Formed in 2002 by Saint Vitus drummer Henry Vasquez and Dave Gryder, this is a band that pays homage to the great 70’s hard rock bands in a true and authentic style laden with a massive amount of Deep Purple worship (Gillan & Coverdale era’s). ‘Let It Roll’ kicks out the jams and get things moving in true rock n roll style. The Hammond organ in the background actually plays a key role in most of the following songs by way of an organ solo; I mean…this is where it is at. Please don’t worry though; guitar solos are present in abundance, but the Hammond solos are a touch of genius!

‘Can’t Stop My Heart’ continues to ooze charisma and soul, passion and heartache, the arrangements are simply addictive. Original, Blood of the Sun might not be, but fresh is how you feel when you hear such an earthy, down to grass roots record like this. You gain a time travelling gene, you hark back to a pleasant time when money and wealth wasn’t as important as living and breathing, this is a timeless album made relevant in modern times. Apart from emulating 70’s rock monsters, fans of the stoner buzz in the early 2000’s many want to take note, there is groove-a-plenty, a real laid back easy feeling. Early Orange Goblin sounds a familiar pick up to more modern times in Blood of the Sun’s music, mix that with Montrose, Uriah Heep and Foghat you have a broad spectrum of ideas, a massive amount of appeal and an album that rocks really hard and has the ability on ‘Brings Me Down’ to exhibit a softer more soulful approach.

But for the great rock and rollers out there ‘The Snitch’ will getcha rocks off and if you are not already taken in by this album already, you will want to prepare to repeat the whole damn thing time after time. It did not take much for me to want to write about this album, it’s a very cool listen; it’s an authentic classic rock album that has soul, groove and a singer that is the true sense of rock and roll by way of an immensely powerful tone and delivery.

(8/10 Paul Maddison)

www.myspace.com/bloodofthesun