After losing gobby frontman Justin Hawkins, former The Darkness members have picked themselves up and re-applied their hairspray and produced their debut album as Stone Gods. With hard rock pioneers Megadeath still churning out albums and relative newcomers Dragonforce building up a fan base of young and old alike, there is obviously still a gap in the market for big hair and spandex. With support dates booked on Thin Lizzy’s tour you wonder if they will be relegated to these kinds of support slots, or worse swallowed up by the cover band scene.
Hawkins is certainly not missed, as former bassist Richie Edwards steps into his place with the strained vocals of a Sebastian Bach and though less catchy, the songs certainly have more credibility.
Opener ‘Burn The Witch’ kicks off proceedings nicely, it is a fun, thrashy tune full of energy. They take the AC/DC approach to lyric writing, with gems like “the flames are going to lick around your wizard’s sleeve”. ‘Don’t Drink The Water’ keeps the pace well, with blast beats a plenty and the tongue in cheek solo half way through that sounds like a samba instrumental on a Casio keyboard.
‘Knife To A Gunfight’ has a sleazy pool hall vibe and is not the witty take on public affairs you might think, as the chorus “you brought a knife to a gunfight…so fuck you” reveals. These tracks can’t be taken too seriously but show how the band has grown out of the self parody of The Darkness. ‘Magdelaine Street’ is clearly a highlight, showing they are capable of more than puns and aping their idols. The hushed backing vocals and jangly rhythm frame a beautiful guitar solo half way through. They tread the line between indie and rock well here and provide one of the most memorable moments on the album.
The halfway point sees the obvious ballad in ‘Lazy Bones’, but there have certainly been less original attempts. It is on the cheesy side, but is a well crafted song that shows the band to be technical musicians.
‘Wasting Time’ and new single ‘Knight Of The Living Dead’ end the album in great style and showcase Edward’s voice effectively. Particularly in the aforementioned, where his grizzly tones bring the soul to a song which shows they have a serious side.
The album is over the top and nonsensical at times, but every song has a place and it feels like a product of love more than trading on their celebrity. Overall it isn’t the most current album you will hear all year, but if you like your rock catchy and flashy there is much to enjoy here.
