Who said rock was dead? Scarlet Rebels new album, ‘Where the Colours Meet’ is proof that there’s still plenty of life in this beloved genre.
With big hooks and anthemic sounds, the band have gone for broke and it's about time too. It feels that with album number three the band have found their sound and is comfortable with it too.
Politically charged lyrics, anger and frustration overflow from the heavier tracks. Lead singer, Wayne Doyle bellows the rock vocals with a sense of desperation at times. On the quiet moments, his vocals are suitably tender and never seem out of place.
Elles Bailey joins the band on a stripped-back ballad which slows down their full-throttle sound on 'Out of Time'. Mostly, the songs gallop along with a pop-rock, radio-friendly vibe with added nostalgic rock sounds.
'Let Me In' is reworked from the 'Keep Fighting; album, which was when they were still V0id. It was always a great track, but given new life and a new home it seems fitting that it appears on an album where not only all the colours meet, but the band finally spread their wings.
From the opener 'Secret Drug' to the Ricky Warrick co-write on 'My House My Rules' this is an album where the Rebels have upped their game and been prepared to really pull out the throttle. The band have clear influences from the Rory Gallagher style guitar work to the riffs of Free and The Who. It's a well-worn path, but the Welsh rockers give the songs a modern punch, but the messages in the album are timeless.
Their new approach has certainly paid off. No longer nascent rock heroes, Scarlet Rebels have nailed their colours to the mast and the only way is up.
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