| Formed in 1989, from the ashes of the pop rock
combo Terraplane, Thunder went on a hugely
succesful run in Europe and Japan on the back of the albums
Backstreet Symphony, Laughing On Judgement Day and Behind Closed
Doors in addition to these albums the band had excellent b-sides for
singles with No Way Out The Wildnerness still being one of my
favourite hard rock tracks ever. But then for some reason they
changed, out went the traditional English hard rock values to be
replaced with more experimental pop overtones that always seemed
forced to these ears, also we said goodbye to the rock clothes to be
replaced by designer gear which did not suit the music and only
served to alienate fans including myself. So its with some
relief that the last year or so have seen Thunder return and
seemingly rediscovered what made them great in the first place.
The Magnificent Seventh sees the return of the classic
English hard rock sound that is home to strong melodies, great hooks
and good riffs.
Opener I Love You More Than Rock N Roll is typical
Thunder fare and despite a good midsection only hints at the quality
displayed elsewhere. However the Rolling Stones good time feel
on the chorus will be sure to win more than few fans in the live
arena.
The Gods Of Love really sees the album get started
with a psychadelic intro before blasting into prime Thunder territory
with its irresistible chorus which sees Danny Bowes' voice in
fine fettle. Luke Morley and Ben Matthews are riffing with their
distinctive trademark guitar tones and the old magic is well and
truly alive here.
The eastern tint on the riff of Monkey
See, Monkey Do hints at the Led Zeppelin influence in
Luke Morley's arsenal of tricks and could easily have come from
1995's overlooked Behind Closed Doors album. The chorus is classic
Thunder and again this will go down a storm in the live arena.
The track is further enhanced thanks to the inclusion of deft
orchestrated touches.
I'm Dreaming Again is a delicate track where
the vocals of Danny Bowes tickles the senses and really allows
the emotion in his voice to shine. The verse has a good quality
before the chorus which will set the singles chart alive. The
guitar solo here is also a nice addition to the emotional content
on display elsewhere.
Top 40 is written all over Amy's
On The Run which is home to a quality only British rock
bands can reproduce. The chorus and bridge here are superb and
infectious and Morley's guitar solo is the icing on the cake.
The Pride is home to a kickin riff from Morley
and Ben Matthews that is again classic Thunder. Bowes
delivers a simple melody line for the verse but the chorus is
another winner with his voice sounding as good as it ever has -
arguably Britain's best rock singer in the last 20 years.
Amidst the hard riffing there is a moment of melodic intent in the
excellent first solo and breakdown before the Les Paul attack
kicks back in for another meaner solo - a highlight.
Fade Into The Sun opens with a staccato figure not too
disimilar to the Stones Gimme Shelter (which the band did a killer
cover of btw), this then travels into a straigher rocking home
with the emotional content high in Bowes vocals. The second
verse sees the straighter rocking sound built on and when it moves
into the chorus its a defining moment of the album. Another good
solo adds more value to the track before the a bridge takes the
track to a new level before going back to the intro riff, another
highlight of the album.
The musically mature Together Or Apart is home to some
Free-ish overtones particularly on the verse, Bowes vocals ooze
class again and this is another style in which Thunder excelled 10
years ago and proves they still have it. The track builds
extremely well throughout its 6 minute running length and I can
see this track taking on the classic status of tracks such as
Higher Ground and Until My Dying Day.
You Can't Keep A Good Man Down is one of the goodtime
rockers Thunder always seem to dish out, and its nothing overly
special, the chorus is good but compared to some of the other
material here it does come across as slightly weaker.
One Foot In The Grave begins with a bluesy railroad
overtone before the electric guitars kick in and is sure to make
this another winner on the live stage. The solos are again
very good - Morley has a distinctive style that is a mix of Joe
Perry, Jimmy Page and Brian Robertson with an excellent melodic
sense.
Album closer One Fatal Kiss is another of the bands
classic rockers, the verse is stronger than the chorus (the
backing vocals are a little annoying) but generally its another of
the weaker tracks on offer but by no means a poor way to end the
album.
The Magnificent Seventh sees Thunder return in fine
style and indeed picking up the baton from where they left on in
1995 with Behind Closed Doors. The music sounds honest again
and indeed Bowes vocals are more at ease in this format - and
excel. Luke Morley shows what a class act he is whilst the
rhythm section of Chris Childs (bass) and Harry James (drums)
create a very solid foundation that allows the track to take the
listeners attention. They provide exactly whats needed in a
Hard Rock context and allows Bowes, Morley and Matthews to really
get the songs out there. There is a lot of very
good material here and with a bit of luck Frontiers will get some
singles out there as well as give a good touring budget.
With a bit of luck I hope to see them at a venue near me soon.
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