If anyone ever tries to tell you that “Rock’n Roll is dead”, please give them a dirty and degrading look for me. Those folks that doubt the potential of modern rock are nothing short of misinformed, though they do have the rationalization of classic legacies at their back. Virtually no band will ever be able to overcome the shadow of longevity that bands like the Stones, The Who, Aerosmith, and the like have cast over the past half-century, but that doesn’t mean that modern rock lacks a pulse. Band of Skulls is a perfect example of an unappreciated band that serves as a pacemaker for modern rock’s steady beat, as the Southampton band has been jamming through the apparent doubt ever since their debut 2009 album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey.

Band of Skulls aren’t just another bundle of hair thrashing violently as they yell nonsense into the hearts and minds of a sparsely populated mosh pit. Artistically sloppy riffs like Hendrix, unexpectedly captivating tempo changes like Zeppelin, and ferociously gritty vocals like The Sex Pistols all echo in the motley assortment of sounds that Band of Skulls lays forth in this single album. The album’s most impressive moment however, is arguably the finale, “Cold Fame”. This closing track reflects the work of Guns N’ Roses’s famous song “Patience”, as “Cold Fame” tunes out the excessive noise that everyone had grown accustomed to and abruptly slows the heart to a sedated and contemplative beat. Even with all that inspired wind at their back, Band of Skulls is shockingly underpopulated with only 3 members performing the work of a fully-staffed 5 piece unit. So give the album a listen, witness the similarities between the greats, and honestly tell me that rock’s grave has been dug.

Favorite Tracks: Cold Fame, Death By Diamonds And Pearls, I Know What I Am, Light Of The Morning, Fires