Review by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
Following on from the success and critical acclaim of last album Mythos, Confession, Tragedies and Love the band have once again dove into the harrowing memories of Beth and once again produced a legacy out of pain.
The album is split in two as per the title and it deals with escape, escape from daily life, from hurt, anger and diving into music to feel some freedom if just for a short time.
The Vintage Rebel is all our old heroes and Trauma Bond does exactly what it says on the tin and something I will dive much deeper into below.
The opening track has a Punk/Pop vibe that would have killed it in the 90s. “Never Let Me Go” reminded me of the Glasgow band Altered Sky who are no longer together. With my expectations of this album and the material this was a real surprise. Pulling out an upbeat dancy song is either genius or lulling us into a false sense of security.
You can fugure out which one pretty quickly as the Joan Jett fueled “You Only Love me When You’re Drunk” kicks in. This has a swagger all of its own and has a real old school Rock’n’Roll feel. I am sure you will have heard this already as it was released as a single so you already know what you think of it.
Can you ever get a bad song that kicks off with some cowbell…of course you can’t. Three songs in and you know what the band are going for in this half. It is all about attitude, this is 70s heaven and Beth’s heroes Kiss would happily play this after “I Was Made For Loving You” every night. Everything you want is here, great guitars, a catchy vibe and lyrics you will all feel completely at home with.
“I Still Want You” is a beautiful track. It is the get your lighter out moment( sounds so much better than grab your phone and stick the torch on). This is a ballad for the ages and Beth sounds very reminiscent of a certain Miss Hale.
After a somewhat laid back few tracks it is time to kick in with a killer riff on “Over It”. This is powerful, bold and bombastic. Play loud and keep hitting repeat as this is a complete banger.
Time to introduce Arjun Bhishma from Gorilla Riot on the song “A Rock n Roll Romance”. This is another laid back number but it has hooks for days. It skirts Country, not quite “Islands in the Stream” but when you have a saxophone in there you will be wondering how the hell do I love this song so much? Could very well be the best Sax solo since Baker Street.
For part two of the album things rapidly change as opener “Colour of our Bones” turns it up to 11 and had me thinking of the band Devilskin from the off(if you have not checked them out do it now). Brutal riffs, stunning vocals and music that sounds like a body being dragged through a gravel pit.
“Damage” is what is left behind after this song as well as the emotional state that lays down the lyrical content. This song is a powerful slice of storytelling and the composition shows just how Beth is evolving as a songwriter. Another deep track that can still somehow leave you uplifted.
“Limerance” wears its meaning lyrically and emotionally, whilst searing the track into your heart. This is for those who have loved, been broken and still keep going, it follows the journey, the mistakes, the wanting and the realisations albeit however late. Another stunning song.
“You Never Screamed?” takes everything to another level. A disjointed lullaby is the introduction but you are not sleeping through this violent horror story. The breakdown is both literal and lyrical and musically this is the best thing the band has produced to date. This is horror meets music, despair, anger and hate. Alice Cooper is the master at twisted songs and this is up there with his best. This is a piece of musical genius.
The album ends with “Eclipse” and a sludgy, sleazy number oozes from your speakers. The heavy riff vies with the visceral vocals as the song comes in as heavy as hell. The album bows out giving you a bloody nose.
Vintage Rebel x Trauma Bond is a work of art born from a man made hell and built on pain, desperation, blood and despair. It is a cry in the dark, it is your worst nightmare and it is something very few of us could survive, let alone thrive from. This is a story worth hearing, worth noting and something you need to let into your soul.
