It’s a bit of a brainteaser to accept that the man who now plays the vintage licks of Gentlemans Pistols is the axeman for Carcass, but with his second album for the band under his belt, this is anything but a side-project for Bill Steer.
After 2011’s feverishly good At Her Majesty’s Pleasure, the follow-up is another dose of vintage psalms that slots in nicely with the landscape of retro-inspired rock that we’ve seen stylishly played out by bands like Horisont.
While the outer limits of heavy metal are still as relevant and vital as ever, sometimes it’s nice to hark back to where it all started, and in Hustler’s Row you get your very own history lesson.
From the jovial romp of Devil’s Advocate On Call to the Southern twang of Personal Fantasy Wonderland, everything points to the past (Zeppelin, Wishbone Ash, Thin Lizzy) and while this doesn’t quite have the panache of their last offering, the work James Atkinson’s done on his vocal melodies keeps the Gents fresh.
