Ryders Creed – Ryders Creed


With a sound influenced by AC/DC, Clutch, Monster Truck, and a little Black Stone Cherry are Ryders Creed. The five-piece hailing the midlands formed last year, winning the Hard Rock Hell’s Highway to Hell Competition, and have just released their self-titled debut album on Off Ya Rocka Recordings.

As debuts go it is a promising statement of intent which wastes no time getting straight to business. Album starter and lead single ‘Headspace’ is a cracking Hard Rock song with a Clutch like sense of urgency and dynamism. Same goes for ‘Promise’, while it may not break new ground, it certainly is a slice of foot-stomping, good time Rock n’ Roll – Ryan Antony’s clean vocals are a perfect match. At its best the record is a hub of energy, with the fuzzy guitars and purposeful Lee Gilbert drumming of ‘My Life’ demonstrating this. Many of the tracks here also drink from the same well as AC/DC, Airbourne et al, with the best of the bunch the sprightly, blink and you’ll miss it bundle of riffs that is ‘Raise the Hoof’.

One song which does differ is ‘The Only Thing I’m Good At’. Smack bang in the middle of the album it is a softer, initially acoustic number about life in a rock and roll band. Unfortunately, though, too much of the record is of the standard, meat and potatoes, rock variety – resulting in a lack of balance. Songs like ‘Set You Free’, ‘Ryder’ and ‘RISE’ just pass you by, they are not bad by any stretch of the imagination just a bit too run of the mill, lacking a little excitement. One song that does stick in the memory is ‘Begging For More’, mainly because of lyrics raunchy enough to make Angus Young or Gene Simmons blush.

A decent debut album of hard rock; a promising sign from a young British band.

6.5/10

THOMAS THROWER