Debut album from this Glasgow rock band and you have to say that....well....it rocks!! For a band playing a straight-down-the-line brand of gritty urban heavy rock, it's catchy, rockin', varied, melodic and as an album, holds together and builds to an impressive finale. Things open up with the title track as the band announce their presence with a slice of riff-roaring rock complete with anguished vocals, solid guitars and driving beats, kept simple but as a hard-rockin' intro, a perfect opening statement. From there it's into the equal adrenaline rush of “1234 OK Let's Go”, as a solid slice of story-telling songwriting is unleashed with a bang as the two guitarists riff, duel and break out over another sea of propulsive rhythms, solid lead vocals, soaring express-train harmonies in the chorus and a red-hot rocker of a track. “Breaking Out” is the tale of working “for the man” and the release of not doing it as the band erupt into another driving metal gem, propelled by solid pounding drum work over the pummelling bass, the ever present solid depth of guitar riffing and some shining lead work, all topped off with those gritty, impassioned lead vocals that suit the proceedings to a tee.
“Perfect Whore” initially starts with lurching rhythms and soaring jangly lead guitar as a more brooding vocal ushers in ringing twin leads as the rhythm section stumbles forward but just as you think it's sounding a bit “lumpy”, they up the anti and set the controls firmly onto hot rockin territory as the song begins to climb but never really loses that lurching beat and, while the vocals do sound a bit “dry”, almost uneasy in the verses, the choruses are rousing and the guitars still shine over that tumbling sea of rhythm. “I Know” briefly calms things down with an acoustic intro as the bass moves upfront and the lead vocal croons but then the band explode and the song bursts into life as the singer and associated harmonies raise the game above fast, tumbling rhythms, riffing guitars and the roar of the band in flight, only then to drop back to another verse, a dynamic that actually does work as the choruses tower above the verses to great effect. Overall, it's a song that improves with every play as the hook weaves its way inside your head and when the band launch into that incendiary guitar break, it's the icing on a cake that, overall, produces the results.
“Fine With Life” is the catchiest rocker on the track so far as a slice of almost Faces-gone-metal-esque proportions erupts into life with driving rhythms, shouted vocals full of emotion, dirty riffing guitars and a song that just rolls out of sight, all deliver a seriously hot and sweaty slice of roaring rock that you'll want to play over and over, another scorching guitar break adding fuel to the fire. “Syndicate” ignites from the off and more hot rockin' ensues with the bass strongly to the fore and the guitars blasting out the riffs as the vocals, lead and multi-tracked, roar into life and the band as a whole provide another slice of straight-ahead, no-frills hard rock 'n' roll. “Avalon” is a respite – still a great track but the part of the alum where the song takes over from the rock and, although still powerful, is more “AOR” than “metal”. That said, the vocal performance is anguished, full of feeling, while the band still flare and drive, but there's a greater feeling of restraint to this one and, you have to say, perfectly placed in the context of the album's songs so far. “Gigilo” veritably bounces into life as a sleazy slice of lyrical work delivers an equally strong slice of sleaze-rock that provides a sea of solid bouncing beats, a football stadium chorus, organ undercurrents and searing heat electric guitar work, the vocals solid, gritty and as sleazy as the song demands, the whole thing surging ahead like a whirlwind, almost pure Classic Rock and the sort of thing that would have any crowd of heavy rockers, on their feet and leaping about, as the guitar breaks blast into the night sky and the band erupt with confidence.
“I Pure Love Vampires” is the penultimate track on the album and, arguably, the best so far as the band almost steal the riff from “Enter Sandman” and come up with a mix of brooding metal and kick-ass hard rock that just ignites and, at the choruses, the comparisons with the aforementioned track are undeniable, but they make it their own and you have to say that it's just a stunning track and the best rockin' way to end an album.
The real end of the album is saved for “Life Moves On” as they decide to finish things with a track that's mostly acoustic, features a strong lyric, equally strong lead and harmony vocals, sails along on rivers of acoustic guitar and bass and is just a charming way to end the album. Overall, enjoyable, it rocks, it stays with you and you'll want to play it again – you can't argue with that, really.