ALBUM REVIEW: Kings Of The Asylum – Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons

It’s doubtful a reminder that we live in difficult times is needed. With worsening sociopolitical issues moving to the forefront of everyone’s already rattled mind, a release is needed. With their brand of rock ‘n’ roll, PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS return to the fray with their third album Kings Of The Asylum. Just who those monarchs are will become clear shortly.

The follow up to 2020’s We’re The Bastards came with very little fanfare. While some bands choose to take this route, that doesn’t mean it’s good practice. On the other hand however, little promotion brings little expectation with this 11-track suite. Everyone’s a winner. Except for the protagonist of Walking In Circles. Small drum flourishes from Dane Campbell punctuate new recruit Joel Peters’ (vocals) statement “Black dog has found me/ Wicked by design”. Peters’ vocals add a grit the band had been lacking at times but can also dwell in the trenches of harmonies. With the pedigree Phil Campbell (guitar) holds in terms of his tenure with MOTÖRHEAD, he and his brood will encounter the at times lazy comparison between the two.

That said, PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS pay tribute to their parent band with Too Much Is Never Enough. This “party hard, hit the road” anthem is as fast and unashamed as MOTÖRHEAD were, although this is where the comparison ends. While the vocal hooks which speak of time slipping away are infectious and the dual riffs from Phil and Todd Campbell are pleasant enough to listen to, it comes across as a very typical hard rock song which prompts the brain to switch off at times. This energy carries through to Hammer And Dance with just a hint of punk influence in terms of the brashness and speed of the riffs. But this family affair isn’t just about reaching the finish line as fast as possible; Hammer And Dance’s tight spiralling into minimalist verses shows an element of song composition and evolution from previous entries in their discography.

This brings us to the topic of pacing. Hammer And Dance’s brashness and arrogance smashes into a solo which is a lot slower and far more meandering than we’d expect. It flows well into a track like Strike The Match which sits at a similar BPM as many successful tracks from ZZ TOP. Perhaps it’s this notion but Strike The Match feels like something we’ve heard before. This is no bad thing as the call and response nature of the song means it’ll do well in the live arena should it move in that direction. However the track comes apart again with the solo. It’s not mismatched from the rest of the track but instead is something which could be there to simply fill time.

Schizophrenia comes with tons of promise as a crunch can be heard in the introductory riff. The overlaying drone adds a particular flair, and while the introduction could have used a little more in terms of worldbuilding, what’s there is great composition. But then the track wobbles with its pacing as it feels too slow for the vocal delivery. A track about how someone has “lost communication with all reality” could have used a touch more urgency, yet the groove it settles into feels much like the rocking of anxiety. This melody-centric notion flows into the title track; a slow but full-bodied political track. Poignancy seems to be the band’s intention, maybe sitting in the same vein as RISE AGAINST’s ballad type tracks, but something seems to be amiss. The title track is catchy and this attack against those who are driven by “the power, the money, the sex” is much needed at this moment in time. However it feels bland. There’s no crunch or crispness to this. The harmonies in the chorus are nice to listen to and there’s more than enough material in here to make this a great song but it lacks in execution.

Perhaps in a bid to amp up the energy once more, we’re presented with the trio The Hunt, Show No Mercy, and No Guts! No Glory!. The first of this triad oozes with ominous tones. “You are mine for the taking” simply radiates predator energy – of the hunter kind – while the carnal scream into the bridge contains an energy we had been waiting for. Show No Mercy may come across a little stereotypical in the message of “never fall victim to the hand you’ve been dealt” but it again comes with nice flourishes from the guitars. The third point, No Guts! No Glory!, paints the story of what it takes to go into battle. Speaking of how we “kiss our sons and daughters as we march off to die”, this track should spike the adrenaline. However there’s no real talking point and the track simply passes by. A shame for sure.

As we move into the final tandem; Ghosts and Maniac, fatigue comes through the speaker. Whether it’s listener, band, or a collaboration of both, there’s a loss of steam. Having 11 tracks on an album nowadays is an ambitious ask for a band’s audience. In doing this, the band has to deliver 11 solid tracks. With Kings Of The Asylum however, this pay off simply doesn’t exist. There are talking points within the album which makes this a good catalogue of music, but in saying this, there simply isn’t enough there to make this a great album from someone as prolific as Phil Campbell.

Rating: 6/10

Kings Of The Asylum is available now via Nuclear Blast Records.

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