Recorded live in France late last year, this delightfully unpolished and fiery 9-song offering by the NWOBHM underdogs Thunderstick is a real treat for two specific reasons, one being that the tunes lifted from their thrilling “Something Wicked This Way Comes” record (2017) sound superb in a live setting and the other being that the brand new line-up is a tightly coiled unit from a musical perspective.

“Live in France” sounds exciting and energized, and fist-pumping heavy metal anthems ala “Riding With the Angels” and “Buried Alive” will tear your face clean off. The great thing about this disc is that listening to it with your eyes closed will actually make you believe that you are right there in the front row being swept away by those savage guitar hooks and wicked vocal melodies. There is a certain charm and plenty of bombast to the performance with the highlight of the set being the utterly memorable “Thunder Thunder”. The cover rendition of Samson’s epic “Earth Mother” is another standout track. The whole affair is anything but perfect or flawless, but that is a huge part of its appeal and vibrant atmosphere.

This entertaining slab of raw metal is straight-up action served at maximum volume and a solid reminder of what this underrated ensemble is capable of. Check it out if you are an old-school metal aficionado who digs acts such as Samson, early Iron Maiden, Saxon, and the likes.

https://www.roulettemedia.uk/thunderstick-store