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Album Review

Razer – “Razer” [Album Review]

Razer are one of those timeless bands for those of you who didn’t give up on classic hard rock when the grunge phenomena came along. Read our review of their new album here.

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When you’ve got a man such as Alan Niven in your corner, a man who in his time aided some of the baddest muthafuckers in the rock world, you know you’re going to be just fine. Sounding like all your favourite 80s hard rock bands – Guns, Cinderella, Skid Row, Motley Crue and so on – the cocksure swagger pouring out of this record takes me right back to a time when I was annoying the shit out of my parents by listening to bands with long hair and ridiculously tight trousers.

Full of bluesy, thumping riffs and raspy bar room vocals, tracks like opener “Blood For Blood” have that whiff of them that is reminiscent of a time when bands like Skid Row were competing with the grunge phenomena. You know that kind of hard rock sound that packs enough of a punch to be heavy but without losing any of that easy to digest appeal that made 80’s hard rock such a big seller. Elsewhere on the album, frontman Chris does his best Sebastian Bach impression on “The Things You Do” as Razer slow things down to get much darker and heavier. Don’t worry though as the almost Europe-esque “Ironborn” and “Scordatura” see Razer return to more traditional hard rock territory.

“Better Time” sees the band break out the acoustic guitars for a slower number and one that, for this UK rocker at least, sparked memories of our very own blues rock legends Thunder especially in Chris’ vocal delivery which isn’t too dissimilar to Thunder’s very own Danny Bowes. Packed full of great songs, Razer is basically an album for those of you that still love a good slice of bluesy classic rock and didn’t give up on hard rock when Nirvana and their army appeared and took over the world.

Track Listing:

01. Blood for Blood
02. It’s a Mutha
03. Into the Light
04. The Last One
05. The Things You Do
06. Ironborn
07. Scordatura
08. Better Time
09. The Chosen One
10. Shattered

Run Time: 45:18
Release Date: Out Now

Check out this video of Razer peforming ‘Heartbreaker’ with Slash.

I have an unhealthy obsession with bad horror movies, the song Wanted Dead Or Alive and crap British game shows. I do this not because of the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle it affords me but more because it gives me an excuse to listen to bands that sound like hippos mating.

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