Goldblade - The Terror of Modern Life

by Denzil Watson

published: 8 / 6 / 2013

Label: Overground Records
Format: CD

Raw and explosive sixth album from always impressive punk-metal act, Goldblade

Review

So here it is after a five year wait; the sixth Goldblade studio album. Their iconic frontman, punk-rock authoritarian and journalist, John Robb has been a busy man recently, what with the Stons Roses reformation, so perhaps no surprise it has taken time to get 'The Terror of Modern Life' into the racks. So has it been worth the wait I hear you all ask? The answer has to be a unconditional yes. From the opening bass bludgeoning of 'This is War' the intent is clear. The band mean business and are currently in a rich vein of sonic form. And how good it is to hear a record with no synths or sequencers bleeping away. Just pure unadulterated rock'n'roll and the guitars turned up loud rather than being buried in the mix by some studio wankery. Keith Curtis's tensile bass lines have never sounded so urgent up against Rob Haynes' crashing power-house drumming. Meanwhile, the addition of new guitarist Andy Taylor (no, not the one from Duran Duran) has given a new foil for Peter Gorgeous to run his razor-riffs up against. If we're honest, Robb has always had a not-so-secret admiration for Joe Strummer and Clash-isms litter the album. 'Serious Business' is the band's 'Armagideon Time' but isn't half a bad stab at white-boys-play-reggae. The anti-government Oi sing-a-long 'We're All In It together' works a treat too. What the record lacks in musical sophistication it makes up for in spades with good honest punk rock endeavour. There's some mighty handy riffing on the whirlwind wham-bam-thank-you-mam of 'My Mind is Like an Atom bomb' and melodies aplenty too as the terrace chant-a-long of 'Sick/Tired' bears witness too. Perhaps the bands' heavy but melodic approach is one of the reasons the record works so well. Recorded over the period of Xmas 2012/New Year 2013 and produced by the band themselves, it is arguably the first Goldblade album to truly capture the raw power of their hi-octane live shows. I recall in the not-to-distant past trading texts with Robb telling him I was down to review the album, and remember the getting the standard musician's "this is the best thing we've recorded" line. "Yeah, of course, John," I thought to myself before then worrying what to do if I didn't concur with his perception. Relief all round then. I am pleased to report that the fire is still definitely burning and that Da Blade have most definitely maintained the punk-rock gold-standard with these thirteen slabs of punk-metal-shlock-rock.

Track Listing:-

1 This Is War
2 Psycho Takes a Holiday
3 The Shaman Are Coming
4 Serious Business
5 We're All In It Together
6 Someone Stole My Brain
7 My Mind Is Like an Atom Bomb
8 Sick / Tired
9 They Kiss Like Humans, Act Like Machines
10 Guilty
11 The World Is Fucked Up Nowadays
12 Hey You! Elastic Face
13 The Terror of Modern Life