Metal as a whole genre was born in Birmingham (England), and had a lot of help from Stoke-on-Trent, a near-by city. Such words are because the three pillars of Heavy Metal are from these cities: BLACK SABBATH (the creator) and JUDAS PRIEST (the modernizer) are from the first, and MOTÖRHEAD from the second (Lemmy was born there, and Lemmy was MOTÖRHEAD). So too much is expected from bands from both cities, and one can bet that NO FAVORS’ music is extremely good, as heard on “The Eleventh Hour”. Johhny Price made the sound engineering, production and mastering of the album at Lower Lane Studios, Stoke-on-Trent. The main idea was to have a sonority that could have an organic appeal, but with a modern definition, and the result is precisely this: it seems as the band just entered the studio with its gears set as a live show, recorded in this way, but with mixing and mastering working to make things have the perfect outfit to make things vigorous and full of energy.

Explaining: it’s a great result! The band was born in the 80s, with the guitarist Carl being the only original member and carrying the torch. But the new lineup keeps the band’s music as it was conceived: a mix between Hard Rock with Heavy Metal influences as was done during NWOBHM days (in the vein of names as DEMON, PRAYING MANTIS, SAMSON and others), with catching melodies and accessible moments (as heard clearly on “Destiny” and on the ballad “Wild Days”), hooking choruses, with strong instrumental parts and charming vocals. What more one could ask for?

“The Monkey are in Charge of the Zoo” (a massive energy is unleashed on this one, with great guitar riffs and arrangements), “Stop Where You Are” (the 80’s feeling on this one’s melodies is clear, especially due the strong rhythms of bass guitar and drums), “Destiny”, “Wild Days”, “Need for Speed” (a frantic and savage Hard ‘n’ Heavy moment with very good vocals and chorus), “No Looking Back”, “Never Let You Go” (a climatic Hard Rock with doses of weight, but what catching melodies it bears), “Only Memories Remain”, “My World, Your World, Our World” (another moment filled with NWOBHM weighty appeal) and “Little White Lies” are fine pieces of music that will hook every Metal fan that hears to it.

It’s truly great to hear a veteran as NO FAVORS still working at such a high level. And “The Eleventh Hour” can be said as a great moment of their career.