Very enjoyable indeed.

Originally known as Disneyland After Dark, in the late eighties/early nineties Denmark's D.A.D. looked set to become a major act with their albums 'No Fuel Left For The Pilgrims' and 'Riskin' It All', plus their accompanying MTV-friendly videos like 'Sleeping My Day Away' and 'Bad Craziness'. The big breakthrough never happened and I'd all but forgotten about them until 2011 when the cunningly titled 'Dic.Nii.Lan.Daft.Erd.Ark' was sent my way for review. Initially unimpressed, that release gradually made a real impression on me with the eccentricity and off-the-wall wackiness of their earlier days reined in somewhat.

Eight years later, D.A.D. return with 'A Prayer For The Loud' and this time around it's a wholly pleasurable experience straight from the off. Still instantly recognisable as D.A.D., the songs benefit from a more straightforward, energetic Hard Rock feel than those of its predecessor. The likes of opener 'Burning Star', 'The Real Me', 'No Doubt About It' and 'Happy Days In Hell' are given a direct, riff-driven AC/DC style approach.

Not only that, the release as a whole seems infinitely more melodic with the title-track, 'Nothing Ever Changes' and 'Time Is A Train' all enhanced by memorable choruses. When you consider this was a group whose image used to represent outlandish tomfoolery, songs like 'The Sky Is Made Of Blues' demonstrate how they can be very thought-provoking from a lyrical standpoint with the acoustic-based 'A Drug For The Heart' being a quite lovely mid-album respite from the driving Hard Rock that surrounds it.

Still consisting of original members Jesper Binzer (vocals, guitar), Stig Pedersen (bass) and Jesper Binzer (guitar) – with Laust Sonne replacing original drummer Peter Lundholm Jensen in 1999 – the press release hails D.A.D. as Denmark's most celebrated Rock band; I think Pretty Maids might have something to say about that particular statement, but either way there is no doubt that 'A Prayer For The Loud' is very enjoyable indeed.

Ant Heeks