After an infamous 25-year career everybody knew exactly what to expect of the debut solo release from the Backyard Babies and Michael Monroe guitarist, right? Well, not necessarily. Dregen is charged with all his typical spiky-topped attitude, but here there’s something a bit different.
Big Hearse and Refuse offer both maturity and a rich sense of variety. But best of all is the slightly evil, funk-laden blues of Flat Tyre On A Muddy Road – a tribute to Dregen’s late manager, Michael Sundén, littered with Satan and Lucifer references. The presence of several guests including Dregen’s Hellacopters co-founder Nicke Andersson on drums could have fostered predictability, but it doesn’t.
For those who anticipate or crave something disposable but fun then look no further the Kiss/Rolling Stones-flavoured One Man Army, but there’s more going on besides. Much, much more.
