Soley Mourning – The Rocket Pool CD (Saltdog Records)
For some reason the name makes me think of a depressed fish, but that aside this is actually a decent slice of RAWK. Strong, soulful vocals and big guitar riffs with a funky edge – at times it’s a bit Nickelback, at others a bit Asia/FM – maybe not your standard MM fare but there’s no denying this lot are pretty good at what they do. If AOR with a bit of crunch is your thing then give this Black Country five piece a listen. Ian Pickens