BraveWords Records [Release date : 19.07.24]
The music here serves as a fully realised reminder of the gifts that vocalist Paul Di’Anno has displayed numerous times, originally with Iron Maiden, and then anything he’s been involved with since.
Despite (or because of) his considerable health problems, Di’Anno decamped to Croatia a few years ago.
In Warhorse, he’s teamed up with a couple of immensely talented Croatian musicians in Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante Pupacic Pupi, and together they have written and recorded some of the best stuff of Di’Anno’s career.
His ability to write and sing new material is clearly in decent shape. As a result, this Warhorse album is everything we hoped it would be.
There’s no attempt to expand on a world that works best on the simplest of terms, but there’s talent and skill and emotion on display in abundance.
There’s a trio of tracks at the centre of the album around which the others spin.
Madiraca’s and Pupi’s busy, melodically inclined axework and the rhythm section’s marching meter perfectly suit ‘Stop The War’s sentiments. And while lyrically it doesn’t bring anything new to the table, it’s sung with conviction and sincerity, and maybe that’s enough.
Di’Anno is no opera singer, and so his voice, a rough and raspy roar, cleverly undercuts the skillfully arranged strings and piano intro to ‘Here Comes The Night’.
It’s no exaggeration to say this is a beautifully choreographed slice of heavy metal. Yes, it’s tough and forbidding in places, but it shines like a torch in the darkness.
‘The Doubt Within’ at last slows the pace. Letting us get our breath back.
Opener, and title track, ‘Warhorse’… an, er… galloping heavy metal steed of steel, has a bit of call and response going, but it’s probably most notable for deploying the tunefully aggressive axework that becomes a familiar feature as we work through the album.
Amongst others, covers of the Champs’ 1958 Latin RnB instrumental, ‘Tequila’ and the Depeche Mode song ‘Precious’, full of interesting and serious minded observations, standout.
Good to see him back. ***1/2
Review by Brian McGowan
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024
In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections
Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)
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