photo courtesy of BJF Media

Album Review of Thundermother: Dirty & Divine (AFM Records)

Swedish hard rock band Thundermother delivers a 10-song melodic hard rock romp that’s a high-energy adrenaline ride from start to finish. It’s not even that the pace is super-fast as much as it’s relentless, without a break. The tempos vary a bit, too, so even though they’re all pretty hard-rocking, they avoid the trap of some fast-paced records, which can become monotonous after a few songs. In fact, every song, beginning to end, has something to like about it, though a few of them in particular snag me with their massive hooks.

The band opens with a sidewinding guitar and a steady rhythm on first track “So Close,” with vocals that are equal parts Janet Gardner (Vixen) and Doro – melodic but heavy. The recurring yin-yang of the “so close yet so far” lyrics combine with the guitar hook to carry this song into memorable territory.

image courtesy of BJF Media

After “Can’t Put Out the Fire,” a fun track with a party-song atmosphere, Thundermother follows with a big, memorable likely concert crowd favorite, “Speaking of the Devil.” No, it’s not at all Ozzy-esque, and it’s not a new twist on a Motley Crue classic. But the chorus, beginning with “Here we come, speaking of the devil,” has a catchy delivery, and the song features some impressive shredding, well-conceived tempo changes, and a change-of-pace “woah-oh-oh” segment. Probably a little too much packed in to be a radio hit, but they have those elsewhere on this disc. “Speaking of the Devil” is sure to be a live performance favorite!

“Feeling Alright” is a softer-touch, harmonious number that’s aligned with some mid-tempo ’80s guitar rock hits, maybe something you’d have heard from Starship. And, of course, there is one line that’ll get stuck in listeners’ heads, even though it’s not part of the chorus. Yes, about one-third of the way into the song, the band sneaks in the lyric “I want to be naked together.” You know, just in case you weren’t paying attention.

“Take the Power,” next opens with an almost “Wango Tango”-ish guitar riff, then cotninues an energetic power rock number.

photo courtesy of BJF Media

Next up is another of the potential big hits on Dirty & Divine, “I Left My License in the Future.” It starts off with a nifty guitar riff, holds a steady rhythm through the first verse, a Great White-ish seeming placeholder with barely noticeable, tiny flourishes that suggest patience, that something big is coming soon. Indeed it is, as the song then explodes into the super-catchy chorus, beginning “I left my license in the future, oh oh oh oh!” and ending with a guitar noodle, with the song carrying the elevated energy the rest of the way. Geez, this song’s got hops!

“Dead or Alive” is a straightforward rock number with a soft vocal bridge that leads to little echoey southwestern guitar noodling a little past the two-minute mark. “Can You Feel It” has a flirty dancing guitar line atop a steady rhythm and a straight-up anthemic-ish heavy rock approach.

Then the disc closes with a couple of additional hit-worthy numbers. The first, “Bright Eyes” has a neat bluesy hard rock guitar hook and singalongable chorus. Album closer, “American Adrenaline” is downright explosive. It’s a fast-paced, well… adrenaline ride. It’s a fun, full-throttle rollick with guitar, drums, and vocals all moving full-tilt but all with a bit of character. And it’ll leave you catching your breath after it’s over.

Beginning to end, Dirty & Divine is a fun listen. I was a little impressed with Thundermother’s previous album, Black & Gold, and it just barely missed my review list – if it hadn’t been a sparse year for my writing, it might have made the cut. Well, I know I’m writing a lot more this year, but there would have been no ignoring Dirty & Divine. Thundermother kicked it up a notch in the intervening couple of years. There’s simply no denying them now; they’re one of hard rock’s best!

My picks for oughta-be hits as standalone singles are “So Close,” “I Left My License in the Future,” “Bright Eyes,” and “American Adrenaline.” Probably also “Feeling Alright.” Yes, I know that’s half the album. And “Speaking of the Devil” is my pick for a big concert favorite. But the whole disc is great, with each song – even those I didn’t mention in this paragraph – adding something to the complete package. It’s a solid beginning-to-end listen, just like any kickass classic hard rock album.