Tax The Heat: Fed To The Lions

All killer, no filler: outstanding debut from the Bristolians.

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Brash, bold and brassy with strut, swagger and swing, it’s little wonder some of the industry’s big hitters have staked their chips on this exciting quartet.

Blues rock is a limited descriptor for such a broad genre and though it vaguely points towards the fare within, it poorly conveys the sheer vigour and flair on offer.

Nods toward 70s classic rock – with faint scents of Royal Blood, AC/DC and Free – are superseded by a brash modernity delivered with gum-chewing aplomb. Every riff, lick and hook is drawn from the top of the deck – no mean feat in these recycled times – and captured by a production that retains the grit and adds a warm gloss.

The energy is infectious, performances pinpoint-perfect and they know their way around a melody. A token ballad might have iced the cake, but in truth there’s no room, and no need. Superior.

Tim Batcup

Tim Batcup is a writer for Classic Rock magazine and Prog magazine. He's also the owner of Cover To Cover, Swansea's only independent bookshop, and a director of Storyopolis, a free children’s literacy project based at the Volcano Theatre, Swansea. He likes music, books and Crass. 

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