Sylo-mentality

I first came across Sylosis when they released their excellent ‘Conclusion Of An Age’ opus on the mighty Nuclear Blast label back in 2008. Around that time, it was starting to be reported that the British thrash scene – which, in my opinion, has always been a stop-start-stop-start sort of thing as bands on this side of the pond always have played catch up with, and been poorer cousins of, our trans-Atlantic brethren – was starting to make a comeback.
I remained to be convinced: grindcore and screamo seemed to be more the Brittanic take on the genre, but there was one thing that was certain – ‘Conclusion...’ was a damn fine album and one that continued to find its way into my CD player for a while to come.
Well, now the new look quartet have released the follow up, ‘ Edge Of The Earth’ – another damn fine slice of apocalyptic sci-fi thrash, although one, at least from the cover art and concept, seems to take a more primordial (sic) approach to the genre.
The doomy intro of ‘Procession’ soon sets the scene for what is to come: 14 slices of the best thrash you definitely are going to hear this year, if not in this decade so far. Vocalist Josh Middleton – taking over from the now departed Jamie Graham with great aplomb - growls and snarls through sets of suitably mythological storylines, while his guitar work interplays well with that of Alex Bailey (who also contributes some neat piano touches to some of the more low key moments, such as the ending of the epic double-track ‘Empyreal’), while the rhythm section of Carl Parnell and Rob Callard are as accomplished as any you will hear in the genre.
I am still to be convinced that British thrash ever will reach the status of, particularly, its West Coast progenitors, but on the evidence of this album, coupled with the re-emergence of Onslaught and the pending release of a new Primordial, erm, onslaught, (plus the efforts of relative newcomers such as Malefice) I would say the flag of the British Isles nevertheless can fly high and proud in early 2011.

Coverdale ‘snakes his way into ‘Forevermore’

There is absolutely no doubt that David Coverdale is one of the finest voices in the past four decades of heavy rock ‘n’ roll, standing up there alongside the likes of Robert Plant, Ian Gillan and Paul Rodgers as one of the definers of the sound in the 70s and 80s. Then, unlike the aforesaid – at least in my opinion – he seemed to lose his way in what has come to be defined the ‘poodle’ generation, with the Yorkshireman selling out to the LA-dominated big hair scene of the latter half of the 80s, early 90s

To be honest, I lost interest in Whitesnake when ‘Slip Of The Tongue’ came out. The band to whom I had creamed my jeans when I opened ‘Live.. In The Heart Of The City’ as a snattery 14-year old way back on Christmas morning of 1980 had become, within a decade, an irrelevance. The West Coast bands whom my one-time hero seemed to be attempting to emulate (when he should have been teaching them how to do it) were doing it all much better.

So, roll the clock forward some two-and-a-bit decades, and through my letterbox (well, actually delivered by UPS after a polite batter on the door of PC towers, as 12” vinyl doesn’t fit through my CD-sized delivery mechanism) pops possibly the most eagerly anticipated release of the year to date – ‘Forevermore’, courtesy of Italian-based Frontiers Records and Mr Coverdale and his current band of troubadours.

Well? Does it live up to the hype? Or am I going to continue to batter my copies of classics such as ‘Ready N Willing’ into submission?

The answer is WHAT THE FUCK? The opening riff of ‘Steal Your Heart Away’ snakes from my speakers like a cobra, entwining and embracing with all the love and embrace of the Marsden/Moody days, with today’s twin guitar attack of Doug Aldridge and Reb Beach easily bringing the sound of that mighty brotherhood smack into the 21st century. This is classic Whitesnake blues-based hard rock riffola, combined with Coverdale’s typically straight to the point, innuendo laden lyricism: “I want it all and I want it now” he doesn’t quite scream, but the emotion and the intent definitely are there, even if the vocals aren’t as quite as high pitched.

The rhythm section of Michael Devin and Briian (yes, that’s the way it’s spelt on the sleeve) Tichy are as tight and workmanlike as you would expect from a Whitesnake duo, giving Aldridge and Beach free rein to work their magic around Coverdale’s still majestic vocal delivery. OK, there are a few weak links - ‘Easier Said Than Done’, which closes side one is not quite as powerful a power ballad as one would expect – but there is more than enough here, in the likes of ‘Tell Me How’, ‘Love And Treat Me Right’, 'Dogs In The Street', ‘Fare The Well’, ‘My Evil Ways’ and the epic title track to welcome back hardened old fans such as myself back into the fold, as well as hopefully open the ears of a new generation to one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

· ‘Forevermore’ is available now on import from Frontiers Records – www.frontiers.it. It is released as a Classic Rock Magazine Collectors’ Edition on Friday (25 March), ahead of its proper UK release on 11 April.