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Writer's pictureAndy Sharrocks

Album Review - The Rattlebacks - Sidewinder



The Rattlebacks have bitten me, sinking their hard rock venom into my veins.


Hailing from Brighton and formed in 2021 it seems these boys can do no wrong. Previous to

this release they have released an EP called Kink, which features the very infectious

Rattleback, and Amon, which has a great video to accompany it. In fact it was these two

songs, backed by their videos, which made me realise what a great band they are – They

look great, loads of hair flailing all over the place and attitude to die for, energy in

abundance, and. there is no doubt about their playing. All top ingredients for an ambitious

new rock band, carrying on the tradition of UK Metal and hard rock, first forged by Black

Sabbath, through to Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.


The album is just Riff City, with the guitarists Coxy and Max Horn, trading licks like their lives

depended on it, locked down by the disciplined drumming of Seth Marks and the fluid but

solid bass playing of Max “The Hell” Hollamby.


Sidewinder consists of 11 tracks in all, eight of them full on in your face rockers, and three of

them slower, slightly grungy type offerings, all of them adding up to a great assault on the

aural senses, the last song Lazy Brian featuring a great Ron Asheton type wah wah solo.


The slightly operatic vocals are taken care of by Josh Clarke, (sporting an impressive

Daliesque moustache) who I am guessing is the lyric writer too. He, or whoever wrote the

lyrics, seem to touch on mental health issues a fair bit, on both this album and the EP. I like

this as it shows a depth of perception, away from liking a girls charms.


I must admit when I first played the whole album, I wasn’t immediately bowled over, but add

in the other ingredients of video, live footage, image, attitude and the EP, I realized that this

was a band on their way somewhere. It’s gratifying to see new bands like this carrying the

torch for good hard rocking and hopefully making some young converts on the way.


They say it took them a lifetime to put this album together, please guys don’t take another

lifetime to come up with the next one.


Sidewinder is out on the 15th of November so make sure you pre-order it now.



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