Guns For Girls – Blood Harmonies
Album review by; DeeDee
Guns For Girls originally formed in 2007; however it has taken several line-up changes and fine-tuning to reach where they stand today. Carl Haden was recruited in 2011, when lead man Gavin Herbert was searching for a bass player, Carl was quick to come forward, he actually won on a scratch card the same day as he joined, naturally all the money went on new gear. After drummer Dylan Caine came on board, the mix of the three personas gave GFG, the punk/pop/grunge style they had been seeking. The Shropshire based trio, have now written their first album, ‘Blood Harmonies’ which hits us on the 24th July. You may have already heard the first single ‘Where Is The Sun?’ as that was out back in September 2019 and played widely on Radio Stations.
As we enter the album the vibe is ominous and full of trepidation, distant chords herald an eerie atmosphere on ‘Over The Shoulder Of The Devil’. The break is spontaneous and we are greeted with a rush of riffing and the powerful vocals of Herbert. Over 6 minutes of consecutive and rapid fire, it has the warmth and crashing of grunge with dirty strumming backing it up, a brilliant opener. The aforementioned single ‘Where Is The Sun’ comes up next, with a slightly pop and bubblegum angle and there is a marvellous trippy hook. Imagine, if you can, Enuff Z Nuff jamming with Alice in Chains and you get the drift. ‘Finale’ is disturbing and dark; it draws you in with its menace from the start. Distortion and sombre vocals make it beckoning and irresistible. A change of direction on ’Secrets’ we are bopping along to a punchy riff and clear, up-tempo vocals. I am literally dancing in my living room to it!
Smooth and swaying in melody, ‘Animal Instinct’ is catchy and mixes the post grunge with strident guitar and simple but effective rhythm. Cool tones and a continuous backing line that make it one you want to play again and again. The next Single ‘You Are the Gunfire’ is another that is intoxicating and enticing. This sturdy and flowing tune has so much edge; Guns For Girls have indeed written a masterpiece. I love the way it comes over, like the Manic Street Preachers and Soundgarden all in one. This is a song you are going to hear all over the airwaves, no doubt about it. ‘Black Rose’ has piles of solid rhythm care of Haden’s unfailing bass and Caine’s consistent sticks. What makes this one stand out is the memorising and absolutely incredible way it picks up mid way and the last 90 seconds is like riding the best carousel ever.
We reach ‘Holy Dime’ and the mood changes, it’s such an evocative ballad, it runs with a steady tempo and doesn’t falter for a second. The lyrics echo soulfully and gently to create quite a wondrous track. All change again on ‘You Get What You Give’ punching and off centre chords to begin with smouldering like touch-paper, then bursts into flames with a ‘Wildhearts’ type of chorus, plenty of harmonies and it swings with masses of attitude. Wow, they have nailed it on this one, the guitar strumming and ‘don’t give a toss’ way it evolves is a masterstroke of engineering. ‘Inglorious’ is five and half minutes of layer upon layer meetings between Haden’s bass and more of Herberts delightful vocals. More crashing and punchable riffs separate the two and the result is a really lively number. The Eleventh and final song ‘I Found A way’ is a Chris Cornell inspired piece of work. The deep and heartfelt vocals combine with more upbeat bursts of wonder and you are transported through a tunnel that has several destinations.
Popular around the West Midlands, with a massive fan base that they’ve built up over the years, this is a massive step up for GFG. They have recorded and produced the album themselves, although mastering was in the hands of John McBain (Monster Magnet, QOTSA). I like the way they have left some noise between songs (intentional or not!), that an engineer would normally wipe out, because it gives it character and an individual thumbprint. The second single is the excellent ‘You Are The Gunfire’ and will be released on 10th July. They are also making a video to accompany the release. I found ‘Blood Harmonies’ totally original and uplifting, bopping along to most of the tracks, even on the first listen, I could even get up and dance to a few, which is something we don’t seem to do enough of at gigs these days. If you like a band that muddle up rock, punk and post grunge with a splash of acceptable pop, then look no further than Guns For Girls. They really do capture the essence of QOTSA, Stone Temple Pilots and The Pixies, who they site as influences for the album. But it is so much more, it’s rich, captivating, diverse and fun and well worth digging into your wallet for a copy.
4.5/5
‘Like riding the best carousel ever’.
Guns For Girls are;
Dylan Caine - Drums
Carl Haden - Bass & Vocals
Gavin Herbert - Guitar & Vocals
Track Listing:
1. Over The Shoulder of The Devil
2. Where is The Sun?
3. Finale
4. Secrets
5. Animal Extinct
6. You are The Gunfire
7. Black Rose
8. Holy Dime
9. You Get What You Give
10. Inglorious
11. I Found A Way
Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/gunsforgirlsUK
https://www.youtube.com/gunsforgirls
https://instagram.com/guns4girls
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