Rhabstallion – Back in the Saddle

I want to thank Epic Metal Blog and ZYX Music for sending me this album to review.

Band: Rhabstallion

Album: Back in the Saddle

Release date: 12th of March 2021

Record label: ZYX music Germany / Golden Core label

Genre: Heavy metal / Heavy rock

From: West Yorkshire, UK

While Rhabstallion had a song released as early as 1980 (their song Chain Reaction was featured on the sampler album New Electric Warriors), they never got to release a full album before they broke up in 84. With them reuniting in 2018, they finally recorded the album Back In The Saddle, which was released 12^th of March 2021. This album features original members,  Dave Thompson and Stuart Toddington on guitars, Jack Himsworth on drums, Graham Hooper on bass from the 1979 line up. They are joined by Andy Wood on guitar and lead vocals who had previously been in the Rhabstallion line up between September 1981 to 1984.

 

With many of these songs being from the 80s, I find it natural to compare the old song arrangements, that can be heard on some live clips on Youtube as well as the demo and singles compilation album “Day to Day” that was released in 94.

 

The production of this album is tight and powerful. It keeps all the old elements of the band, like louder bass than what you’ll find on most modern metal records, while at the same giving it an up to date sound, somewhat the same as you can find on new Saxon albums.

A problem with the modern production is that it’s more compressed, and the drums are not as forward in the mix, particularly the cymbals, as on the 94 release. This removes some of the power and energy of the songs.

 

There are some NWOBHM songs here that are great, and then there are some songs that have one or two cool elements, but where the rest feels like other music one has heard before.

The older songs makes one think of Saxon. There are also elements of Iron Maiden, particularly on rhythm guitar as well as bass guitar on slower songs. The mid-tempo songs often remind me of Black Star Riders and AOR bands.

The songs are catchy, and many have the potential to get the crowd singing and the party going, however some are a bit too mainstream to my taste, and the use of major scales is prevalent. By the 5^th song I’m not really into this album, while the 1^st song made me expect to like the whole album. There are however some cool songs spread through the whole album. My favourites being Stranger Stranger, Day To Day and Never Say Never.

I like the guitar harmonies, and often there is good rhythm guitar work, however not all riffs are equally interesting. I like the use of acoustic and electric guitars together on some riffs. I also like how they get some more complex rhythm layering with the guitars.

There are some more old school heavy rock guitar solos and some more technical ones, and both work very well on the songs, and are often the high points for me on the songs. Bonus points for bass guitar lead on Day To Day and Nellie Bly.

With 3 guitars, I had hoped for some more lead guitar on the songs, including on the verses and choruses. At the same time, it’s understandable that they want to keep the songs the way they were written at the time the band had no more than 2 guitar players. I think the lead part on the chorus on Never Say Never is an example on what I’m after.

 

Focus in the band is on the vocals, with the rest of the instruments backing the vocals up, but never really taking center stage beyond the guitar solos. The vocals have often a more US than UK touch, sometimes reminding of Ronnie J. Dio and Graham Bonnet, although I also hear a bit of Saxon and Triumph.

 

To sum this review up, this album is very much in the same style as what fans will recognize from their original output in the 80s, however with a modern sound.

The band is back in the saddle, but they still need to get the horses into gallop to really, really get there. A remix of the songs, with the drums more up front, would probably give more of a live feel, that I believe this band would benefit from.

I can imagine this band doing it great live, and I think I would buy this album at a live show. However, as a studio offering it seems to lack a certain edge to make this an album I would want to listen to often. 

 

You can purchase the album here: https://zyx.de/en/produkt/rhabstallion-back-in-the-saddle/

And follow the band on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhabstallion