Review by Sophie Maughan
There is no greater feeling than discovering a band like Brighton’s hard rocking and rolling Stone Angels. This determined quartet, who rose like a rampant phoenix from the flames of several failed bands, are now poised to command and conquer following the obligatory years of hitting up every toilet venue on the UK circuit. The end result of such grit, sweat and tears comes in the form of ‘Give In To Temptation’ – the band’s debut album which is set for re-release this month. Citing musical influences such as Black Stone Cherry and Alter Bridge coupled with glorious epithets such as “whisky soaked” in relation to their sound, it is virtually impossible to resist such an offering.
My feet are tapping immediately on first listen of opener ‘Misplaced Memories’ – crunching riffs give way to an infectious chorus laced with the raw rasp of Niall Kersey’s vocals. As the saying goes, “There’s no rest for the wicked” and ‘Devil’s Child’ is the embodiment of such a phrase. It chugs along like a speeding truck on the highway to hell before giving way to current hook-laden single ‘Can You?’ with stellar guitar work and levels of swag so high they should be illegal.
That’s not to say these guys don’t know how to pen a good ol’ anthemic AOR ballad with the introspective smoulder of ‘Last Goodbyes’ and slow burner ‘Fine Day’. I loved the melancholia of the former and the combination of wailing vocals and those driving guitars at 3:40 on the latter. The only criticism one could draw here is that the song seems to conclude at its most exciting point!
Admittedly, Stone Angels might not be breaking any radical new ground with this record, but what they do deliver with ‘…Temptation’ is eleven solidly produced high octane tracks which pay homage to their musical peers. What sets this particular band apart for me is that they manage to do so without sounding outdated or overly derivative. A thoroughly enjoyable sonic romp guaranteed to titillate fans of classic rock.