INGLORIOUS -WE WILL RIDE

INGLORIOUS – We Will Ride

 

This is Inglorious’s fourth album recorded with new members guitarists Danny Dela Cruz and Dan Stevens and bassist Vinnie Colla, original members vocalist Nathan James and drummer Phil Beaver and the first with a producer. It sounds fresh and vibrant and is instantly impressive. There’s a beefiness and old school superbness, particularly in the vocal department in which, of course, they have always been strong. Assisted with modern production the album leaps out of the speakers to grab you by the throat, impossible to ignore.

 

First single ‘She Won’t Let You Go’ opens the album with a nice strong riff, but it’s when the vocals kick in and you can hear the virtuoso ability of Nathan James in every line that it is elevated above the common herd. Plenty of 80s style guitar solos keep this band firmly in the classic rock genre, no sin in my book.

 

‘Messiah’, is definitely a song with post 80s influences, particularly in its back end, but vocal melodies and strong riffs keep it straddling genres and diverse palates. ‘Medusa’ reminds of something Glenn Hughes might do with the Dead Daisies with a slightly funky baseline and great vocal range while not straying out of classic territory.  ‘Eye of The Storm’ has ballad like verses, but also has more upbeat rockin choruses belying the emotionally sad lyrics. ‘Cruel Intentions’ has the epic feel of a Dio song without the outdated dragon and wizard lyrics. There’s a post 90s sensibility of a tortured soul, but the vocals are emotive and compelling enough to attract the denim and leather squad. ‘My Misery’ is another introspective brooding topic, but the sheer sublimeness of the vocal is uplifting enough to transcend the slightly depressing subject. Dark aesthetics without the humour sometimes present in old black blues is, of course, a modern trademark. A party song it might not be, but the heights scaled by the vocals can still inspire the heart and soul.

 

‘Do You Like It’ is a confrontational defiant song with the kind of 80s solos combines with a funky back end of which Kings X or a latter day George Lynch would be proud. ‘He Will Provide’ features strong guitar and shows the strength of the new six string firepower in the band. Closing songs ‘We Will Meet Again’, ‘God Of War’ and ‘We Will Ride’ are more crowd orientated banner furling songs you could imagine going down well live.

 

You could imagine someone hearing a track from this album in a bar and stopping their conversation and asking ‘what band is this?’ For that reason alone and their ability to stick out in a crowded marketplace a foot or so above other bands competing in the same sector the future still seems bright for this band.

 

Dawn Osborne