Following on from their debut EP a few months ago (review here), Zal’s “comeback” to the rock music scene is cemented with the Sin Dogs first full album.
For the uninitiated, Zal Cleminson being best known for stints with the Sensational Alex Harvey Band (SAHB) and Nazareth – and for being one of the finest, yet under-rated, guitarists out there.
If you’re expecting something in the style of SAHB or Malice in Wonderland-period Nazareth – you may be disappointed.
If you’re expecting raw, brutal, heavy as f**k rock with snarling attitude and excellent guitar work courtesy of Mr Cleminson – you’ll be in heaven.
The Sin Dogs deliver. No doubt. Ten songs which hit hard yet are not without a melodic touch. Even trippy in parts. Zal’s all over it and lost none of his touch.
He gets to cut loose here more than he did with SAHB etc, I expect because the Sin Dogs is Zal’s band and he can do what he likes……
Check out Armageddon Day – the opener has the heaviest riff with a wall of sound behind it. Monster, monster.
Guns of God is heavy, heavy too with an infectious chorus/hook. Euphoria “rocks” hard as well with a bit of a Celtic tinge to it featuring some fine fretwork from Zal.
And the rock keeps coming……..even when they slow it down a bit (I.O.U) the song remains heavy. Marvellous stuff from start to finish. Stick Man is another highlight.
Have a look at this video of a performance of Euphoria – it’s live and raw yet shows the intensity of Zal and the ‘Dogs.
The CD version has a couple of bonus tracks – Magic Love and Still Breathing. The latter being perhaps the finest cut. An extended trippy, proggy, hypnotic instrumental featuring some really fine restrained playing from Zal with plenty of “feel” and fluidity.
A most welcome return from Mr Cleminson together with his cohorts. Plenty to enjoy. Let’s hope there’s more to come. I bagged my copy via Zal’s Facebook page. Why don’t you do the same?
ZAL CLEMINSON’S SIN DOGS ON FACEBOOK
As I was typing this up, email from Amazon to say the new Traitor’s Gate will be through the letter box today. Back to the NWOBHM days next them. Review to follow.
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