“I am the king of conflict,” Ally Dickaty loudly announces on the first line of The Virginmarys’ debut.
The conflict to which he refers is an almighty tug of war between the grinding rock of Led Zeppelin, the dynamism of The Who and the pop sensibilities of Nirvana.
Even six-string demi-god Slash has been pictured wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the up-and-coming name of the Macclesfield trio.
Current single ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ is a glorious statement of intent and straight up rawk ‘n’ roll. ‘Bang Bang Bang’ does pretty much exactly what it says on the tin.
It’s a pity that cuts like ‘My Little Girl’ descend into comic hard rock cliché, but the band steady the ship with the captivating rock of ‘Takin’ the Blame’. Sadly, the overall effect is too uneven to proclaim this a great albumy.
Still, The Virginmarys possess all the ingredients for an absolutely cracking live show.Hopefully, they’re coming to a sweaty venue near you soon.