In a recent article with Rock Sound Magazine, Frank Carter promised to "put the bollocks back in rock", and he wasn't bulls***ing us either.
"The Union Jack has bled away/ it's black and white/ and it's f***ing grey". "Queensberry Rules" is the penultimate anthem for disillusioned patriots who have seen the world and didn't like it. Gallows, who have been touring "Orchestra of Wolves" for the last couple of years, have seen a lot, done a lot, and felt a lot. Carter is a master of distilling feelings of pain and frustration into lyrics.
With a major label contract often comes a major label sound. Gallows have thankfully avoided this snare, and instead devised an intrepid ripper of vitriol and wit. No one is safe: "Nail their bodies to the crucifix/ slit the throats of all the priests... they have to answers to our questions/ god bless this great depression... all the pigs should be bled dry/ the crooked metropolitan/ all the fucking clergymen/ the child abusers, the national front/ the rapists, the racists/ all fucking scum... dust to dust, ashes to ashes..."
Frank Carter has been quoted as saying that Gallows set out to make a "classic record". Have they succeeded? Let me put it this way: I only give five-star ratings to those who deserve it. This is my official "Ass-Kicker of 2009". "Grey Britain" is not for the faint of heart; it is for those sick of life in black-and-white.
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Track Listing:
1) The Riverbank
2) London Is The Reason
3) Leeches
4) Black Eyes
5) I Dread The Night
6) Death Voices
7) Vultures (Acts I & II)
8) The Riverbed
9) The Great Forgiver
10) Graves
11) Queensberry Rules
12) Misery
13) Crucifuck



