This is - I think - the first time we're getting a CD for review from this label and it is not a reissue from some back-catalogue 80s Hard Rock/AOR gem. Under license from the guys in THE PSYCHICS (supplies for the Japanese market will be courtesy of Marquee/Avalon) this is the first album for the British quintet and if some of the names listed up does not ring any bells then it's probable you've not spend much time with - or do not recall anymore - 90s Steve Grimmett-fronted heroes LIONSHEART.
Yeap, Steve and Mark Owers were part of the spectacular Lionsheart debut album (Music For Nations - 1993); I think they parted ways prior to the recordings for the Pride In Act (1994) follow-up (they do not appear in the clip for Can't Believe, too) but cannot remember if they even shared any credits apart from the debut LP. Anyway, every conscious British Hard Rock fan should have at least the 1993 masterpiece in his/her collection plus the usual question running in such fans' talks at times was really, whatever happened to the Owers twins?. I had such a discussion with a colleague the other day and it's a perfect world when questions of this kind are rapidly answered to the presence of a new band and fresh music itself.
Enough with the past, then. THE PHYSICS is the equivalent for classic British Hard Rock. I was rather curious to check out what dozes of new sounds the band would inherit in this CD and the answer is quite simple: none. If the likes of pre-Hollywood WHITESNAKE, THUNDER and BLUE MURDER cross your needs then The Psychics is an album you should be aware of as of now. And if someone tells you this set of songs is amazing do not take it for granted but believe it is - the least to be said - very good. The sound is traditional British Hard Rock with a bluesy edge, a glad reference to LED ZEPPELIN or (even) TRAPEZE and some expressive guitar work by Mark is featured, really missed all these years.
Portent (the video for the song is embedded below) can act as a brief representation for what THE PSYCHICS's all about. I think this copy has an improved mix/sound but - anyway - the aura surrounding the quartet's music is near-to-thrilling anyway. Steve does not play the bass here; still, surprisingly enough, he holds the singing duties and his Plant-meets-Coverdale-meets-Hughes voice is a vintage, mature and troublefree disclosure. The level of playing is invincible and the overall result is anything but groundbreaking, still holds the flag of British Rock high as if the Kingdom never surrendered to the trends' guillotine.
There's an epic surrounding in half the tracklist while the rest are straight rockers; in any way The Psychics is not a collection of innovative sounds but smells the quality of original music. If Lionsheart was harder than e.g. WHITESNAKE's illustrious career then The Psychics goes back to the relative influences of/from such bands. Every fan of Hard Rock music is invited to check this album out.