Time Signature All the way...

Genre: hard rock

Sometimes you just want to kick back with some straight up good fun hard rock, and if you are in that mood the British rock 'n' rollers whose debut album ”Behind the Veil” is dedicated to all things hard rok.

There is plenty of good stuff on this album for fans of the likes of The Quireboys, Thunder, early Def Leppard, Guns 'n' Roses, early Bon Jovi, and Thin Lizzy. In other words, we are treated to a mixed back of tasty hard rock bonbons. Just check out the swinging drive of 'High' which also features some nice twin guitars, while 'All the Way' is a simple sexed up boogie rocker, and the ballady 'Time' has a slight alternative rock feel to it. 'Fallin'' is catchy and groovy, featuring a Bon Jovi-esque chorus and guitar figures that slightly remind me of Jagged Edge (although the latter are a much softer act). Another really attractive facet of 'Fallin'' is the use of twin-guitar leads in the bridge. 'So Wrong' is another catchy tune with a memorable chorus, while 'Here I Am' is a power ballad that takes s back to the early 90s - and, honestly, it's a track that does not appeal to me. The groovy track 'Say My Name' is more up my alley and reminds me of the days before I ventured into more extreme types of metal. 'The Queen' is heavier and has the grit of metal as well as the swag of hard rock and the appeal of melodic rock – this is a great track. 'Devil May Care' is another power ballad, but unlike 'Here I Am', this one really clicks with me, because it is darker and features some nice and simple bluesy guitar licks. The heaviness of 'Behind the Veil' remind me of AC/DC's 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' while the main riff makes me think of 'It's a Long Way to the Top (if you wanna Rock 'n' Roll)'. We also find references to AC/DC in 'Going Down' and 'You, Me, Tonight', while 'Slow Up, Get Down' has the funk of Skid Row's 'Monky Business', and 'Best Damn Everything' is heavy and groovy – and probably my favorite track of the album.

To me, this album spells great fun, and many of the tracks are uplifting and inspiring. Still, there is a certain darkness to it that I do not normally associate with this type of hard rock. This partially owes to the fat and gritty production; there really is a lot of bottom here to the extent that the bass and drums will punch you in the gut while the guitar riffs will make you want to rock out (perhaps with your cock out – that's up to you). It is not super original, but, still, the album is full of classic hard rock aesthetics which is in itself enjoyable. I see it as a celebration of hard rock.

In any case, fans of good old ballsy hard rock 'n' roll should definitely check out this album!

Kev Rowland When I was first playing this album in the car I was racking my brains to think how best to describe it, and the one band I kept coming up with was The Quireboys – but with more punch and vigour and not quite so sleazy (although it is still there). There are also elements of Thunder and possibly even Def Leppard, a real mish mash of good hard rock with balls and a feeling of down to earth goodness. So, when I actually got around to reading the biography I was pleasantly surprised to see that I might have got this one right, as they have been working with keyboard player Keith Weir (The Quireboys/Def Leppard). But, this album is first and foremost about twin guitars, bravado, great tunes and vocals. This is music from the heart that doesn’t pander to any particular fashion but instead concentrates on strong songwriting and songs with anthemic choruses and hooks aplenty.

There is a grittiness and reality that is often missing from music, and the strong knowledge that these guys are living it and will do whatever they can to take right to the top. This is a debut album, by an unknown band, yet it has been funded in part by fans through PledgeMusic.com, with 100% of the monetary target being reached well ahead of schedule. People who wanted to get involved and have the opportunity to get their hands on an advance copy along with exclusive updates, downloads, videos & one of kind experiences had the opportunity to pre-order or make a “pledge” on the album which shows just what an impact these guys have already made. They are building a reputation on the live circuit, and on the basis of this album I ca see why. This is one of the finest hard rock debuts from a group of unknowns that I’ve come across for some time and is highly recommended to anyone who likes that style. www.theburningcrows.com