- Genre: 'Rock'
- Release Date: '9th September 2022'
Our Rating:
Nightblade’s ‘Hope To Be There’ is, as their blurbage notes, ‘their third album in an incredible three years’. No question, it represents some serious output, and is an indication of a band on a creative roll.
They refer to their ‘an unprecedented trilogy of albums’, and it’s fair enough comment, but personally, I will always point to The Cure’s run of ’17 Seconds’, ‘Faith, and ‘Pornography’ in consecutive years as the pinnacle of achievement there.
‘Erratic’ opens with a brooding, horror-influenced intro before breaking into all the fret action. I don’t know why I was surprised by the subsequent direction, namely of chunky rock riffs and a barrage of pretty standard rock.
The vibe from this bunch off seasoned musicians is largely 80s heavy metal, predominantly cleanly-produced longhair rock/metal – which is perhaps the obvious product of a band whose members are big fans of both Iron Maiden and The Strangers, with an appreciation of Metallica and Pearl Jam, and with its gothy/folk spin the end product is as much The Rose of Avalanche and mid-80s alternative rock as it is likely preferred reference points. The baritone vocals are a significant factor, here, but then, there’s that thudding four-four on the beat bass groove and some spindly, spidery lead guitar work too, and credit where it’s due, they work it nicely.