Cut from the finest cloth that covers the cream of British Hard Rock.
House Of X have originated from the UFO / MSG spin-off band X-UFO that featured one-time members Danny Peyronel (vocals/keyboards), Laurence Archer (guitars), Rocky Newton (bass) and Clive Edwards (drums), each artist singularly racking up an impressive Curriculum Vitae of work that includes the likes of Phil Lynott's Grand Slam, Wild Horses, Stampede, Heavy Metal Kids, Lionheart, Pat Travers and Bernie Marsden, as well as countless guest appearances and co-writes. As X-UFO they have toured for several years with a set-list of their own versions of the classic songs they co-wrote and performed with their more illustrious bands, now House Of X sees the foursome take that one step further with an album of songs very much in the vein of their former employers with a few tweaks to the sound along the way.
It would have been easy to just do an album of UFO songs, but House Of X have eschewed such an idea in favour of the own composition route, the solitary song that can be constituted as a cover is the Peyronel penned 'Martian Landscape' which originally appeared on the 'No Heavy Pettin'' album – in all honesty my least favourite cut on the whole album. But the other eleven songs that make up this debut offering are cut from the finest cloth that covers the cream of British Hard Rock, obviously UFO are at the top of the influential tree of the HOX sound, but I also get whiffs of early Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy and oddly Strange Fruit – the latter because Danny Peyronel's voice occasionally reminds me of Ray Simms, the character portrayed by Bill Nighy in the film 'Still Crazy' about a washed-up seventies band reforming for another crack at stardom – which in some ways mirrors what HOX are also attempting. (If you've never seen the film, it's definitely worth a look!)
To select a handful of highlights, opener 'Do Me Wrong' is a surging Rocker built around a heavy groove, 'No More Tequila' is fast-paced and direct, 'The Road Less Troubled' has an extremely memorable chorus, and 'Busted' has an AC/DC rhythmic feel, with all said songs revolving around the riff-work of Archer, while the lengthy 'Rage' is the guitarist's own instrumental showcase – and a damn fine one too! Top marks for me however goes to the mid-tempo 'Second Son' that sees HOX divert into Melodic Rock territory with a simple yet catchy guitar refrain.
As X-UFO Peyronel, Archer, Newton and Edwards have attained a credible following, I see no reason why House Of X can't reinforce those credentials and enhance their degree of success.
Ant Heeks
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