Album Review: Black Star Riders - The Killer Instinct

When the touring version of Thin Lizzy announced they were changing their name and releasing an all-new album, there was a huge buzz for the first new quasi-Lizzy music in a long, long time. That did not extend to me, however, as I had never been swept away as a fan of the band. So when Black Star Riders first album came out, I listened to it not with the expectations of a legacy, but as someone walking in blind. What I found was that, over time, the album grew on me, to the point where I can now say it's quite a fine piece of work. While the guitar harmonized of Thin Lizzy's past are present, the songs had a different take on the old sound, and it came together in a package that kept getting better the more I listened to it.

The band is now back with their second album, where I would expect them to continue developing into their own band, and leaving behind more of the past. The title track does not do this, instead delving straight into the expected sound, leading off with one of those signature guitar harmonies, grooving through a verse on Ricky Warwick's ragged delivery, before serving up a catchy chorus that feels like the best song a bar band has ever written. It's the kind of music that Black Star Riders can make in their sleep, and it still sounds as good as their debut.

The band does take this album as an opportunity to stretch out and try new things. “Bullet Blues” is a darker rocker, bringing the aforementioned blues influences into the mix, with a chorus more dependent on the guitar run than Warwick's vocal, and a solo that cuts over the top of a heavy groove and slashing chords. It's not at all what you would expect, but it works well to give the album a shot of diversity.

“Finest Hour” uses an acoustic guitar to underpin Scott Gorham's colorful lead work, which is one of those tricks I absolutely adore. The different guitar textures give the song a richer sound, and an inviting depth, and then the layered harmonies in the chorus make the song's melody pop out even more. If the cover art read Thin Lizzy, this song would be a classic, because it's everything that should be right about rock and roll.

The album keeps delivering surprises, with the Celtic-influenced heavy rocker “Soldierstown” delivering a darker sound that still retains the endearing qualities Black Star Riders excel at, while “Charlie I Gotta Go” showcases the phenomenal guitar tone by letting the song build from the lone guitar riff, although what it does lead to does sound a bit reminiscent of “Hoodoo Voodoo” from the debut. “Blindsided” mixes an acoustic blues ballad with a thundering blast of heavy rock, culminating in another of Warwick's smooth melodies.

Where the record stumbles, or more accurately, where it doesn't excel as much as in the songs that sound like you would expect. The straight-forward Lizzy style rockers are all fine songs, but don't sparkle with the passion of the songs that take risks. Things like the epic closer “You Little Liar” bristle with an energy that takes an already good song and makes it great. Most of the album is of that standard, but there are a couple places where that lags slightly behind.

I don't know if I can say right now whether or not this record is better than “All Hell Breaks Loose”. That record took time to really dig itself in and establish a foothold in my memory. What I can say about “The Killer Instinct” is that it's another really good set of songs that prove Black Star Riders are a heck of a hard rock band, and it features a couple of songs that jump out at you in a way that the debut lacked. Two albums in, no one can deny that Black Star Riders are a band unto themselves, and they outclass the majority of the bands that have tried to take up the Thin Lizzy legacy.