The fact that Lie Heavy have a song called “Lie Heavy” pleases me more than it should. There’s a bit of a Rush melody too. It’s expansive, ambitious – really, it represents all that is “Burn To The Moon” in four minutes (and really they’ve missed a trick not calling the album “Lie Heavy”).
“Nothing To Steal” might start with a dystopian soundtrack but it doesn’t take long to groove to a riff – a riff that is pure 1970s, and thats before Karl Angell has sung as only he can.
You know Karl, he was in Corrosion Of Conformity for the “Blind” album, and this music is in his blood. “In The Shadow”, though, is in the shadow of no one – although Scott Gorham might like his riffs back.Mind you, so would Tony Iommi on “Burn To The Moon”, pure Sabbath goodness, and I am typing this two miles from Aston, so we know our stuff around here.
Joking aside, this is beholden to no one as “Drag The World” proves. Proper rock n roll fun is all this is about. That one is a bit of an outlier though, as slow methodical grooves – like on “The Long March” are the order of the day in the main.
However, you don’t want to second guess these boys. “When The Universe Cries” can start moshpits, and guitarist Graham Fry, ex-of Confessor, is in mighty form throughout.
This is one of those albums, however, where the band are skilled enough to do whatever they like. To that end “Chunkadelic” is almost funky.
When the album comes together, as it does on “Unbeliever” it’s a mighty damn thing, and it never gets faster than “Diabolik” and when it is said and done, the ending “End The World” envisions a place where technology destroys us all, and maybe that is why it sounds so analogue as if to have it’s own reaction.
“Burn To The Moon” isn’t quite a throwback, though, it isn’t quite anything. By not fitting in anywhere, it can appeal to everyone. Although it probably isn’t too bothered what you think either.
Rating 8/10
