Not without Phil. Late into 2012, the band THIN LIZZY announced that there will be no future works on new material under the vintage signature. Therefore, a new beast rose far in the horizon, it was named BLACK STAR RIDERS. This is kind of a cool name for a band of veteran players eager to show off their craft of 70s driven Hard Rock. But these guys aren't just type any veterans musicians, and that is the beauty of it all, these fellows are actually 80% of the THIN LIZZY lineup plus the addition of Jimmy DeGrasso (ex-MEGADETH / ex-ALICE COOPER / ex-DAVID LEE ROTH). BLACK STAR RIDERS may be regarded as the true third generation of the original Irish THIN LIZZY, staging the old giant's crunchy Hard Rock, stony, oozed with Blues occasionally and compellingly at times. Newly signed to Nuclear Blast Records, the band issued its debut spitfire bombing mechanism referred to as "All Hell Breaks Loose". Nothing actually broke loose, or a killer or the boys are back in town, but it surly rattled the prison bars.

Though Scott Gorham's arguments that BLACK STAR RIDERS is nothing like Phil Lynott's term with THIN LIZZY, which ended by his untimely Death in 1986, there is no use escaping from it, as Ricky Warwick (THE ALMIGHTY) is the next best thing to both Lynott's voice and commanding presence as a frontman, surly also was the right pick to head THIN LIZZY when the act came back for live routines. Moreover, both the new material and the sound engineering are stone cold old LIZZY, yet contemporary sounding. The engineering projects by Kevin Shirley, at the recording and mixing, and Bob Ludwig, fulfilling the wet 70s dream with his mastering, established the vintage echo that has been so longed for by many, me included. As for the album's material, Gorham, Warwick and crew reasserted the tangy masteries of LIZZY's catchy Rock classics, Blues augmentations, and song formulas and patterns that enlisted various elements of bar storytelling under the veil of chop Rock atmospheric music.

Surly there is nothing like the old spice of "Whiskey In The Jar", but BLACK STAR RIDERS had "Bloodshot" or the even broader and sharp edged groove of "Valley Of The Stones", really enjoyed those crispy melodies. In addition, I couldn't escape the catchiness of "Bound For Glory", stated as the band's guiding pillar. This is a good track, casual Hard Rock with a highly memorable chorus that will rip out the best of them, yet it reminded me of "The Boys Are Back In Town" in way, ranging back to 1976, especially with its melodic guitar harmonies and showcasing of the chorus. "Kissin' The Ground" and "Before The War" can assume a stature of stadium Rock hitters, though "Bound For Glory" high flying potential at becoming the band's major seller, these two have a bit more character, additional heavy riffing, passionate soloing piercing right through my skull, along with a smashing vocal performance. Also I would like to introduce you to the ending finale of "Blues Ain't So Bad", a true Rock anthem, exercising shrewd Blues infestation, reminded me of Gorham's old project 21 GUNS, another band that I truly admired back when they were surfing the Rock.

I believe "All Hell Breaks Loose" to be a chief step in the new THIN LIZZY incarnation, because it is hard to shake it that it is not them. I don't think that it is not. It smells the same and plays the darn same. Business is good guys; the songs are new, impressive and just right down the stretch, but breathing archetypal class that will bite you relentlessly in the ass.