Tin Soldiers

The Protester (2014)

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Tin Soldiers second album will be released 28th April 2014.

Recorded and mastered in Outhouse Studios, Reading

Mixed, Produced and mastered by – Ben Humphreys, John Mitchell and James Binge

Track listing – 1. Miles Away, 2. The Protester, 3. Fight The Fever, 4. Take Back The Streets, 5. Talk, 6. Alarms, 7. Falling, 8. Army Of One, 9.Forced To Fight, 10. Always Tomorrow, 11. Sign Your Life Away, 12. Not Everything Is Lost, 13. The Butterfly Effect

FULL REVIEWS

CLASSIC ROCK / THE PROTESTER

Kent outfit with plenty to shout about. Named not after the SLF song but the opening line of Neil Young’s Ohio, these unashamed hard-rock classicists have been winning hearts and minds since the release of their tightly coiled 2010 debut Telling Tales.

If the riff-heavy reference points remain familiar (Foo Fighters, Muse, Feeder) Rich Cross’s ruminations on the state of the nation never fail to hit the mark thanks to pensive lyrics (Take Back The Streets) and a propulsive musical urgency (Falling), driven by tireless drummer Chris Persiva. Tender when they want to be – notably on the desolate Alarms – their call-up papers for rock’s big league must surely be in the post. 7/10 Paul Moody


SHAKENSTIR / THE PROTESTER. Broken Star Media

“We wanted to write and play music that meant something,” singer-guitarist Rich Crossingham says of his creative motivations. “We wanted to write something that was a little bit different to another song about boy loves girl – something that was right for the time and that was passionate about a theme. I wouldn’t say we’re a political band. Then again ‘Ohio’ is a pretty political song, so maybe on some level we are.”

From the opening drum roll and military vibe followed by the ebb and flow of powerful guitar passages this album signals its intention to rock us out of our complacency. For me, it’s one of the most powerful and dark openings to any album I’ve heard in recent years, and is stunning. The title track, ‘The Protester’, explodes out of my speakers with Crossingham sounding as genuine and as passionate as ever. The melody is powerful, the instrumental performances powerful and the overall sonic vibe is one of a live performance rather than a highly over-polished studio recording. The sound is distinctive and if there’s any justice this should be played widely over the airwaves. Terrific! ‘Fight The Fever’ is another radio-friendly guitar rocker while ‘Take Back The Streets’ with its mixed pace and rhythmic underbelly could become the anthem of a lost generation – think Ukraine, think People Power!

‘Talk’ rumbles uncomfortably along at deathly pace with vocal harmonies to-die-for. It’s a reflective song with a wonderfully expressive vocal from Crossingham. ‘Alarms’ goes snare-drum-military with some distinctive guitar chords before the crashing instrumental choruses enter to create a memorable and stupendous close. This is a rock instrumental track par excellence… Then ‘Falling’ thunders in – an epic rock song with melody at its heart and passion in its soul. Track after track delivers rock thrills and I believe has fulfilled the band’s aims and objectives. It’s distinctive and deserves the support of radio, the media and fans of the genre. Favourite tracks? I love most of them but ‘Forced To Fight’ is a complex song which somehow manages to mix pace and vibe like few other songs I’ve heard. ‘Not Everything Is Lost’ is also a compelling listen, while ‘The Butterfly Effect’ is a slow-moving, emotional heartbreaker. Hell, in truth, there’s thirteen tracks here of top quality and encourage me to want to see the band performing them live. I reckon that’s job done.
4/5 (Shakenstir magazine)


POWER PLAY / THE PROTESTER 

After a debut that showed plenty of promise and garnered a lot of positive reviews (including one from this very mag), this young English indie rock band return and suggest that the promise shows no sign of abating. It’s resolutely indie rock and although for that particular genre rocks quite hard, it won’t be for metalheads. The band’s jagged guitar sound and jolting rhythms are married to big, melodic alt radio choruses. There are undisputed elements of Feeder, Foo Fighters and Ash in their sound, but there’s enough of an original spin on it to make them potential darlings of the teen indie rock community. Much of the band’s character is down to Rich Crossingham’s voice; he varies his delivery enough across the tracks to hold your attention. The album has a concept of sorts that runs through it. It’s not overbearing in a prog rock concept way, but at times you sense that they are self-consciously looking for a lyric that fits the theme. That theme is about protesting and making a stand. This particular protest might not be bold enough to start something the size of the French revolution, but it’s certainly more spirited than a rotten egg aimed at a complacent politician. The title track, ‘Take Back The Streets’ and ‘Falling’ are just three of the highlights and should find their way onto alt rock playlists. 

7/10


SONIC SHOCKS – The Protester 

Tin Soldiers release their 2nd full length album ‘The Protester’ on 28th April through Broken Star Media and frack’ me it’s a stunner. Opening track ‘Miles Away’ lulls you in with a staccato military drum beat, leads you on with its tempestuous guitars and sucker-punches you with lead singer Rich Crossinghams sombre, emotive vocals. It’s a great opening track. Worth the price of admission alone some would say, then it gets better. Oh my does it get better. 

Title track ‘The Protester’ hits you where it hurts and doesn’t let up. Crashing guitars, tight vocal melodies, it all just works. And it works really well. 

‘Take Back the Streets’ is a standout track for me. Worthy of all the air time it can get, its aggressive, raw, emotive and you feel the band really give a damn about you, themselves and the message they want to get across. ‘Falling’ kicks it up a gear and gives you the impression that this band will be at their best live, with a mosh pit and free-flowing beer. I can’t wait. 

‘We wanted to write and play music that meant something’ singer-guitarist Rich Crossingham says of their creative motivations. ‘We wanted to write something that was a little bit different to another song about boy loves girl – something that was right for the time and that was passionate about a theme’. 

With ‘The Protester’ Tin Soldiers have succeeded in doing just that, writing an album that’s right for our times and gives it both barrels on the passion. Outstanding. 

by David J Brady  

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