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Despite their undeniable commitment to the rock’n’roll cause, there’s been a creeping sense in recent times that The Answer have missed their chance to be as obscenely huge as their arsenal of swaggering anthems have long deserved. On this evidence, however, they can at least say that they have given their all once again.

New Horizon is a blistering return to form and bulges with the kind of blues-infused and euphoric hard rock that first made them stand out from the lazily retro hordes. Even disregarding the fact that Cormac Neeson is one of the best rock vocalists on the planet, joyfully crafted gems like Spectacular, loose-limbed funk rocker Leave With Nothin’ and brooding proto-metal freakout Speak Now have the riffs, hooks and braggadocio that could easily have made The Answer global superstars 40 years ago.

Given that, despite its bell-bottomed classic rock heart, New Horizon sounds utterly fresh and relevant today too, the dream clearly lives on for all concerned.

Dom Lawson has been writing for Metal Hammer and Prog for over 14 years and is extremely fond of heavy metal, progressive rock, coffee and snooker. He also contributes to The Guardian, Classic Rock, Bravewords and Blabbermouth and has previously written for Kerrang! magazine in the mid-2000s.