"A rugged sense of musicality that doesn’t skimp on texture": Gorilla Riot make the right noises but ultimately fall short on second album Stardust

Southern-fried blues by way of Manchester, in need of more stardust

Gorilla Riot: Salvation cover art
(Image: © TMR Rock)

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Gorilla Riot have tweaked their sound in recent years, swapping straight-ahead hard rock for “dirty blues”, as they’ve called it.

The Mancunians bring a rugged sense of musicality that doesn’t skimp on texture, and Salvation jumps two-footed into their southern-fried pursuits. Blush swaggers along nicely like an AC/DC-Lynyrd Skynyrd hybrid, and frontman Arjun Bhishma flexes his sonorous vocals on the serene Slaver’s Song.

Gorilla Riot Molotov Sister (Official Music Video) - YouTube Gorilla Riot Molotov Sister (Official Music Video) - YouTube
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But while there’s nothing wrong with this rootsy, retro style, once you’ve heard a couple of these comfortably mid-tempo songs you’ve effectively heard them all.

The album does a good job of capturing a distinct style, but more ingenuity (and more riot?) could have shaken things up.

Chris Lord

Copywriter, music journalist and drummer. Once fist bumped James Hetfield. Words for The Guardian, Gear4Music, Metro, Exposed Mag.