One of the single hottest names in the country right now, The Amazons seem to be a truly unstoppable force. Through a quick rise to fame, appearances on Jools Holland and bagging some incredible festival slots, The Amazons’ self titled debut album is finally here and is chock full of riffs, riffs and more riffs. This record is definitely not shy in punching out some of the best modern rock music around today.

From the immediate offset you can already tell why The Amazons are making such big waves right now, ‘Stay With Me’ opens the record with an intense pumping energy that was made to be played to the masses. The track’s combination of summer fun, yet simultaneous hard-hitting instrumentation truly packs a punch and serves as a sublime introduction to the band’s unmistakable sound.

Vocalist, Matt Thompson, has an incredibly diverse range throughout the album and holds a certain tone which he uses effortlessly to make every track his own. Songs such as ‘Burn My Eyes’ and ‘Ultraviolet’ utilise Matt’s tones sublimely and demonstrate an immense level of talent through a combination of raw intensity and precisely executed high notes. This diversity is then fantastically mixed with the heavy rock ‘n’ roll riffs and each time delivers a track which simply induces dance and non-stop head banging. Similarly, the precise structure behind each track is definitely noteworthy, each verse feels just the right length before slamming back into an almighty catchy chorus.

Perhaps this record’s one weakness is also part of its largest strength, there is a distinct overall lack of diversity between tracks. Whilst each song certainly contains elements that keep it drastically different from the last, the entire album follows the same upbeat and punchy nature that The Amazons have become known for. It would be nice to see a different side to the band in the mid phase of the album to keep the pacing varied, as the only example of something even remotely different is the album’s finale ‘Palace’, the only piano led and slower track on the entire record. ‘Palace’ is a phenomenal track and its drastically contrasting nature to the rest of the album makes it stand out immensely from the rest of the record. The far more sombre, heartfelt aspect behind Matt’s beautiful vocals and strong lyrical work really does tamper with the emotions and is definitely one that many will relate with. It would have been nice to see just one similar, slower track at some point in the middle of the record as ‘Palace’ has easily made it into the best tracks of the entire record.

The very pinnacle of this masterpiece of an album however has to be ‘Black Magic’. What a song! It is tracks like this which keep modern music thriving and has definitely helped define just what The Amazons are all about. The song is like a four and a half minute blindfolded rollercoaster in itself. From the first note you’re already hooked on the immensely powerful, yet simple riff that simply drives the song along and then, just as you feel like you’re getting comfortable in the verse, BAM, you’re hit with another dosage of that initial riff which just sends the track in an entirely different direction to what was expected. This track is what rock music is all about and something that only comes along very rarely. ‘Black Magic’ has quickly become one of my favourite tracks of the year and I’m sure over the next few years will quickly become a track which will be a staple on any top party playlist.

The Amazons are certainly a band at the top of their game and they are only just getting started! They have undoubtedly knocked it out of the park with this record, it is very rare to come across an upcoming band today with as much dominance and image. I would even go so far as to say that The Amazons are revitalising rock ‘n’ roll in their own way and are waiving the flag higher than anyone else in the country today. I genuinely cannot wait to hear what this band sound like over the next few years as I’m sure they will easily become a household name of unprecedented scale.
Ben Walker

Website: theamazons.co.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/theamazonsforever
Twitter: twitter.com/TheAmazons