Therapy? – Hard Cold Fire
Release Date: 5th May 2023
Label: Marshall Records
Pre-Order/Pre-Save
Genre: Alternative Rock
FFO: The Wildhearts, Terrorvision, Skunk Anansie.
Review By: Paul Cairney
Therapy? are a band that, for whatever reason, don’t appear to have the respect that their incredibly impressive back catalogue deserves. Hard Cold Fire is the Northern Irish trio’s 16th studio album and, as ever, it is as dependable as ever. Therapy? just don’t do weak albums, ever!
At 10 tracks long, Hard Cold Fire is the follow up to 2018’s well received, ‘Cleave’ and it is as immediately catchy as ever. With their trademark riffs, and vocalist, Andy Cairns, distinctive brogue, the band capture the imagination from the first seconds of the album, with opening track ‘They Shoot the Terrible Master’ stomping along delivering an unapologetic earworm and setting a tone that never lets up.
One of the best things about listening to Therapy? since their return to a genuine trio, is that they sound like a guitar-drums-bass band. This structure allows the boys to provide deliberate riffs that are crisp and, at times, utterly massive. The fact that this line-up have been together for over 20 years also allows for an album that exudes confidence, and in maintaining the services of long-term producer, Chris Sheldon, the formula for a quality album is undiminished.
Not that Hard Cold Fire is a formulaic album. It is anything but. Therapy?’s sound has evolved over the years, with no album really sounding dramatically different, but never repeating itself. Yet, the cold, hard fact is that a Therapy? album sounds like Therapy?, intelligent, thought-provoking and an enjoyable listen.
This enjoyment is heightened in a number of tracks that get the heart racing, including, ‘Bewildered Heard’ and the excellently titled, ‘Poundland of Hope and Glory’.
16 albums into a 35-year career, it is good to see Cairns, McKeegan and Cooper showing they still have the hunger, desire and songwriting ability to continue to release impressive albums that warrant multiple repeat listens.
This album is well worth your time, and your money!
(4 / 5)
