SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 20.04.18]
This is the sixth album from Swedish rockers Bullet and it really depends on your bag….if you’re into Accept-cloned, dandruff-shifting riff and roll, then “Dust To Gold” (and probably the other five) are for you. Not a huge amount of variety here – it’s the standard “riff, scream, solo, rinse and repeat” formula.
Some decent riffs in this collection thought it’s hard to see how Bullet rises above the commoditized crowd of manic Scandinavian metallers. Saxon and others have been doing this stuff for years but rose to prominence when there wasn’t an endless plethora of other bands doing the same thing and, therefore, the barrier to entry was arguably lower (plus Saxon wrote some damn fine songs).
Beer festivals are great but at the end of the day, it’s all beer – with minor variations on themes of flavour, brewing methods and alcohol content. If you love beer, you can spend the weekend at a festival and have a blast….drinking beer.
From several plays of “Dust To Gold”, I felt like I’d been dropped into a silo of….beer – everywhere I looked, I saw beer and nothing but beer which was okay because I like beer but after a while, the constant belches and hiccups start to grate.
We live in an on-demand world where we have access to everything, right now. What that means is that quality rises to the top and gets traction and unless something grabs you in the opening minute, you’re swiping on to the next one and you probably don’t swipe back.
Stacks of music comes across the desks of GRTR! Whether reviewers or fans, you’re always hoping for the hook, the lightening-in-a-bottle moment, like that crazy fan who just gets so overwhelmed with joy at a gig that they have to rise above the crowd on their mates shoulders – that moment didn’t get me on “Dust to Gold”, nothing to lift it above the crowd.
That said, if just being in the crowd and drinking beer is what gets you through the night and you still have a poster of Udo Dirkschneider on your bedroom wall – check out Bullet for some Scandi-screamy, if formulaic, riff-metal. ***
Review by Mark “Mad Dog” Shaw
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024
THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)
Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
