Previous The Manic Shine albums have showcased a talented band with bags of ideas, but a somewhat scattergun approach when settling on a musical direction. On third full-length Trial And Triumph, the London quartet have kept the prog meandering to a minimum, and settled on a sound that sits somewhere between Audioslave, the latter day grunge of Fuel, and the big riff danceability of The Music (remember them!?). A few lightweight lyrics aside, this is a punchy 38 minute ride, with singer and guitarist Oz coming off like a less histrionic Perry Farrell, and while not revolutionary, it’s certainly diverting enough.
FOR FANS OF: Audioslave, Black Stone Cherry, Jane’s Addiction
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(this review was originally published in rock sound magazine issue 207 Dec 2015)
GARETH PIERCE 