With LAST JOKER's last album being released 22 years ago in 1993, it's safe to say that they've been musically minded for a long time. Originally hailing from Brazil where they recorded their debut, they're now based in the UK where it's probably fair to say we have a sad shortage of well-known bands compared to many other countries, as Rock legends such as ROBERT PLANT, OZZY OSBOURNE and DEEP PURPLE still hold much of the limelight (no pun intended). The influence of these older, massive stars is enormous, and has a power even now as many smaller bands look to them for inspiration. LAST JOKER seem to be no exception, with their latest record bearing many hallmarks of 60s and 70s Classic Rock.

The main ways this manifests itself seem to be in the frequent guitar solos, off-timed riffs and use of synth in some songs, with "Dreamer" being perhaps the best example. The chorus of "God Save The Heroes" contains some vocals that sound very 70s, thanks to some chanting and melodic wailing from Roddy B.

While their origins and vision are admirable, there is no denying that the songs themselves can occasionally become repetitive. The aforementioned "God Save The Heroes" is a victim; repeating that same phrase so many times it begins to sound like a prayer. This is something that becomes a trend for the album, with the titles of the songs being repeated a noticeable number of times throughout.

"Spellbound" is probably one of the highlight tracks, with a wonderful intro from the guitar that kicks straight into the main body of the song without messing around. It's also structured nicely; eventually slowing down and transitioning into a nostalgic guitar solo. It's proof that the band do know how to write music, but just makes it that much more frustrating when other tracks fall short.

While "Ulterior Motives" is undoubtedly an enjoyable romp into Classic-influenced Heavy Rock, there's something about it that just stops it from blossoming like you want it to. Perhaps it's the album's length; with 12 fairly similar-sounding tracks all clocking in at around five minutes each, the formula starts to get stale around midway into the release and after that just becomes slightly tiresome. This type of music absolutely has a place in the industry today; it just needs to be done with some more imagination.<