5 Stars
With the release of their third album, The Lowdown, Baleful Creed have laid down their heaviest mark yet. Saying that, this is not Heavy Metal but bludgeoning Diamond Hard Rock.
The Emerald Isle has already given us many of their sons and daughters to the ranks of Rock Music. Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, Horslips, Mama’s Boys, Gary Moore. These boys from Belfast are right up there with them, rocking up a storm on their recordings and ripping it up on stage.
It’s a dual guitar attack (knowing looks from the Rock Gentry) formed by Fin Findlay, who also holds down the lead vocals, and John Allen, friends from childhood, bonded together by their music. Backing them up are on bass guitar/keyboards Davy Greer and drums David Jeffers. What a great vibe these guys give off. The instruments all come together in unison to put down the Baleful Creed stamp.
These boys are like their music – not to be messed with.
In these rather severe times, the music alone will straighten your backbone.
As soon as the opening guitar riff on the album kick off point Mr. Grim belts out your speakers, you know this is not music for the timid. The meek may have been promised to inherit the earth but if they have to fight this lot for it they have no chance.
The guitars lock together in perfect unison, ably supported by the rhythm section who plough a mighty furrow. When Fin Findlay comes in on vocals, it’s like the sergeant major has arrived on his parade ground. When Fin sings, everybody pays attention if they know what’s good for them.
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As Mr. Grim reaches its peak, the guitars start to solo, bringing the music to an unmerciful crescendo. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how it is done and it’s just the first song!
The album continues in fine style with a sufficient amount of eclectic hard rock to keep the attention and the ears pinned back. By the time the band pull into All Riled Up, the horses are unleashed as the band pushes you off the edge of a sheer cliff, gaining terminal velocity, into the Abyss of Rock’n’Roll. They literally capture your soul.
This is music to knock down buildings to. If Godzilla had a music collection, he would love this.
End Game is another favorite as sharp as a tomahawk.
Tramalamapan is as near as this lot gets to a ballad, but, as ever, the words are sung with conviction and the guitars wail. Anybody know what Tramalamapan means?
The album closes out with the epic Southgate of Heaven, where the Baleful Creed Standard is unleashed and is allowed to fly proudly in the wind.
A small trivia fact to add in is that the band’s friend and keyboard player Keith Weir of Quireboys and Down’n’Outz fame lends his fingers to the songs Confused and Southgate of Heaven, putting just a touch more class to the album.
Don’t mess with Baleful Creed. Respect.
Written by Mott the Dog on Pattaya’s Dark Side.
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