BLACK STAR RIDERS
The Killer Instinct
Nuclear Blast (2015)
Rating: 5/10
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In 2013, Black Star Riders – formed out of the ashes of Thin Lizzy – released their decent All Hell Breaks Loose debut. I enjoyed it for what it was, but couldn’t understand why at times it ventured too much into Lizzy territory to the point of rip-off. Unfortunately, it’s no different with this sophomore effort.
While I understand that guitarist Scott Gorham was an integral part of that classic Thin Lizzy sound and the nucleus of Black Star Riders used to literally pay homage to the great band, I see no reason for them to continue with this mimicry, and as a separate entity they really should be doing their own thing.
With the opening title track, it’s clear that the band is more than happy to sound like Thin Lizzy. The groove and especially the lead vocal has the late, great Phil Lynott down to a T, and yet oddly I don’t recall The Almighty frontman Ricky Warwick sounding like this prior to joining the modern touring incarnation of Thin Lizzy in 2009, so for me the obsession has gone just a touch too far. I’m all for bands taking influence from some of the great bands of the past, but if I wanted Thin Lizzy then I’d piss off home and slap on Johnny The Fox (1976) or Black Rose: A Rock Legend (1979) for entertainment, and I certainly wouldn’t be attracted to a sub-par imitation – and that’s exactly what Black Star Riders are becoming.
Although Black Star Riders incorporate a nice, slick and oily charm into some of their songs, I feel like I’m sat there waiting for the next Lizzy imitation. ‘Finest Hour’ has an okay mid-tempo groove which somehow reminds me of a strange mix of The Clash and Elvis Costello – proof that Warwick and company can stand on its own two feet as a separate entity. There’s also a hint of AC/DC thrown in the mix; and that’s fine, as I almost expect that with a majority of heavy metal bands. However, when it comes to aping the vocals I tend to lean towards the cringeworthy.
The Killer Instinct is certainly not an improvement on their steady debut album. It’s best moments are good, solid rock ’n’ roll numbers, as in the steady ‘Bullet Blues’ which features some excellent percussion from Jimmy DeGrasso, although there’s still that Lizzy tone throughout.
Elsewhere, the most notable treats are the bluesier toughness of ‘Charlie I Gotta Go’, which has an AC/DC fizz at times, while ‘Blindsided’ is an evocative ballad blessed with some nice acoustic drums. For the most part this is an album all too eager to pinch from Thin Lizzy though, and I’m almost tired of saying it let alone hearing it.
The Celtic swagger of ‘Soldierstown’ does have a punk swagger to its Lizzy sway, and so this is also a track that succeeds. The funky ‘Through The Motions’ sees Warwick once again ape the great Lynott however, and in doing so completely ruins any hint of a decent song, while ‘Sex, Guns & Gasoline’ fuses the expected traits with Led Zeppelin.
For me, Black Star Riders didn’t have to be original to impress, but so intent are they on continuing the Thin Lizzy legacy that I’m wondering if it might have been better if they’d stuck to the total tribute act scenario. The Killer Instinct doesn’t live up to its title; in fact, apart from the actual wording, the mimicry suggests a band now almost completely bereft of cutting edge which has been sacrificed for hero worship. I don’t get it.
Neil Arnold
