Heralded by Planet Rock's Paul Anthony as 'the future of rock and roll' Inglorious return with their second album. Produced by the band and mixed by the legendary Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith), the band continues to build on the classic rock influence that was so reminiscent of their debut. The songs are better this time, even though there hasn't been a massive shift in their overall sound.
I Don't Need Your Lovin is a dynamite opener channeling Deep Purple and Rainbow. The vocals are on fire, it's crazily melodic and the rest of the band exceed their performances from the first album. They produce some fine work on tracks like Hell Or High Water and High Class Woman and appear nearly unstoppable in their bulldozing approach to their music, but with 12 tracks it does feel overly long. Although it's quality stuff, quantity is an issue, especially as the album is not as varied in tone as some of the acts they aspire to.
Tell Me Why pulls in some of Nathan's soulful vocals that sound amazing when set against a choir. His vocals are a formidable screaming powerhouse throughout the album. The guy has got some serious lung power for sure, but unlike the screaming belt of Gillan, Kennedy and even Dickinson the power is a tad overused. Nathan has a terrific soulful rock voice when he takes the brakes off, which we can hear on Faraway, it's a pity this style wasn't utilised more on the album, it could have made it a game changer for the band.
As a live band, their performances are very free and easy, this is something that singer Nathan Jones wanted to continue with when they went back into the studio. There's no double tracking, no overdubs, no click tracks or auto tune, just the raw energy of the band putting down the record together as if they were playing live. This really comes across on the recording, there is more of a sense of symbiosis between the band, but to get the best from Inglorious you have to see them in a live arena.
Inglorious II is filled with some memorable riffs, contemporary percussive drive and some strong tracks, but being so full on all the time means that the album loses its impact. Inglorious have the power and presence to be the next Purple or Rainbow, but this album is just too similar in style to their debut and too safe to make the impact that they are really capable of.
Groupie Rating 3/5
