Hawk Eyes have been on an “extended hiatus” for such a long time, there was a subconscious worry that they weren’t going to be coming back. However on the basis of their first album in five years “Advice” we can be glad that they are.
From their last couple of releases, you know that they’ve got riffs coming out from ever pore in their skin. Lead single “Royal Trouble” is quintisentially them and brings us nicely back into the swing of things. If you can’t enjoy the face-melting intro to “Never Lead Me” then clearly rock music isn’t for you.
“New Greek Fire” starts off sounding as though the album is going to take a different path, one that has a more poppy and indie sentiment. That is until the mammoth chorus comes in sounding like an elephant is stomping its way through the song.
“Smokes” is one of the more unique tracks on the album and is likely to divide a lot of people right down the middle. It features one of the most unlikely guest appearances you would imagine on a Hawk Eyes album, The Crystal Maze and Rocky Horror’s very own Richard O’Brian. His gothic narration over the top of a thundering bass line is something that really shouldn’t work, yet somehow it really does.
“Hand In My Heart Cage” is propelled all the way through by its pounding drums and with that followed by “State Of Opposition” shows that there is no sign of them slowing down. By the time it comes to the end of the record with “Keep Em Cold” you feels almost battered by the kinetic energy that the band have. Whilst it never quite reaches the heights of their last record “Everything Is Fine”, it is an extremely strong effort that forces everyone else to up their game.