I remember loving Heaven’s Basement (2008 – 2017) the band Buchanan joined in 2010 and left in 2015 and their blistering EP’s and debut album ‘Filthy Empire’ – a band that joined that long list of ‘Saviors of British Rock’ and like most of the rest of the list ultimately split before they made a real impression.
This album of course is Buchanan’s retort. OK yes we know this one came out originally back in May 2017 (and that the cover isn’t that of the new version which adds the words ‘Special Edition’) but this special edition does add three additional live tracks (not on our review copy) and two exclusive studio tracks that we’ll get to after we revisit this ‘cult classic’.
For those that missed out first time around then this special edition gives you a wealth of material to edify your ears – the ten originals plus two new tracks in ‘Fire in the Field’ and ‘Undertow’.
When originally released the album received a great critical response with its mixture of modern and more traditional rock, all approached with a wanton creativity. It felt at times that the music of Heaven’s Basement had been thrown into a pot with a whole stew of electric and eclectic ingredients that resulted in a hard rocking concoction that at times felt a little Metal, at others rather theatrical; and with a sound that ran the gamut from Queen to Soundgarden to 30 Seconds To Mars! It was an album that you felt was made to please its creator, but in doing so cast that net so wide it couldn’t help but connect on some level with Rock’s fragmented and genre-driven audience.
The album, you have to say, is certainly diverse and therefore almost by default rides on your connection with Buchanan’s voice – and what a voice it is. He can of course belt out the rockers like the anthemic ‘All The Things You’ve Said And Done’; ‘A God Is No Friend’; ‘Left Me For Dead’ and the heavier bulldozer Rock of ‘Mind Of A Mute’ that can’t help you conjure up images of vintage Soundgarden. But that’s just one side of a many-faceted story though.
And it’s not long before you get a taste of the richness within, even opener ‘Show Me What You’re Made Of’ is suitably grand, if teasingly short and ‘Dancin’ Down Below’ has enough sheen and melody to suggest that Queen might be an enduring inspiration, which is of curse something that’s confirmed on tracks like the title track, but especially on ‘Morals’ which are very Mercury-esque.
It’s ‘Journey Out of Here’ though that really layers on the modern rock feel, and though of course 30 Seconds to Mars is an easy name to grasp at when looking for comparisons (I mean all they really sound like is a mash of U2 and Smashing Pumpkins listening to Pink Floyd.) it is a reasonable one. I personally aren’t too keen but each to their own.
It’s a shame our review copy didn’t come with ether the promised three live tracks or even an indication of what they might be but the two bonus tracks are in themselves worth your attention. ‘Fire in the Fields of Mayhem’ explores pop punk rather well and ‘Undertow’ adds another rocker to the mix. ‘The Man With Stars On His Knees’ now has even more to recommend it to you.