Pass the shotgun and the 59 boxes of shells
I'm sure we all remember The Darkness. The band that breathed new life into the rock scene, had all the potential to become the world's biggest group only to see it crumble and fall apart after only two albums. It must be difficult to go from seedy rock pubs to arena shows within a short space of time and be able to keep your sanity. It must be even more difficult to go from playing arena shows with up to 15,000 people chanting your band's name to a couple of hundred crammed into the Manchester Academy 3. But this is what The Darkness, albeit without Justin Hawkins, have done, and you have to tip your hat to them. It takes some balls to start again from scratch, especially as almost all of your audience will be comparing you to The Darkness and wanting you to play 'Get Your Hands Off My Woman'.
Stone Gods is the band that they have returned as, and, if press releases are to be believed, they are tougher, heavier and edgier beast than their previous band, and are representing a scintillating new dawn for British rock music. But that's press releases for you because this release stinks worse than a three-day beached whale. It's four weedy rock-pop songs that are devoid in excitement, buzz, attitude and fervour. 'Heartburn' is as weak and lame as any Bryan Adams song and a total embarrassment. 'Breakdown' is like a Thin Lizzy tribute band trying very hard to write their own material, and 'You Brought A Knife To A Gunfight,' is perhaps the most rock n roll of the four track on offer, but it's a song The Darkness and even The Donnas have already milked.
Opening tune 'Burn The Witch' is perhaps the direction the band should go in, but it's no heavier than 'Love On The Rocks With No Ice'. Bass player Richie Edwards' vocals are a pretty standard fair and lack that charisma of other vocals within the genre. The musicianship is nothing to get excited about the production is fairly weak especially if the band want to come across as heavier and edgier.
The band are probably enjoying themselves, but I've not heard anything on this E.P to suggest they should be higher than the likes of Tokyo Dragons in the British rock pecking order. Rock fans may welcome them with open arms, and it's good to see them back, but as a comeback release from the band that have sold millions of units this E.P is just plain feeble.