Mind Noise Network
Black Star Riders -
The Killer Instinct
by James Salt - 24 March 2015
Thin Lizzy...need I say anymore? If they aren't one of the reasons you're listening to rock 'n' roll in the first place then they're probably one of the biggest influences of the bands that grace your speakers on a daily basis. They are a major contributing factor and pioneer of this genre, and the loss of Phil Lynott cannot be overshadowed. A charismatic and energetic frontman of the first degree, often regarded as a dying breed in the modern day music scene - they are few and far between.
Well nowadays Thin Lizzy have a new guise and lineup. Black Star Riders probably need no introduction, touring as Thin Lizzy up until December 2012 they decided they would rather embrace new material into their already stellar catalogue of classics, hence the name change out of respect to Lynott & Co. After releasing the brilliant All Hell Breaks Loose in 2013 the band have a new LP in the form of 'The Killer Instinct', and let's just say if you enjoyed the former, there's plenty to look forward to on this release.
Opening with the title track, it's straight out the blocks with the trademark sound of Scott Gorham and Damon Johnson's guitars, complimenting each other perfectly as usual. Possessing one of the finest voices in rock today, Ricky Warwick is on top form here and sometimes you'd be fooled into thinking that it's still The Wild One himself singing. If anything, he's the perfect replacement. Second track "Bullet Blues" follows in a similar vein with a little more urgency. It's plain to see early on that BSR are beginning to weave their own path on this long and winding journey they've set themselves on, not willing to just be recognised a somewhat 'rekindled' Thin Lizzy.
"Finest Hour" is a real spectacle, echoing sentiments of Bruce Springsteen as well as a few glitters of glam here and there. The albums real stadium anthem. They return to familiar territory with "Soldierstown" owing just a few nods here and there to the classic Black Rose. That still doesn't make it anything less than fantastic; Warwick's vocal performance on this track is nothing short of phenomenal. "Blindsided" is the album's love struck power ballad, showcasing possibly the most exquisite fretwork by Gorham and Johnson under the BSR getup.
Adding yet another colour to the group's pallet is the southern-tinged "Sex, Guns & Gasoline" - instantly sounding like something lifted from a Black Stone Cherry or Lynyrd Skynyrd recording. A refreshing and very welcome addition to the BSR repertoire and it fits perfectly onto The Killer Instinct. Bringing the album to a close is "You Little Liar", featuring one of the heaviest riffs the band have written to date. A real angsty number and an honourable mention goes to the excellent bass and drum work by Robbie Crane and Jimmy DeGrasso respectively, which is note perfect throughout the album but none more so than on this 7minute epic that switches tempo effortlessly. I've yet to hear a more suitable final track on a record this year.
What surprised me the most about Black Star Riders' "The Killer Instict" is how a band soaked in so much history, with all their classic vibes, can still remain so fresh and relevant in 2015. They feel a lot more revitalised and mature since All
Hell Breaks Loose, which could have been released under the Lizzy name without anybody really noticing the difference. "The Killer Instinct" is the true beginning of the BSR journey as a 'new' band as they strive to keep classic rock alive as well as injecting it with a whole new dose of adrenaline. The album is undoubtedly one of the early front runners for album of the year, and if you consider yourself a fan of rock 'n' roll, you'd be a fool not to pick this up. Mr Lynott would absolutely give this the seal of his approval.
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1/20
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