDC slowly reveal previously unheard layers of creativity.
Frontman Shane Greenhall fuses Eddie Vedder, Myles Kennedy and Brent Smith to forge a familiar tone that never disappoints.
And twin axe attack Ian ‘Shiner’ Thomas and David Winchurch scorch their respective fretboards with an urgency lacking in so many of today’s lame six-string wannabes.
Opener Who Did It kicks things off in dashing fashion.
But Greenhall is equally comfortable slowing things down on the thought-provoking power ballad Never Win.
The Black Stone Cherry-esque Send The Reaper is another massive US radio hit in waiting.
And Long Time Dead is one of the most assured anthems you’ll hear all year.
Lyrically astute and sonically ambitious, TDC have followed up debut Murder And The Motive in fine style.
Point Of No Return? More like Point Of Reference for British rock’s next generation.
