Do you love the smell of gasoline in the morning? If the answer is "yes", you're up for some aroma nostalgia, then. This quintet from Ukraine aren't aiming for a modern sound, they certainly do not hide their love for Motörhead (look at the motherfucking fantastic album cover for starters!) and are also Mad Max fanatics (good teaching material for future right there, who knows).

This is the sound equivalent for whiskey after shave emitting from your body after a hard week of hunting down some sweet-smelling gasoline (look at United Kingdom for starters!) and partying through the nights flushing down that teeth-gritting sand. Well, Chernobyl is a few tens of kilometers away from where Gasoline Guns hail from, so they got fucking close to a real-life Mad Max experience there...

Gasoline Guns released their dirty debut album 'Rust'n'Dust' in 2016, and it took five years for them to get the sophomore album out. I am delighted to inform you all that the band sound a lot more dirtier nowadays. The debut was more about gritty rock, but now they've got metal balls. Yes, this is quite a bit heftier, close to someone like Grand Magus at its heaviest. Here, the band are showing pretty wide spectrum of heavy metal and hard rock, sometimes alloyed together.

However, it is often Motörhead whose juggernaut rock 'n' roll seems to be the basis for Gasoline Guns to operate on. Driving, bluesy yet heavy and bad-ass are adjectives that come to mind while listening to this album. It already starts with the opener 'Bourbon Burns', which is irresistibly entertaining speeder, which is boosted by some double kicks and bursts of fiery guitar solos. It's the two following songs, which show the band's heavier side; with earth-shattering bass guitar, stomping beats and great melodic guitar soloing, they go in for the kill. 'Gasoline and Guns' is these guys' 'In the Name of Tragedy', basically, except it's a bit more chirpier. Throwing in some NWOBHM elements, Gasoline Guns sound alive and their fist-pumping fun is contagious, especially as the songs are simplistic 2-3 part compositions which don't require musical academy degree to enjoy them. 'This Road Is a Snake' sounds more North American, something like Alabama Thunderpussy and Down jamming together; slide and acoustic guitars with the taste of moonshine on this slower piece.

It would be awesome if every cylinder was working; somehow it feels like the band are possessing more power, but it's not all coming through. This could partly be caused by the production too, as it isn't as punchy or crunchy as it could be. It is well-balanced and the instruments and vocals are easy to pick out, though. By the way, the vocals, which sound whiskey-washed dirt-throat, aren't very powerful, either, even though there's some good bellowing every now and then.

Anyway, 'Motor Cult' is a worthwhile album for those who seek energetic heavy metal / hard rock hybrid to try out. It could cost you some speeding tickets if listened while driving your automobile...

Rating: 7½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
10/03/2021 12:40