“Back On The Lash” is the latest album from US rockers Warrior Soul and it was released on 1st December via Livewire / Cargo Records UK. I was never really a fan of the band when they emerged from New York and released their first albums in the early 90’s. A little too punk influenced for my tastes at the time probably. The last couple of studio albums from the band have been more to my taste and there are more than enough tracks on “Back On The Lash” that I like to warrant posting a recommendation. I featured the closing track “That’s How We Roll” on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 15th December.


Singer Kory Clarke formed Warrior Soul in 1987 after initially starting off as a drummer. The band was signed to Geffen Records and released four albums on that label between 1990 and 1993. The relationship between Clarke and Geffen soured considerably and they were dropped from the label in 1994. A fifth album was released later in 1994 before the band split the following year. The band reformed briefly in 2000 to re-record some of their tracks for the album “Classics”. Another revival in 2007 led to the release of a live album and then their first new studio album in 15 years – “Destroy The War Machine” in 2009 (originally released as “Chinese Democracy” but changed due to the Guns n Roses album). That was followed by “Stiff Middle Finger” in 2012 and then another live album in 2016.


Warrior Soul still have that punk-edge to their sound and their music is certainly rich in political / social commentary. Kory Clarke seems to be intent on retaining that bad-boy, rock ‘n’ roller image and the nine tracks on “Back on the Lash” will do nothing to dispel that.


The new Warrior Soul album features Kory Clarke on vocals, Stevie Pearce on guitar, Christian Kimmett on bass. The press release doesn’t say if Clarke provided the drums or if it was Michael Branagh who tours with the band. The album was funded via a ‘Indiegogo’ campaign and that website mentions a few other contributors including John Polachek on guitar and Adam and Nate Arling from The Last Vegas on guitar and drums respectively.

 

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About “NI Rocks Recommends”

The simple idea behind “NI Rocks Recommends” is to acknowledge and promote some of the great music being submitted to Rock Radio NI. I'll not be giving marks or ratings or analyzing the tracks in great detail; just telling you something about the artist and the album. It’s a personal recommendation to go check something out, not a traditional “review”!

My musical tastes cover most things rock; from the not too melodic to the not too heavy. The albums that I’ll be recommending are those that you’ll hear me playing tracks from on my shows on Rock Radio NI.


 

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