PHIL CAMPBELL (Motorhead) – Old Lions Still Roar (2019)
Some people just don’t need no introduction. And this fine gentleman is high on top of that list: PHIL CAMPBELL, Welsh rock titan, Motörhead guitarist for more than 30 years until the bitter end. Now in 2019, Campbell releases his first solo album ‘Old Lions Still Roar‘ coming armed with an arsenal of fierce riffing, anthemic hooks, pumping energy and no-holds-barred hard rocking fuel.
Featuring an array of star guests including Alice Cooper, Rob Halford, Dee Snider, Mick Mars and more, on ‘Old Lions Still Roar’ Campbell underlines his reputation as one of classic rock’s keenest preservers.
Since the end of Motorhead drummer Mikkey Dee has found a home with the Scorpions and guitarist Phil Campbell has been forging ahead with his band the Bastard Sons. Now Campbell has decided to release a solo album and as you’d expect from a musician with many years in the music business, he can call on a large list of guest vocalists including Dee Snider, Rob Halford and Alice Cooper.
Opening with ‘Rocking Chair’, featuring Leon Stanford (The People The Poet) on vocals, you’re lulled into a false sense of security as this is a laid back, bluesy number. Lovely bit of playing by Campbell on this one.
After that it is rock and metal to the fore, as Rob Halford rattles through ‘Straight Up’, whilst Orange Goblin’s Ben Ward adds a nice vocal to boot to the Sabbath air on ‘Faith In Fire’.
One of the good things about this album is how the songs fit the vocalist, none more so than ‘Swing It’ which Alice Cooper has great fun with. A great catchy number that has a hint of 80s and 90s vintage Aerosmith.
Dee Snider puts in a show stopping performance on ‘These Old Boots’, a wonderful old school rocker with lots of swagger. The we find the remarkable ‘Dead Roses’ featuring Benji Webbe of Skindred who sing here like you’ve never heard him before, it’s a wonderful soulful ballad that sounds incredible.
‘Old Lions Still Roar’ is an album that never lets you down, and the deeper you get the more you realize the quality never wavers.
Another highlight come with ex-Skin Nev MacDonald on the wonderfully bluesy uplifting tune ‘Left For Dead’ – his voice has lost none of its power and melody, while there’s a Nick Oliveri’s kick ass heavy groove contribution on the stuttering ‘Walk The Talk’.
The instrumental ‘Tears From A Glass Eye’ closes the album and Campbell is joined by fellow guitarist Joe Satriani. They play it melodically, none of that widdly widdly solos for these two esteemed chaps.
If you never liked Motorhead you better forget that with ‘Old Lions Still Roar’, it’s far from the Lemmy’s band abrasive sound, but a mostly melodic classic rock / traditional hard rock record with tons of emotions to enjoy.
An album you can put on to lift the mood and enjoy again & again.
HIGHLY Recommended
01. Rocking Chair (feat. Leon Stanford)
02. Straight Up (feat. Rob Halford)
03. Faith In Fire (feat. Ben Ward)
04. Swing It (feat. Alice Cooper)
05. Left For Dead (feat. Nev MacDonald)
06. Walk The Talk (feat. Jones & Nick Oliveri)
07. These Old Boots (feat. Dee Snider, Mick Mars & Chris Fehn)
08. Dancing Dogs (Love Survives) (feat. Whitfield Crane)
09. Dead Roses (feat. Benji Webbe)
10. Tears From A Glass Eye (feat. Joe Satriani)
Pre Order
www.amazon.co.uk/Old-Lions-Still-Roar-OCard/dp/B07W3RQMFF
