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MAVERICK
Quid Pro Quo

Massacre (2014)
Rating: 8/10

Maverick is a band from Northern Ireland, and this 12-track album is their debut full-length offering. It’s one I enjoyed immensely, and so will you if you like melodic, driving metal. The band features David Balfour (vocals), Ryan Sebastian Balfour (guitar), Ric Cardwell (guitar), Richie Diver (bass) and Mike Ross (drums).

Quid Pro Quo is one of those hidden gems of a record that could easily slip under the radar, but one cannot help be impressed by the catchy hooks and the hardy vocals with the result being a band marrying solid metal and melodic touches.

It’s not often I can speak so highly of a British band, but Maverick really do have some quality songs behind them, namely in the form of ‘Snakeskin Sinner’, the ballsy ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Lady’ and the stabbing ‘Shackled’ which all have a distinctive early 90s feel in that they are fiery, no frills pumped-up anthems boasting hints of hair metal chants and that cool, slick guitar sound.

As the tracks keep on coming you get to realise just how good these guys are; churning out memorable licks and confident tunes that other bands could well take years to write. The aforementioned ‘Shackled’ is a wonderful example at that self-confidence as the funked-up riff and clanking drum provides a touch of hip-shaking arrogance.

Everything about this opus feels big, and it’s no surprise to learn that Maverick has shared the same stage as major acts such as White Lion and Faster Pussycat. Although there is little in the way of tempo changes throughout this album it comes rich in its production and David Balfour’s vocals really do grow on you, because although they are nothing out of the ordinary they have that required oomph to raise the songs above mediocrity.

It also helps of course that the rest of the band is in some assertive union, providing a healthy backdrop of sound and in turn creating warm, tried and tested formulas with the likes of the bubblegum strut of ‘Got It Bad’ and the snazzy ‘Electric’ with its fizzing guitar sound.

I can’t really compare Maverick to anyone, simply because the sound isn’t trying to be anyone. It just feels like a natural, infectious rumble punctuated by some smoking leads; again I refer to ‘Electric’ and the old school nod of ‘Side By Side’.

I do feel that the band has been let down by the cover art which to me suggests a thrash band contained herein, but as it stands Maverick has blasted out a very mature sounding slice of gritty metal.

Neil Arnold

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