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Named after a character from Twin Peaks, members of Enslaved, Gorgoroth and Deride formed Audrey Horne in 2002, releasing an award-winning debut that featured the sort of hyper-polished, AOR-style hard rock that was cutting edge back when AC/DC still scared people and your dad drank his first beer. While the band’s debut, No Hay Banda, conjured a fresh blend of post-grunge and 90s goth rock, subsequent releases have showcased an unapologetic nostalgia trip back to the powerful Euro-metal riffing of the late 70s and 80s. Tracks like opener This Is War and Light Your Way burst with tasty hooks and hummable, lighter-raising melodies, while sugary fare such as California taps into the mainstream aspirations of early-80s Thin Lizzy. It’s clear that the musicians are enjoying the ever-loving hell out of themselves but you’d be hard-pressed to remember any of these tracks an hour after hearing them.

Hailing from San Diego, California, Joe Daly is an award-winning music journalist with over thirty years experience. Since 2010, Joe has been a regular contributor for Metal Hammer, penning cover features, news stories, album reviews and other content. Joe also writes for Classic Rock, Bass Player, Men’s Health and Outburn magazines. He has served as Music Editor for several online outlets and he has been a contributor for SPIN, the BBC and a frequent guest on several podcasts. When he’s not serenading his neighbours with black metal, Joe enjoys playing hockey, beating on his bass and fawning over his dogs.