AGAINST THE GRAIN - CHEATED DEATH

I discovered this record by random and autoplay on youtube and this record caught me from the first two seconds. The title track kicks off like a bastard between "The one to sing the Blues" from Motörhead and the sheer raw power of MC5. Fine, this could go on for some more songs, no, it doesn´t, because "Full of Smoke" is blended with a Stanley/Simmons harmony vocal and a Gorham/Robertson harmony guitar work. A powerful and unpredictibable melodic midtempo track mixed with a bluesy feeling and punky energy. This unique mix reminds me at the classic Motörhead line-up with Lemmy, Fast Eddie and Philthy Animal. More of this! No, Against the Grain worship during the next song "Sacrifice" their heros Zeke and Motörhead. The timing and speed is clearly Zeke, the vocal line is quite similar to Motörheads "Overkill". Until now the straightest song. Oh no, "No Sleep", the next one is another speed grenade à la Peter Pan Speedrock and Zeke, until this classic blues solo marks a short break just to refuel the song with raw power from the first two minutes. I recognize this sheme and structure in the 302 cubic inch blues from Zeke. Okay, which other idols will be citated now? "Last Chance" turns out to a hommage for "Detroit Rock City" and with these ooooohhhs coloring the chorus we find another Kissesque element in this song. The sheer endless harmony solo - introduced by a fine bass solo - broke up by speeding up for the main solo that turns to the fading harmony solo. Wow, what a great song.

Chris Nowak´s just proved his skills on his bass and now his voice is clearly the center of he more balladesque song "Devils and Angles". But just for the first half of this song, the second is dominated by a Thin Lizzy-like harmony solo. "High Heeled Woman" and "Rolling Stone" are the straight forward rock song in the best Airbourne or rougher Van Halen tradition. I mean, this is not copying some musical idols, it´s like bench marking in the economy. Rolling Stone speeds up to close and indicates the direction for "Enoughs not Enough", a full-filled Detroit rocker. "Going down fast" needs a bit of spiderlike drumming to kick off the song. A rougher throat on the vocal line along this fantastic Gorham/Robertson memory guitar harmonies. What else? Ah, "Jaded and Faded" the next neckbreaker in a Zeke manner awaits us to tear down the roof during the next two minutes. "Into the Light" is the harder biker version of a Gluecifer song.

And after getting addicted to hear the best parts from all of my favorite bands in just one record with a punchy production, high technical skills and the right noses for the right doses of speed. melodies and big balls, I´m fully blown-off and happy to hear my new favorit record. Amazing!! Thank you guys and a clear Motörhead´s  "Overkill".