Chrome Molly’s last album was 22 years ago, and I’ll wager their sound hasn’t changed in these two decades. Once hailed as the next Def Leppard, they never made it further than an opening act.
They’ll likely tell you they didn’t get the breaks, but the truth is that they didn’t have the spark, that flash of energy, wit or even raw anger that might have taken them higher.
On Gunpowder Diplomacy they have some well‐constructed lyrics but you only know that because they’re printed in the booklet. Singer Steve Hawkins attacks every tune at a full stretch with an incoherent metal shout and a few Plant mannerisms; only he doesn’t have Plant’s pipes. John Antcliffe is a competent guitarist but he sticks to the predictable clichés.
On the track All In My Mind, however, they do ease up enough for us to hear a suggestion they might do something innovative and listenable if they’d only relax.
