DOOMSDAY OUTLAW are presenting their back-to-bricks remixed and remastered 2024 REDUX version of their album ”Hard Times” overseen by Dave Draper (The Wildhearts, Terrorvision), with completely new artwork and including the original Japanese edition bonus track.
Originally released by Frontiers Music in 2018, “Hard Times” it’s a brave, bold record. One that makes no bones about the fact it is aiming big. That is not to say that there is anything contrived about it, rather it is just what great bands used to do. They refined, they got better with confidence, and they rock hard – a bit of classic hard rock and a bit blues melded into a heavy and melodic whole.
Remixed. Remastered. Reborn. Redux.
Opener and title track has a Zeppelinesque riff and Phil Poole uses the full range of his powerful voice and wraps it around the guitar phrases nicely before we get the subtle bridge to lead us into a chord-driven solo, which is groovy and bluesy.
‘Over and Over’ sums up this band for me: it demonstrates all that is great with each member. Great riff, a cowbell, nice harmony vocals and guitar solos of quality, all served up in a 3,5-minute blast.
‘Into the Light’ quietens things down dramatically with a piano intro and Phil’s soulful vocal riding across some strings; this is the kind of thing Coverdale used to give light and shade to his earlier work. No guitars, no histrionics just a great vocal performance.
‘Bring It On Home’ wakes us up again with some Thunder on it, then ‘Days Since I Saw the Sun’ is pure melodic hard rock and a melody that reminds me of Burning Rain.
‘Will You Wait’ is a slow burning starter before an almost operatic, heavy section, then back to slow and then back to rock via a twisted shift in time signature.
‘Break You’ is a funky treat, while ‘Too Far Left To Fall’ closes the album with the best of the bunch. A classy blues-drenched, heavy rocker.
The Japanese bonus track is ‘Days Since I Saw the Sun (Acoustic Version)’, a stripped, cool version of this melodic rocker and showcasing the band can play unplugged as well.
Doomsday Outlaw is a really good band that deserves – and with Frontiers – should get more exposure. It’s classic hard rock, blues based, in the traditional sense of this timeless sub-genre.
“Hard Times” is packed with some brilliant tracks in this vein, think Whitesnake / Coverdale, Thunder, Burning Rain… with a enough modern sound to appeal young listeners too.
HIGHLY Recommended
Tracklist:
1. Hard Times [05:57]
2. Over and Over [03:38]
3. Spirit That Made Me [05:21]
4. Into The Light [03:40]
5. Bring It On Home [04:12]
6. Days Since I Saw The Sun [04:10]
7. Will You Wait [07:41]
8. Break You [04:00]
9. Come My Way [06:26]
10. Were You Ever Mine [06:28]
11. Too Far Left To Fall [05:26]
12. Days Since I Saw The Sun (Acoustic) [03:19]
Line Up / Musicians:
Bass – Indy Chanda
Drums – John 'Ironfoot' Willis
Guitar – Gavin Mills, Steve Broughton
Lead Vocals – Phil Poole
Doomsday Outlaw – Hard Times (Redux) (2024)
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