Forty years ago, The Instigators could have been contenders. Their debut album hinted at something big — until three quarters of the band upped and left. But Simon Mooney wasn’t one for giving up. The guitarist pulled together a new line-up of punk lads from West Yorkshire, and before long they were back out there, touring with Murphy’s Law and making waves of their own.
Now, they’re back again — with Full Circle, and three shows lined up for next year. The title fits perfectly. This is, after all, a reprise of their 1987 single “Revolution’s New Solution.”
The ’87 version — the Thatcher-era take, if you will — was raw yet surprisingly melodic. Andy Turner didn’t bark or snarl; he sang, and Mooney’s guitar had a definite metal edge to it. There’s plenty of that West Yorkshire grit here too — you can almost hear the mist rolling in over the moors before “The Sleeper” changes gears. A five-minute punk song might sound like prog to these lads, but somehow it works.
Then comes the modern-day mirror image — The Instigators of 2025 tackling the same track. Older? Sure. Wiser? Not a chance. If anything, “Full Circle” feels angrier, more defiant, more ready to man the barricades than ever.
The one brand-new track, “Suicide Investigation Team,” snarls with attitude. It’s pure punk venom, though there’s just a faint whiff of early The Cult in its swagger.
There’s something genuinely heartening about musicians coming back together to play the songs they love, simply because they still love them. That’s The Instigators in 2025 — a band rediscovering their roots and proving there’s still fire left to burn.
“Full Circle” suggests they’re nowhere near ready to round it off just yet.
Rating: 8/10
REVIEW: THE INSTIGATORS – FULL CIRCLE (2025)
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