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SMOKING SNAKES
Danger Zone

Frontiers (2024)
Rating: 8/10

I’m not sure if this Gothenburg, Sweden-based metal band is named after a Sabaton song or a military division of the Brazilian army? But whichever the case, this is a strong debut full-length of driving heavy rock. Vocalist Brett Martin comes across like a fusion of Black Lawless (W.A.S.P.) and Kevin DuBrow (Quiet Riot), and the cocksure music follows those themes too.

Slot these guys alongside Germany’s CobraKill and you get one hell of a live show as both bands tackle the heavier side of Dokken right up to the criminally overlooked Beautiful Creatures, who spawned the talents of guitarist DJ Ashba and were fronted by Joe Lesté of Bang Tango.

This is swaggering metal that attracts the girls, kicks down doors and revs engines, with songs like ‘Run For Your Life’, ‘Sole Survivors’ and ‘We Are Alive’ being boisterous anthems for the new rock revolution. There is a sleazy edge to the whole affair which brings to mind a band like Crashdïet, but there is no ignoring the constant nods to the 80s with acts like Loudness.

There are no gimmicks here, just robust songs that effortlessly swagger and electrify with each introductory riff and sizzling slice of Stan Ricci’s percussion. Leo Razor, alongside Martin, provides walls of riff fire resulting in some fantastic track entrances such as on ‘Rocking To The Morning Light’, the W.A.S.P.-ish ‘Excited’ and the fabulous ‘There Is No Tomorrow’. But you can flick through any of the 11 songs available here and you’ll settle on a cool metallic riff that will have you nodding along in no time.

The backbone of the record is the bass of Andy Delarge, but as a team Smoking Snakes rumble in all the right places and, most importantly, with straight and snarling faces. Deliciously melodic yet rugged, Smoking Snakes could just well be my new favourite band.

Neil Arnold

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