ALBUM REVIEW: Forever Loaded – The Lords Of Altamont

There are band names that just fit the music they make like a glove. MOTÖRHEAD is one, EXTREME NOISE TERROR is undoubtedly one as well. BLACK SABBATH, FUNKADELIC, DEATH, the list goes on. You can easily add THE LORDS OF ALTAMONT to that list as well, as the name of the band conjures all manner of swaggering rock ‘n’ roll excess, coupled with a real sense of danger, at a time when music was unpredictable, and even a sense of finality, all important aspects of proper rock ‘n’ roll legend.

This sense of danger and excess is explicitly captured in their music, and the bands eighth full length album Forever Loaded is something that is aptly titled as well, capturing their strutting, self assured rock ‘n’ roll perfectly once again and its delivered with a high octane approach that brilliantly teeters on the brink of chaos at times but is ultimately executed in a confident manner. This is a band that have seen and done it all but have lived to tell the tale, and are still doing it after all these years, and these tales live on in their songs and the 10 tracks that make up Forever Loaded are packed full of rock ‘n’ roll grandeur mixed with a vital lust for life and the results are never anything but truly infectious.

Big, powerful, sleazy riffs are the order of the day on this record, and add in a side order of massive grooves and another of commanding vocals that are just on the right side of raw, complete things impeccably and you have a recipe for success from the get go. The jewel in THE LORDS OF ALTAMONT crown though is the sound of the Hammond organ that soars through tracks, in particular the opening explosion of Got A Hold On Me, the anthemic Devil Rides (DFFL) and the rousing I Got Your Number, and the vibes go off the charts when that organ comes in and enhances the power of the band tenfold. That combination of the anthemic organ and the MC5/STOOGES-esque rock ‘n’ roll is a match made in heaven.

Forever Loaded is an album that is filled with tons of swagger and a sound that just oozes attitude, and with other tracks on the record like the funky stomp of Got You On The Run adding an extra edge to proceedings as well is just the icing on this particular rock ‘n’ roll topped cake.

There are elements of punk rock in there as well, in sound as well as attitude, and when you add everything together, you have a record that talks the talk and walks the walk, takes no prisoners and wouldn’t sound out of place blasting out of a jukebox in a grimy dive bar but also has the same gusto to be blasted out of a stadium, such is the anthemic quality of the songs, and that sums up the appeal and the brilliance of THE LORDS OF ALTAMONT and Forever Loaded. So strap yourself in for a wild ride through rock ‘n’ roll nirvana.

Rating: 8/10

Forever Loaded is out now via Heavy Psych Sounds. 

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