Review: Colour of Noise – Colour Of Noise

Colour of Noise/Townsend Records (Feb 2016)

Reviewer: Peter Scallan

Although Colour of Noise are a new band, there a couple of familiar and experienced faces in there. You might know guitarist Bruce John Dickinson (Little Angels, b.l.o.w) and singer Matt Mitchell from his band Furyon and Pride. These guys have joined forces to deliver some classic British rock with a blues feel and cite Free, Bad Company and Zeppelin as the main influences. Always, a dangerous ploy to pin your colours so to speak to the mast early doors, so let’s find out if they deliver against that bold statement!

Opening song ‘Can You Hear Me’ most definitely has a classic rock feel and sound to it, but for me also has a contemporary feel also with it strangely reminding me of Queens of the Stone Age! Driven by some great guitars and Matt’s blues-tinged voice it’s not what I expected but a great start none the less. It also has a stonking wah-wah solo a la Robbo from Thin Lizzy. ‘Can’t Take It With You’ does have a Zeppelin feel driven by a rather funky guitar riff which Jimmy Page would be pleased with. Matt continues with the laid back bluesy vocals to great effect and overall the song still manages to sound contemporary. Next up is ‘Medicine Man’ which swings along with an almost ZZ Top riff although the chorus could be stronger for me. The contemporary feel continues with ‘Head On’ and is a great song with a singularly unusual chorus which I just love, reminding in places of Furyon. The excellently titled ‘Drive It Like You Stole It’ is next up and is a pacey blues-drenched song and real powers up at the choruses.

The album continues with ‘You Only Call Me’ which opens with a ferocious riff and then drops down for Matt to drawl over it before that riff returns for a boisterous chorus with a great feel in the lead vocals. ‘Heavy’ for me is the first song that pinpoint an obvious Free influence and has a great blues feel in the guitar playing and some great harmonies on the chorus. The following song is ‘Temptation’ and sounds a little like Thunder to me but that is no surprise as they most likely drawing on the same well of influences, but a again a great song and some neat riffs and vocals. ‘Rock Bottom’ is pure AC/DC, and has a Thunderstruck-style intro and a great big staccato riff that could also easily sit on the Cult’s Electric album too. Despite the lack of originality, I just absolutely love this song. The clichéd ‘Great Day for Rock and Roll’ closes the album and again for me is very AC/DC inspired a la That’s The Way I Wanna Rock and Roll. Again, hardly original but I love it!

So does this album deliver against the influences mentioned at the top of this review? There are certainly elements present of those bands but these guys do so and manage to still sound contemporary, relevant and original. The album is a rock album with blues roots and really works for me. There is also a crispness to the production without necessarily detracting from the blues feel, although I wouldn’t have minded a little more edgier mix. For me this a superb album and hope I manage to catch these guys live at some point as I am sure these songs will really come alive in a live situation. Another great album by another great British band which can’t be a bad thing!