top of page
Hard Rock
Exciter
New Release
Elegant Weapons
Evolution
Reviewed in issue:
115
Release Date:
24 Apr 2026
Reviewed by:
🟣 Duncan Jamieson
For Fans Of
Judas Priest
Dio
Black Sabbath
Top three tracks
• Holy Roller
• Wolves
• Thrown To The Wolves
Fireworks Verdict:
"...this is ultimately a terrific lean, mean Hard Rock album..."
THE REVIEW
Words Of Wisdom!
Guitar slinger Richie Faulkner returns with the second album from this all-star line-up. If you are looking for music that straddles the divide between old-school Hard Rock and modern Metal muscle, then seek this out. Faulkner plays stonking riffs, always heavy, as on ‘Evil Eyes’ or the doomier ‘Generation Me’, but sometimes bluesy as on ‘Thrown To The Wolves’, a song that makes you instinctively throw the devil horns whenever it comes on, or ‘Holy Roller’, where you half expect Jimi Hendrix to start singing after the intro.
Faulkner’s solos are fired off with vim and vigour, a touch of widdle here and a touch of melody there. On the instrumental ‘Rupture’ he is able to express his feelings for his health scare (his aorta ruptured, which could have been fatal) in a way that words can’t. Behind him, there’s a monster groove created by Dave Rimmer (Uriah Heep) and Christopher Williams (Accept), who often like to up the tempo mid-song, which brings a real energetic dynamic to the disc.
"...a song that makes you instinctively throw the devil horns ..."
This is all helped by Andy Sneap’s production. Of course, Faulkner and Sneap work together in Judas Priest, and Sneap brings the same power he lends to those records here. The guitars crackle out of the speakers like thunder and lightning.
Over the top you have the strident vocals of Ronnie Romero. The Chilean is a busy man these days, featuring on many records. While this is a testament to his voice, it risks oversaturation, and could rob the project of originality. On balance though, this doesn’t happen. Romero matches the power of the guitars, showing off his technical ability to add fire to these songs.
Sneap and Faulkner were keen to really push Romero’s vocals on this record, producing them more actively than the debut. On the debut, he came in when the songs were already done, but this time he was there for the whole process, so you feel he is more embedded in the band’s sound. While Romero’s prowess is there for all to hear, personally I don’t feel he always inhabits the lyrics. ‘Mercy’, for example, is a great ball bursting tune, but doesn’t fully convey the emotion in the lyrics.
"Over the top you have the strident vocals of Ronnie Romero."
Nevertheless, this is ultimately a terrific lean, mean Hard Rock album with a good flow and variety that purrs like a revved-up Ferrari.
Reviewer:
🟣 Duncan Jamieson
Let Us Know The Score!
0
0
0
0
bottom of page