“Drawing equally from metal, rock and punk, Scottish quintet Serpico have developed a sound that is like a soundtrack to modern living. As emotionally charged as it is intense, it showcases a band with supreme confidence and clearly enjoying every second of what they do.”

Band Members: Mikey Serpico (vocals), Steve Paterson (guitars), Olli Bowker (guitar), Jonny McMillan (drums), Iain Gillespie (bass).

It’s not often that we receive a new album from a new band which is immediately play-listed for one of our local FM radio shows. But that’s precisely what happened after hearing this album for the first time. The track selected was the distinctive and rocky ‘Kultura’ and not the band’s first single ‘We Own The Night’. It’s not surprising that the latter was selected as it’s more ‘radio-friendly’, but ‘Kultura’ slays it for drama, originality, pace, melody and sheer gut-wrenching metal vibe. ‘Devil’s Brigade’ comes in seamlessly (without those silent pauses) in very similar vein followed by a very different ‘Prelude’. Gone is the metal vibe replaced by electronic, spaced-out sounds to kick things off before it lurches back into heavy rock at breakneck speed, with melody and riffs to burn. A crash of cymbals introduces ‘Last Honest Cops’, a punk-arsed, driving song with guitar riffs to-die-for and pace that Lewis Hamilton could do with right now. ‘Godforsaken’ is a jagged, angry son-of-a-bitch metal song with deft changes of pace that veer from deathly to F111… There’s also more melody and great vocals to seal an appetizing package. ‘Feeling Minnesota’ is another highlight with its fabulous guitar licks and original vocals. Two more highlights close the album in the slower, contemplative ‘Glasseye’ and incendiery, epic ‘Nothingness & Infamy’.

There’s passion and authority on display here, with songs that give one the impression that this band has been around forever. An excellent debut.

4/5