PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
The Mission return with their first album of new songs since 2007’s ‘Gods Own Bullet’, featuring 3/4 of the original classic line up of the band namely Wayne Hussy, Simon Hinkler and Craig Adams with Mike Kelly on drums filling in for missing original member Mick Brown.
Opening with a howling feedbacking guitar overlaid with backward tape effects an storm sounds ‘Black Cat Bone’ slowly builds up it’s tempo as first Craig Adams bass then Mike Kelly’s drums join in the wall of sound before Wayne’s brilliant opening line of the song starts “When you get to my age, the candles cost more than the cake” showing that Mr Hussy has definitely not lost any of his lyrical wit. The song then stomps along and you are left wondering is this really the Mission? The answer to that question is a most definitely yes but it’s not the old Mission resting on their laurels, it’s a new revitalised Mission with a fresh modern sound. Next track ‘Everything But The Squeal’ just confirms this opinion just enough old style Mission so that you know who it is but bag loads of new stomp and swagger all topped off with Wayne’s trademark snarling vocals.
After the snarl and stomp of the opening two songs guitar work the title track opens with some nice keyboard work to vary the sonic mix of the album. The themes throughout the album are all very typical Wayne Hussy Love, Religion, celebrity fame and even a song about Marianne Faithful’s escapades with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards! Talking of the Stones ‘When The Trap Clicks Shut Behind Us’ opening very much reminds me of the Stones circa very early 70’s as it has a distinct Stones style country twang to it which I liked, even though the subject matter of the song is about the very grim matter of the ordeal that people suffered during deportation during the Nazi Holocaust of World War 2.
The slow songs on the album like the just mentioned Trap and the next track the almost gospel sounding ‘Aint No Prayer In The Bible Can Save Me Now’ can easily hold up their head compared to the rockier catchier numbers by the sheer fact they are such strong songs in their own right. A song that I’m sure will become a live favourite is penultimate track ‘Swan Song’ with some great guitar work by Mr Hinkler overlaying Wayne’s vocals. The album ends with Wayne’s ‘Litany For The Faithful’ the faithful being the long standing fans of the band while Wayne looks back on the bands past exploits accompanied by flourishes of flamenco guitar from Simon.
All in all I think that this album is a quite brave move by the band, while many of the bands contemporaries are either happy to rest on there laurels or just rehash the same old stuff under different titles The Mission have produced a raw and very powerful album of new material. Which I’m sure will keep the long standing fans happy and deserves to pull in new younger fans who maybe did see the band in their heyday in the late 80’s.
The Brightest Light is available now from all major outlets, and is available in normal CD format, double CD digipack, the second disk containing extra bonus tracks as well as some of Wayne’s original demos of the songs that made it onto the album, a box set release and also good old vinyl.
Tracklisting:
1. Black Cat Bone
2. Everything But The Squeal
3. Sometimes The Brightest Light Come From The darkest Place
4. Born Under A Good Sign
5. The Girl In A Fur Skin Rug
6. When The Trap Clicks Shut Behind Us
7. Aint No Prayer In The Bible Can Save Me Now
8. Just Another Pawn In Your Game
9. From The Oyster Comes The Pearl
10. Swan Song
11. Litany For The Faithful
Limited Edition 2CD Digipack Bonus CD:
1. Drag
2. Im Falling Again
3. The Long Way Round Is Sometimes The Only Way Home
4. The Girl In The Fur Skin Rug (acoustic demo)
5. Born Under A Good Sign (Wayne Hussey Demo)
6. Black Cat Bone (Wayne Hussey Demo)
7. From The Oyster Come The Pearl (Wayne Hussey Demo)
8. When The Trap Clicks Shut Behind Us (Wayne Hussey Demo)
9. Aint No Prayer In The Bible Can Save Me Now (Wayne Hussey Demo)
Band:
- Wayne Hussy Vocals, Guitar
- Simon Hinkler Guitar, keyboards
- Craig Adams Bass, Backing vocals
- Mike Kelly Drums
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