Album Review: Black Star Riders - The Killer Instinct

Having semi-retired the Thin Lizzy name, Black Star Riders retain the Irish folk-drenched, crunchy rock’n’roll sound.

The album is generous on the pumping bass and guitar harmonies, with decent grooves and catchy hooks abounding. Ricky Warick’s voice heavily echoes the late Phil Lynott, intentionally or not, but the similarity will no doubt divide listeners. Charlie I Gotta Go and Sex Guns And Gasoline are rockers of the highest order, but Finest Hour and Blindsided are inoffensively bland. A good chunk of the album is solid rock’n’roll, but some track-trimming wouldn’t have gone astray.