COMEBACK EP FROM GLASGOW-BASED ROCK OUTFIT

Sin’Dogs are a Glasgow-based outfit whose debut album, Vol. 1, garnered interest across the classic rock world upon release in 2018. Founded by Sensational Alex Harvey Band guitarist, Zal Cleminson (hence, Zal Cleminson’s Sin’Dogs), the band suffered a split in 2019, but now return with the release of this EP, Renascence (titled for the revival of something that has been dormant) with a lineup of vocalist Peter Scallan (Samson, Chris Glen & The Outfit, and Phil Lynott’s Grand Slam), keyboardist and founding member David Cowan (also Chris Glen), guitarist Andy McLaughlin (who has played live with many acts, including members of Carl Palmer Band & Guns n’ Roses), drummer Todd MacLeod (Swamp Born Assassins & Jimi Anderson Group), and bassist and another founding member, Nelson McFarlane (SAHB and fusion outfit Oscar Cordoba Band).

There is, therefore, quite a pedigree with this band, and I suppose when a major player and founding member leaves, the question must be whether what output succeeds him passes muster.

This is a four-track release ahead of a full-blown album, Vol. 2 – The Next Testament due out at the end of the year. You can get the CD at the band’s live shows (for details see their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/Sindogs) and it is available for streaming on the usual outlets.

So, we open with Dark Side Of Your Soul which weighs in at just over five minutes. The opening keys are grand and light, and as things move on, the piano work is very impressive together with some nice orchestration. I really like Scallan’s voice, McFarlane comes up with some very pleasing bass melodies and the track develops into a very good commercial rock piece with clear progressive sensibilities embedded. When McLaughlin enters the fray, he produces a thoughtful and intricate solo and after this the band rock out and produce some great riffs and noise, with our first chance to hear MacLeod pushing matters along. I really do enjoy this track which left me wanting to hear more. A video has been released, and it is below.

Day Of Reckoning follows, a much heavier piece with crunching riffs and a pulsing rhythm section. Scallan proves himself more than equal to the task of leading the heavy line, and I think some of the keyboard and vocal effects in amongst this are extremely well performed and placed in the mix. Cowan & McLaughlin provide a very good duet and the piece closes in bombastic fashion. Classic British heavy metal and very good.

Knock Em Dead is up next, another five-minute piece in which the keyboards feature strongly. Listening to this, for some extraordinarily strange reason, I think of a mix between Asia & Saxon, both bands who brought a huge sound to their acts and had a commercial strength, and Sin’Dogs most certainly have that. This is a hugely enjoyable hard rock track of vengeance with some piercing guitar riffs, a great solo, and more very clever keyboards.

We close with The Strange Door, the longest track at 5:15. There is a nice eastern vibe to this track and Scallon narrating the story with aplomb, this track will definitely appeal to fans of classic Dio-era Rainbow. Just short of four minutes in, we get an incredible piano solo accompanied by expansive keys before the guitar joins with this to create a huge noise. A rollocking way to end proceedings.

This EP has me looking forward to hearing a full album. It is thoroughly enjoyable rock music promising great things for the album release. Catch them if you can at Winterstorm Festival – details at https://www.winterstorm.co.uk/

To close, then, do this band have a future without Cleminson? On this evidence, yes.