Toseland Cradle The Rage

I will be honest and say I didn't really know who James Toseland was until I saw his band at Ramblin Man Fair last July when their 30 minute set blew the cobwebs off the place.

Two years after the release of their debut cd Renegade they return with the release of Cradle The Rage which is out on March the 11th worldwide via the Metalville label.

Produced and co written with Toby Jepson (Little Angels vocalist) and mixed by the legendary Mike Fraser(AC/DC,Metallica and Motley Crue) and from the very first note this bursts from the speakers with a vibrancy and urgency that says look at us.

Up tempo hard rock full of pounding drums,driving guitar riffs and huge choruses with James's vocal style in the vein of Myles Kennedy in my opinion which suits the material perfectly.

Opener Too Close To Call is a great opener with a big muscular riff and driving rhythm with a thudding bass line and James all over the chorus and some gang style backing vocals with a song that should open the upcoming live shows.

First single Puppet On A Chain actually increases the pace further with the drums up a notch and I like the fact they like to mix it up as with the second verse the huge riff disappears but all kicks back in for the huge huge chorus.Some light and shade after the second chorus which makes the riff and drums even harder as they reappear for the outro.Driving classic rock for 2016.

All of the band play their part with guitarists Zurab Melua and Ed Bramford all over it and when they do solo they are short and sharp and to the point.Roger Davis on bass and Joe Yoshida on drums are formidable and the superb production means they are heard but not overpowering.

Fingers Burned sees the pace drop a little with James on keyboards with a swirling keys sound and a chance for him to show off his full vocal range.The outro with James pouring his heart out and a wonderful emotive guitar solo is superb and you can imagine the live shows extending it as it all builds to a crescendo.

Stranger Things is a balls out rocker with again different layerings of guitar riffs throughout the song and it all builds into a huge chorus with guitars and drums and vocal all at the max.

We'll Stop At Nothing is a mid tempo number with James on keys with huge backing vocals on the chorus and even on a slower number Joe still impresses on drums with no two rhythms the same.

Never Love Another starts on an electric picked riff and James melodic vocal line before it picks up in the verse but doesn't really go balls out till the chorus.Second chorus picks up the pace and as I said earlier it is fantastic to see in a hard rock album them trying to not let it all sound the same.The variations work so well.Big big chorus.

Livin' A Lie starts on an uptempo guitar riff and moves up a notch as the drums do the same on a song that will see crowds bouncing front to back.

Waiting For The Answers sees a stop start guitar riff and bouncing bass line and again different drum rhythms throughout the verse and chorus.

Nothin' You Can Do About It sees a bluesy stop start guitar riff which with a slightly slower pace makes it sound heavier as it goes in and out in the verse.James vocal has a real edge to it.

Cradle The Rage finishes with the title track that is another uptempo classic rock track with enough balls to satisfy any rock fan and leaves you wanting more.

Toseland's second album is a statement of intent of bigger things to come and you need to hear it.

Toseland head out in the UK with Colour Of Noise in support from the 13th of March.