Hmm. Well I do like a bit of hard rock with my metal now and then, just to keep things spiced up, so I was happy to get this debut from London based rockers Hornet to round out a pretty intense metal month. My reward is a nice dirty guitar sound to begin with in the title track. It’s a mid-paced bit of riff wrangling with neat chorus but, have to say that the gruff, almost spoken vocals do little for me; an almost monotone growl really seems at odds with the hard rockv style. Ah well, give em time I say and at least the backing vocals have more colour. A bit of AC/DC crosses into the sound on ‘Down To The Bone’, a bit more bluesy on the nice guitar breaks but otherwise pretty similar: OK rock/metal with that niggle on the vocals.
That’s kind of how it goes though and here’s the point: This style can happily survive on the usually fairly basic, tried and tested for decades verse an’ chorus stuff because it’s damned fun. It ropes in cool low slung catchy riffs and highly melodic lead breaks all of which Hornet have lined up on cue, but you also need melodic colour in the verse and with this monotone growl you’re kind of stripping out half the hooks for an almost forced ‘punk’ aspect. When they use some really rather cool, slightly snotty melodic vocals on ‘Under Pressure’, for example, suddenly the guitar sparkles with new colour too and the neck starts going and we’re off rocking. The really odd thing is I’m sure the lead vocalist contributes to these too which begs the question what’s with the other style? Bands like Midnight with their far heavier style and utterly filthy black tar can work it to perfection but it’s er.. hard for hard rock. Listen how Airbourne round it out with the shouted back up vocals which often carry the hook by adding range to the sound of the voices and maybe you’ll see what I mean.
‘Bite Down’ is sailing close to those Airbourne guys and scampers nicely and for once the words being spat out quick and sharp work better. ‘I’m Gonna Be The Man’ has a classic metal opening, great style and the backing vocals really help its souped up speed too and it is actually really cool and catchy to boot. Something that is taken nicely into ‘Drive On’ too. There’s energy here, no doubt, and enough hints on songs like ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Riot’ that the lead and backing vocals working together is something the band are looking at. And the very different, much more moody and really rather fine closing song ‘Storm The Gates’ is an interesting direction, kind of Airborne meets 3 Inches Of Blood in a classic metal style! And yeah, everything works on it too; lead and backing vocals come together, riffs have a fine feel that evokes fine 80s metal and sharp lead hooks and a moody atmosphere add an icing to it all.
In the end though I end up with too many reservations to fully recommend this. At times excellent, at others OK with a stifled aspect. But the other thing to remember is this is a debut so anything could happen from here on in and all niggling teething troubles can be sorted as the stand out tracks on here prove. The main thing is that the foundation, the song-writing, is solid anyway so they can build on everything here. So yeah, talent and promise and, even better, hints at a band with a slightly quirky take on things. If they’re playing near you check ’em out, see what you reckon, or visit their soundcloud page and pay particular attention to that closing song and ‘I’m Gonna Be The Man’, because they just might be.
Sorry I can’t be more generous but, at the moment…
(5/10 Gizmo)
https://www.facebook.com/hornetrock
http://www.soundcloud.com/officialhornet/skiesarefalling
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