Audrey Horne – Pure Heavy

When I reviewed Audrey Horne’s Youngblood at the start of 2013, it turned out to be one of my favourite albums of the last 5 years and when the opportunity arose to review their latest offering ‘Pure Heavy’, I leapt head first at the recording with high expectations. This has always been the worst way to approach a new album as you can be easily disappointed but after a few listens I can thankfully reveal that my trepidation was unwarranted because Norway’s Audrey Horne have once again delivered a slick collection of modern classic rock.

Howling from the offset, ‘Wolf in my Head’ sets the feel for the album with a strong seventies hard rock vibe with Toschie’s vocal phasing around a helter skelter riff. It’s a slower opener and ‘Holy Roller’ picks up the momentum and would have been very much at home on Youngblood. The first release, ‘Out of the City’ doffs its cap to ‘Fighting’ era Thin Lizzy with the twin lead melody of Ice Dale and Thomas Tofthagen all over it. The catchy chorus made it the obvious showcase for the album.

Whether it’s the explosive ‘Volcano Girl’ or the party posturing ‘Tales From The Crypt’, Audrey Horne are playing songs that have been crafted for the live environment and that’s what makes ‘Pure Heavy’ so interesting and enjoyable. The eighties influenced ‘Into The Wild’ returns to nautical themes for the Bergen Bards; but it’s on album highlight ‘High and Dry’ that they kick everything into overdrive with a rollicking maiden-paced verse with a cracking sing-along chorus. The closing duo of ‘Waiting for the Night’ and ‘Boy Wonder’ finishes the album with a strong one-two to the cranium. Arguably the second half of the album is marginally stronger than the first but it is these contrasts that make subsequent listens more rewarding. Throughout the album, Toschie’s vocal is immense and the interplay between Dale, Tofthagen and the rhythm section of Greve and Lien is fantastic.

Audrey Horne are a band that have very much sailed their own vessel since launching and ‘Pure Heavy’ is another strong album on this remarkable voyage.

“Get Pure Heavy and Get the Horne!!!!”

Audrey Horne
Toschie – Vocals
Ice Dale – Guitar
Kjetil Greve – Drums
Thomas Tofthagen – Guitar
Espen Lien – Bass

Track Listing
1. Wolf In My Heart
2. Holy Roller
3. Out Of The City
4. Volcano Girl
5. Tales From The Crypt
6. Diamond
7. Into The Wild
8. Gravity
9. High And Dry
10. Waiting For The Night
11. Boy Wonder

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http://www.audreyhornemusic.com/