Land Captains - Delta



Rock music in 2020 can sometimes feel like a competition to see who can have the most strings on their guitars, or play in 4/4 for the least amount of time, or have the most contrived fusion with *insert other genre here* in an attempt to stand out, or even be a rock band while sounding as little as possible like one. Armies of snapback-clad, chino-wearing hipsters queue up as far as the eye can see to prattle on until their voices are hoarse about how Led Zeppelin’s music was all stolen and how AC/DC are the most overrated band of all time. The fact that they are clearly incorrect is all well and good; but with the worrying tendency of Classic Rock-inspired bands in the current year to either go down the route of a certain band (who shall remain nameless...but we all know who I’m talking about) and emulate Zeppelin to the point of pastiche, or stick to releasing very safe, very boring plodders, it can be hard at times to avoid slipping into the thinking that maybe they have a point. The problem with a lot of modern Hard Rock is that, ironically, it doesn’t Rock very hard at all. This is where Land Captains come in: I haven’t heard a band that Rock as hard as these guys in a very long time.

Appearing as if from nowhere onto the scene in Bristol and the South West last year, the band has gone from strength to strength as a live act, fusing the primal energy of Page, Plant and co. with the bombast of Rage Against the Machine and a self aware, playful edge that wouldn’t go amiss at a Darkness gig. This four track EP perfectly captures the band’s live sound: dirty, groovy and bristling with the energy that is so often lacking from bands of their ilk these days. Opening track, Automatic, boasts some taut, jarring tempo changes and impressively muscular bass chops from the aptly named Justin Kool (yes, before you ask, I’m reliably informed that that really is his name) and will surely become the band’s flagship track. Upcoming single, Bluebell, boasts the kind of irresistibly catchy riffage that you wished Wolfmother made more of before they disappeared off the face of the Earth, while closing track, Delta, showcases the band’s ability to combine the heavy swagger and groove with cleaner, more introspective soundscapes. The considerable vocal ability of not-so-secret weapon, Sarah Lewis, is out in force on this release: switching from lusciously soft melody to a blood-curdling bluesy roar in an apparently effortless manner. Imagine Alannah Myles being stuck in a particle accelerator with Chris Cornell and whiskey, lots of it. The stand-out moment, however, has to be the third track: Last of Us. This is a total beast of a song, which showcases the entire band firing on all cylinders. Complete with angular, off-kilter guitar riffs that will both rattle your bones and bang your head and a guitar solo from Hugo Bowman that achieves the rare feat of shredding and simultaneously being whistlable… if you can lift your jaw off of the floor, that is. That’s not all: this track also features the catchiest chorus on the EP, with Lewis’ howl perfectly complimented by the rich tenor of Bowman. 

The most endearing thing about this EP, and this band, is that the sense of sheer joy that is so abundant if you’ve been lucky enough to see them live has translated so well onto record. This is exactly where so many other post-millennium Hard Rock acts have completely missed the point: what makes the genre special is not your virtuosity or your ability to write hits that are catered specifically to your dad. What makes Hard Rock special is a band’s ability to hammer out sick riff after sick riff, for no other reason than an undying passion for doing so. Land Captains have exactly that, and they have it in spades. This is modern Hard Rock that both you and your dad can enjoy, together. I, for one, can’t get enough. 

TL;DR: massive, deliciously bluesy riffs, infectious groove and gutsy vocals, delivered with the kind of passion that has been sadly lacking from so many Hard Rock bands for the last God knows how long. 

For Fans Of: Led Zeppelin, Audioslave, Wolfmother 


BP

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