THE ANSWER – New Horizon

I don’t usually buy records completely unheard, the fact is I almost never do. Sure, I bought the latest Kiss albums unheard, but when it comes to “new” discoveries, well, I like to know what I’m gonna spend my money on, even if said band has released one killer album previously. However, there is one exception to that rule and they are called The Answer and they hail from Ireland. My first encounter with this band came when I watched a video of theirs on VH1 Friday Rocks, it was back in 2006 and their debut album Rise had just been released. The song, “Sometimes Your Love”, really floored me and I decided to check them out properly. The album was really good, retro 70’s hard rock with a melodic twist, but the album didn’t make me an instant fan. There were flaws here and there, but for the most, the album was damn good. It would take the band three years, until 2009 to release the follow up Everyday Demons and it was with that album that I realised what this band had in store. That album brought with all the raw 70’s raunchiness, but combined it with a more slick and catchy production. To me, that album had everything that I love in rock ‘n’ roll. Heart, soul, honesty – it was raw but still melodic enough. I remember thinking, how on earth will they follow this up? Well, the answer (pun) was called Revival, it was released in 2011 and it actually topped its predecessor. That was when I released that I don’t have to listen to The Answer’s albums before buying them – I know that they won’t make me disappointed.

So that’s just what I did with their brand new album New Horizon – I bought it unheard. Now, this lot had floored me twice and I guess it would be too much to ask of the boys to actually top Revival as well. I mean, they just couldn’t. And the truth is, they didn’t. Does that mean that it was a mistake to buy this album unheard? Hell NO! This is an awesome hard rock ‘n’ roll album that kicks some major ass, and there are no bad songs either. So what is it with this album that makes it not as strong as Revival then? Well, all the songs aren’t as strong as the were on Revival, on which every song was a complete killer. Also, the sound here is more back to the rawness of the debut – nothing wrong with that really, but I kinda miss the finesse of the last two albums. The album opens up strong as hell with the title track, a raw, hard and groovy rocker – in yer face, “Leave With Nothin'” follows with a cool Zeppelinish groove and a really catchy chorus, “Spectacular” is amazing, a single candidate with big hints to the last album and “Speak Now” is really heavy, a bit slower but still rocks hard as a rock with a brilliant melody. The boys show an aggressive and hard side on “Concrete” and it fits them well as the catchy melodies are never far away, “Call Yourself A Friend” is great, it starts out as a heavy blues based ballad but it turns into a classic, raunchy rocker, “Burn You Down” is just a standard hard rock song – it’s a bit unusual to hear them do something without the typical The Answer hooks, but the song is a killer, so who cares? The Album finishes with “Scream A Louder Love” a great bluesy hard rock song with a lot of Zep and Free influences.

The album holds only 10 songs, which I think is great, I have had enough of all the 15 track albums where bands throw in everything they have written, no matter how crap the songs are. But for those of you who want a little more, then there’s the deluxe edition. On that you get no more than four unreleased tracks – and those tracks are all brilliant. “Road Less Travelled” is a classic rocker, “Feel The Fear” is brilliant, very catchy but at the same time pretty hard, “Real As It Gets” is just astonishing, a true groover and it really should have been on the actual album and not just the deluxe version and “White Flag” is a classic Answer rock ‘n’ roller and a great tune. So, yes, these four extra tracks make the deluxe edition worth buying. The Answer has released another killer and even though it might not be exactly as good as its predecessor, it is still better than lots of music that comes out nowadays. Do you dig music from the 70’s? Do you like the feeling you get when you hear songs by Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Free? Do you wanna go wild when you hear that raunchy groove? Do you love it when music was based on emotions, honesty, balls and the love of music itself? When music came from crotch and not the brain? Well, then you must check The Answer out, if you haven’t already done so. They are on their fourth album and they should be huge by now. Do, go and help them on their way there.

Jon Wilmenius (9/10)

Tracklist:

1. New Horizon
2. Leave With Nothin
3. Spectacular
4. Speak Now
5. Somebody Else
6. Concrete
7. Call Yourself A Friend
8. Baby Kill Me
9. Burn You Down
10. Scream A Louder Love

De Luxe version:

11. Road Less Travelled
12. Feel The Fear
13. Real As It Gets
14. White Flag