Last week’s winners were Dirty Thrills, followed by Steven Wilson in second place and Nothing More close behind in third. Congratulations and celebrations all round. But who’s your prize stallion of rock going to be this week? We’ve got a beautiful stable of noble rock’n’roll steeds on offer, so take them out for a test ride (with your headphones) and select your favourite (by voting at the foot of this page). Enjoy.
But first, let’s have another listen to last week’s winners:
The Cadillac Three – Legacy
Let’s start off with some sweet acoustic countrified vibes from Nashville, Tennessee. The laid-back title track from TC3’s upcoming new album comes with photo clips of the band through the ages; girlfriends, marriages, moms an’ all. Pretty, heart-warming stuff.
HVVM – Going Postal
Suave, “apocalyptic blues” that manages to be both raw and gothic and supremely groovy. Yes they’re basically drawing from the same well as Royal Blood, QOTSA etcetera etcetera, but in a genuinely fresh, zingy way – crammed with their own appealingly dark personality. Ones to watch.
Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors – Smarter
The excellent Ryan Hamilton returns with more pensive, roots-infused pop rock. Smart, sun-kissed and super sparky (mingled with lyrical melancholia), this is pure catnip for anyone who’s fond of Ginger Wildheart or Chris Catalyst, and also fancies a trip to the country. Lush.
The Judge – Empty Halls
Merging hints of early Black Sabbath with a load of bluesy 70s psychedelia, Illinois foursome The Judge get a lot right here. It’s telling that they’ve also been listening to the likes of Graveyard and Kadavar, but that’s no bad thing; on the contrary, it’s the perfect influence for their slow-burning but hooky blues rock.
Wayward Sons – Alive
Frontman Toby Jepson first became known for his work with Little Angels, as well as production credits with The Answer, Virginmarys and others. Now he’s leading hard rockers Wayward Sons, who come bearing this shot of gutsy, straight-up heaviness.
Diablo Blvd – Sing From The Gallows
There’s a commanding hint of Shinedown’s own He-Man Brent Smith in DB vocalist (and stand-up comedian) Alex Agnew, which works extremely well in this moody, politically-charged fist-pumper. Watch out for the hard rock Belgians’ new album, Zero Hour, in September.
General Lee – Opium Hill
Southern hillbilly rock from Singapore, you say? Well, alright then. Clearly it’s not just hirsute Nashvillians who can make this sort of jaunty, rootsy noise, and do it rather well. Just ignore the dodgy lip-syncing in the video…
Accept – The Rise Of Chaos
Maybe you’re pumped for the weekend and flying high. Or maybe you’ve had a terrible week and just want to crawl into a bottle/box-set/heap of fried chicken. Either way, you need this new one from Accept. Crunchy of riff, fast of pace and lovably ragey, it’ll turbocharge your happiness and convert your woes into livid energy. And who doesn’t want that?
