One taste of this brew and you'll be an addict for life.
Sear your ears with any of the ten tracks bursting to explode on 'Louder Than Thunder' and you'll immediately presume Black Blitz are a bunch of Aussie rabble rousers, what with the obvious AC/DC-isms and the weather worn hint of Rose Tattoo. Surprisingly however, no matter how convincing this bar room brawl is (and it is) BB actually hail from Germany.
'Louder...' is the power trio's second helping of staccato rifferama and damn fine it is too; I'd suggest far more believable than the current favourites of this scene, Airbourne or '77. The reason that this simple recipe works so well here is three fold: firstly the production from the band themselves is mighty, allowing it to hit hard from the very first guitar strike. Secondly singer Thomas Bauer is a thoroughly convincing shout it in tune barker, 100% perfect for this Riff 'n' Roll. Thirdly, unlike most other bands who obviously grew up on Bon, Brian and the brothers Young, BB ain't just copyists. Flavourings of The Cult seep through, while the simply irresistible 'Going Against The Grain' is exactly what Thunder would have sounded like if they'd been founded in Sydney rather than London.
The bristling highlights arrive thick and fast, with 'Keep 'Em Coming' a mid-paced stomp where Bauer also gets to show off his guitar skills, along with 'Louder Than Thunder' a booming boogie of bombastic proportions. 'Daily Dose' is a strutting swagger of four to the floor and attitude, while 'Fire And Forget' and 'Drinking Dynamite' infuse even more vigour through a pedal to the metal intensity that has been cleverly resisted elsewhere.
'Louder Than Thunder' is one of those rare things; an album that genuinely proves that old ideas can sound utterly exciting and vital. If you've even nodded your head in approval at Airbourne's far more blatant blueprint plunderings, then Black Blitz are an outfit you simply need to sample. One taste of this brew and you'll be an addict for life!
Steven Reid
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