I’m not quite sure how it happened but a couple of months
ago I got added to a group on Facebook called ‘I’m Unsigned.’ This group is
mainly used for artists to plug their music, upcoming gigs etc. which means I have
a constant supply of brand new music to listen to from artists from all over the
place, and this has hooked me up with a few blog favourites in recent weeks. So
say hello to my latest discovery; Chasing Dragons.
Based in Leeds Chasing Dragons are Laurie ‘Tank’ Carnan
(Vocals) Mitch Sadler (Guitar, vocals) Ant Varenne (Bass, vocals) and Katie
Bullock. (Drums) Since forming in 2011 these guys have been touring and
releasing music at a serious rate of knots and have a built up a real hard-core
following as a result.
Sometimes I like to lull you into a false sense of security
and then hit you with what I really think in my reviews but today I’m throwing
that out of the window. I’m going to cut straight to the chase… this record is
outrageously good. We are talking record of the year, sending bands back to the
drawing board to start again because they realise their new material aint going
to cut it good. Hearing great music gets me excited like nothing else that I can
declare on a public blog, and I can tell you that right now I’m bouncing off
the freaking walls.
The prelude sets everything up perfectly, (Why do so few
bands do this??!!!) the horror style whispered lyrics, the strings, then the
big drums and even bigger guitars, you just get the feeling you are about to
hear something game changing.
First full track ‘Throw Down Your King’ is my favourite
track off the entire record. It feels like having the night of your life with
your dream woman, waking up to find she has made breakfast with the promise of
doing it all again. It’s full throttle stuff straight from the off, the riffs
are glorious and the vocal from Carnan is seriously impressive. But the best thing
about this track is that it manages to surprise you. Just past halfway through
the hammering riffs drop away, to be replaced by acoustic tinged softness. It
all goes a little bit middle of the road soft rock... briefly. Then my God the
riffs and thunderous drums return. You’ll be head banging to the point of unconsciousness
I promise you. These tempo changes and style changes mid song give the track
something that just elevates it’s beyond the ordinary.
‘That’s Not Love’ is more of a straight up hard rock track
driven by drums that hit so hard you feel like you’ve been in a street fight with
Mike Tyson. Again the vocal is totally on point, powerful and uncompromising.
But here I’ve fallen in love with the tone of the guitar for the solo, there’s something
about it that just really grabs you.
‘For The Sake Of Love’ sees the heavy guitar work return
with a bang on this Halestorm-esque effort. Again the guitar work from Sadler
is fantastic and we get treated from the full vocal repertoire from Carnan, that’s
everything from the low whisper that characterised the prelude to the lung
busting power that hits you right between the eyes.
The penultimate track ‘The Last Defence’ is a real curve
ball. If ‘November Rain’ era Guns N Roses teamed up with ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ era
Meatloaf and sat down to put together a track, this is what it would sound
like. (That is a huge compliment trust me) The song is just epic; it’s not so
much a rock/metal song as an event. The piano and vocal combo that run through
the opening pull you in in impressively grandiose fashion. But from the first
drop of guitar we get shown the full scope of what this band is all about. The spine
tingling guitar licks, the powerful vocals, the bruise inducing drums backed up
by throbbing bass-lines it’s all there.
Final track ‘Broken Jaws’ was actually the first track that I
heard from the band and the track that really started my interest in the first
place. If no nonsense Avenged Sevenfold style hard rock is your thing then you
will love this track. It serves as a great single as it shows you exactly what
the band are all about without trying too hard. Plus the video is pretty awesome;
so awesome I’ll drop it at the bottom of the review.
From front to back Checkmate
is a hard rock and metal exhibition. I know I’ve praised the hell out of it but
as you regular readers will know I don’t get this excited over a record just
for effect. I genuinely believe it is one of the best records out right now,
full stop. I have had the absolute privilege to review some incredible music
since I started doing this and this record is right up there with the very
best. If Checkmate isn’t vying for
top spot on your record of the year lists come December pack up and go home because
frankly you’re doing it wrong.
Checkmate is released
on 2nd June
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