BLACK SWAN are a new super-band who have come together from some very well known & fondly remembered bands. We have on vocals Robin McAuley of MCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP & SURVIVOR, on bass we have Jeff Pilson of Foreigner, we have Reb Beach of WHITESNAKE on guitars and Matt Starr of MR BIG on the drums. If that's not a super-band combination them I'm an astronaut in a rocket to the moon! This is a combination of artists who have came together to create an absolutely shit hot new super-band and it's an absolute pleasure to review the new debut album "Shake The World." The new album which was released on Valentine's day, 14th February 2020, brings us 11 fresh, new & frankly fucking awesome songs to bathe our ears in & swing our hair to. BLACK SWAN have given new life to some old favourites when it comes to band members and their individual talents. Each band member shows us that over time, like a fine wine, they have aged gracefully & taste even better than they did at a younger age. They are something completely new & previously unthought of let alone unheard of, so late 2019 brought us a huge surprise with the announcement of the band coming together. I have looked forward to hearing the album and waited in anticipation hoping I would be the lucky one who got to review the debut album. Also has to be noted that the artwork on the album cover is a sight to behold. Very majestic and sultry at the same time. An excellent representation of the band.

Lets introduce a few songs from the album "Shake The World." The album opens with the self titled track "Shake The World" which is our very first taste of BLACK SWAN. The song opens with some light drums and guitars which gives way to Robin's truly awe inspiring vocals entering to complete the sweet sound that is now BLACK SWAN.  It's a song that bring us together in unity & shows us that together we are stronger as a whole than the sum of our parts, just like the band themselves are showing us with the production of the debut album. "Johnny Came Marching" is song number 3. The opening instrumentals are just a delight to listen to as the vocal accompaniment comes in. Johnny was a troubled guy, but he sure knows how to march on home at the end of the day! The lyrics are great they draw you into the story of what's happening and you just want to hear more. Moving on to song number 6 we have "She's On To Us," it's 4 minutes 41 seconds of pure pleasure. Awesome guitar riffs, well written & sung lyrics that captivate the imagination & the drumming is on point. Song number 8 on the tremendous debut is called "Long Road To Nowhere" and it's a song that gives you chills when you listen to it. The combination of the instrument playing & vocals of BLACK SWAN are something to behold and this song just brings me to a point of thinking "I've got to hear the rest of this album then put it on again from the start." Closing the album is song number 11 "Divided United." This song is more of a gentle pace & tempo. It actually sounds like a bit of heart string tugger. It's got the feel of a good ballad which sooth's the soul with it's mezmerising ways. It really is a great song to close a fantastic album.

BLACK SWAN have just been born as a band, but as a super-band, it's kind of like a reincarnation. Just like the phoenix who rises from the ashes, BLACK SWAN are on fire! I have grown up listening to each of the band members former bands as mentioned in my opening paragraph, so I was delighted to hear of the bands formation late last year. I grew up on their music & actually had the pleasure of seeing WHITESNAKE perform at Download Festival last year, which was a childhood dream come true as it was the first time I had seen them play live. & what I thought then was going to be the last chance I had to see one of my childhood hero bands on stage, so you better bet your bottom £ that I will be following every step the band take & I will take a new found pleasure in watching the band grow & hope that one day in the next few years that I will be lucky enough to see BLACK SWAN perform live in the UK either in my home country of Scotland or on stage at Download Festival because I think they have the makings of a main stage act, quite possibly a future headliner. Time will tell & I hope to look back on this review & find out I'm right one day. It's truly been a fantastic album to review, an absolutely amazing album to listen to & I think my next move is to go buy a copy of the album.