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TEN
Isla De Muerta

Rocktopia (2015)
Rating: 7.5/10

In 2014, melodic UK rockers released their 11th opus Albion; for me it was a nice, accessible romp, although one lacking bite and weight. The same could also be said for the newest addition to their catalogue, but that’s not to say that Isla De Muerta is not a fine British rock record.

As with so much of this stuff, one can never criticise the solid workmanship that goes into creating the tunes within – from Gary Hughes’ strong soulful vocals to being backed by some truly talented musicians in the form of Dann Rosingana (lead guitars), Steve Grocott (lead guitars), John Halliwell (rhythm guitars), Steve McKenna (bass), Max Yates (drums and percussion), and Darrel Treece-Birch (keyboards and programming).

To be brutally honest though, I really have to be in the mood for this sort of hard rock. And so with summer upon us in hazy patches, Ten’s latest offering actually seems to be the perfect soundtrack for such lazy days; lead single ‘Tell Me What To Do’ a nice, infectious bout of sizzling leads, Hughes’ clean vocal style and that infectious and immediate chorus. Of course, because of offering up such a harmless sound, Ten are a difficult band to find fault with; they set their stall out time and time again to provide quality, confident rock songs, as they have done ever since their inception in the mid-90s.

The combo has created a record of great subtlety and above all, brisk harmonious tracks which stick in the ears long in the dusk of evening. It could, however, be argued that at times Isla Da Muerta – just like its predecessor – can be a touch clinical at times, such is its contemporary design. Not once does the band pay a nod to any gems past; instead, it seems firmly focused on the now, and that’s possibly why the tracks rarely warm me – even though they are suited to the aforementioned blazing sun.

What this means of course is that the overall result, just like with Albion, is that we get 11 strong tracks that I enjoy immensely, but probably won’t find myself eager to play too often again. Of course, the more committed fans out there will lap up the works on offer, but the whole feel is one of tepidness and I’m left crying out for something a touch more angular or fiery.

And so, the review here almost reflects the one I gave for Albion; what we get are some magical leads, top-notch croons, and a general groove that touches upon lukewarm power rock occasionally interrupted by a sublime ballad as with ‘This Love’, which is truly sweeping in its design. Elsewhere, we find those flecks of synth and a general smoothness to leave you relaxed but not necessarily content. The band also bring a sense of the epic this time with ‘The Dragon And Saint George’ and ‘Karnak / The Valley Of The Kings’, which are two rather mystical anthems featuring flashy guitar work that can only impress.

Throughout there are some intriguing tweaks, such as an interjection of Hammond organ on ‘Angel Of Darkness’, which is one of my favourite tracks on the record; overall, it picks up the pace and makes a nice change from those lengthier compositions as Yates’ drums take charge. Sadly, there are a few tracks which haven’t grown on me at all. The opener, ‘Buccaneers / Dead Men Tell No Tales’, is one of these, and so is the equally lengthy ‘Intensify’. Nevertheless, Ten has offered up some rather intriguing and complex lyrical themes which give the record a boisterous feel, although this comes in patches.

So while a rather predictable offering, Ten have done enough to keep the fanbase happy, rounding off this opus with another stirring ballad in the form of ‘The Last Pretender’ and the European bonus track ‘We Can Be As One’. And that’s about it, Ten very much in their comfort zone as they marry the epic with the subtle in what can only be described as a natural continuation of Albion’s charms, which may not enchant everyone.

Neil Arnold

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