Maybe I’m the eternal sucker hoping Ten can be inspired enough to deliver something befitting of blistering melodic hard rock. So does this album become their redemption moment?
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Ten
ALBUM: Something Wicked This Way Comes
LABEL: Frontiers SRL
SERIAL: FRCD 1284
YEAR: 2023
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
LINEUP: Gary Hughes – vocals, guitars * Dann Rosingana – guitars * Steve Grocott – guitars * Darrel Treece-Birch – keyboards * Steve McKenna – bass * Markus Kullman – drums
Additional Musicians: Scott Hughes, Karen Fell – backing vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Look For The Rose * 02 Brave New Lie * 03 The Tidal Wave * 04 Parabellum * 05 Something Wicked This Way Comes * 06 The Fire And The Rain * 07 New Found Hope * 08 The Only Way Out * 09 When Darkness Comes * 10 The Greatest Show On Earth
RATING: 50/100
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Ah ha, Ten are my favourites for the virtual punching bag. The ever targeted Manchester band can never find a break on this website, considering I’m the one heaping the pile-on of criticism of their music over many years. Gary Hughes and his merry men are unable to come up with anything that is remotely interesting, and that has been the case now for a long while.
Maybe I’m the eternal sucker hoping Ten can be inspired enough to deliver something befitting of blistering melodic hard rock, instead of the pompous and overblown fantasy/epic metal that has dogged this band for as long as I can remember. The most recent release that we reviewed was 2018’s ‘Gothica’ which saw a slight improvement but it was still a huge disappointment. So does this latest 2023 effort ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ become their redemption moment?
The Songs
Not quite. I do think the musicianship is very good overall and quite lively throughout which is a good thing. However I’m not enthused with the lead vocal though. It’s very one dimensional from Gary, he’s locked into a mid range pitch without ever reaching into the stratosphere. Ten are supposedly a rock band.. Yes?
‘Look For The Rose’ was a decent opener, preceded by a Harry Potter like spoken word section. The band go for it and sound far better as a result. Good start. ‘Brave New Lie’ takes it cue from the late 80’s or early 90’s, this is more in keeping with how I expect Ten to sound. ‘The Tidal Wave’ didn’t hit the hightide mark at all. This one was far too poppy with a boatful of nautical references. That piano was far too faux to the proper instrument.
The war rhetoric introducing ‘Parabellum’ was perhaps unnecessary. I’m not certain of the point being made, the merits of this track are as confused as the global dialog. No one knows who’s telling the truth. ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ introduces an electric piano like nursery rhyme motif, and was waiting for the song to get nasty relative to the song title which never occurred. It was far too inoffensive. Oh dear.
‘The Fire And The Rain’ started out with an interesting keyboard melody, then the guitars kicked in and changed the entire complexion of the song – for the worse. They should have kept the melody line going. ‘New Found Hope’ dips into ballad mode. It comes across as an anthem. Like a Styx tune from the past.
‘The Only Way Out’ is full of wet reverb laden choir like voices to start out with, but the song became less interesting as it went on. ‘When Darkness Comes’ returns to the energy levels of the first two songs. However, it must be difficult to sing about the darkness when the lights are on full beam. Oops. The closing ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ had good intentions, the guitars are upfront which gives it a solid footprint.
In Summary
Everytime a Ten album is presented, I’ll have high expectations. But here I think we’ve been hoodwinked by the deceptive album cover and title. There is nothing remotely macabre nor mysterious about the clock, skull and supposed wickedness on the album whatsoever. And this is the problem I have with this band is that they promise bluster and battle axes but deliver roses and champers in the most polite way. I think I’ve said enough as I believe it’s too late for these cats to change their spots.
Ten on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
Here’s the thing. If no one is commenting on this album, then do I assume that what I’ve written is correct? 😝
I think the last Ten album I listened to and can remember enjoying was Babylon. I have given a few of the albums released since Babylon a crack, however they never stuck with me unfortunately. i tried.