By Clare McCabe 

Released Friday May 15th, 2015 - Mushroom

Our boys Mike, Roddy and the rest of the FNM chums are back with a new album. It's been awhile. Older? Yes. Wiser? Maybe. Thanks for becoming friends again and making some new music together. 10 Songs only though - let's hope there's more to come....

After catching the guys live a few months back at Westfest, I was super looking forward to what this album would offer. No disappointment here (but did we really think there would be)? We have heavy stuff. We have ballads. And of course that famous Patton whine. Those lyrics. That angry voice. The theatrical tickle of a piano mid-song (thanks Roddy). All very grand. And very good.

Oh yes there is a lot of screaming. The wall of sounds hits you right up front. Mike's voice moves between scream/groan/whisper/needs megaphone/doesn't need megaphone.

"You're only happy when you're pissing me off" he screams in Cone of Shame - a horror-story-come-to-life sort of song. The fabulous Motherf**ker and Super Hero have already hit the live setlist. Perhaps as they are particularly punchy and angsty so suit the live outings. Radio friendly you say? Probably not and who cares anyway?

Black Friday grooves along with a fabulous dark loungey vibe and then crosses over to shouty Mike with a roar - very early FNM-esque. Rise of the Fall is all over the place, in a good way of course. 

Separation Anxiety is an early fave - that heavy drumming and chanting and over-singing - I bet this one will be fabulous experienced live, suspect a megaphone will be involved.

From The Dead is very theatrical - "Welcome home my friend..." croons Mike. Surely this is an old song from Album of the Year? But no, no, people, this gem is brand new.

Fun fact - at one of their recent concerts, FNM invited Duff McKagen to be their on-stage Gimp who wanders around the stage looking scary. And no-one knew who he was. Classic Patton.

Lighters out everyone and hit it Mike - "Coming round the bend... Welcome home my friend....."

Sometimes when you review an album, that is the one and only time you bother listening to it. This will not happen here. Chuck this album on repeat - it is only 10 songs after all. It will seem familiar pretty swiftly.

4.5 / 5