Black Whiskey were formed by ex-Xentrix and Hellfighter vocalist Simon Gordon. While those bands were focused on Thrash, especially the former, he’s tackling a totally different thing here.
“Heavy Train” is more of a 1970s Blues Rock affair, in a territory ruled by Led Zeppelin, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Rainbow. The style and songwriting is unoriginal and predictable but, and it’s a big ‘but’, the execution of the material and the sound quality make for an enjoyable album, indeed a must-have for fans of the genre.
Gordon’s voice, having a wide range and solidly in command, seems to have a natural predisposition for this genre. Kev Ingles (ex-Weapon) has some great guitar solos and the rest of the band (Mark T. Parkin on bass and Rich Bannister on drums) seem to fit in very well with the music. In my view ‘Stone Cold Comfort’ and ‘Idol Rich’ are snapshots of the band at its best, even though there are also a couple of songs that feel like fillers.
Need a soundtrack to a Rock N’ Roll party? Look no further.
