Band:	The Dead Daisies
Album:	Holy Ground
Style:	Hard rock, Blues rock
Release date:	January 2021

01. Holy Ground (Shake The Memory)
02. Like No Other (Bassline)
03. Come Alive
04. Bustle And Flow
05. My Fate
06. Chosen And Justified
07. Saving Grace
08. Unspoken
09. 30 Days In The Hole
10. Righteous Days
11. Far Away

Life after death.

Rock supergroup The Dead Daises have been plugging in and rocking out for years, carving a niche that on first sight is attributed to the who's who nature of the ever-changing line up; upon giving the band's fifth effort Holy Ground the time of day, it is clear that there is more to the band than merely a cheque for rockers of yore.

Holy Ground is the first release (and first release of new material since 2018's Burn It Down) with Glenn Hughes behind the microphone and bass, while also proving to be the final release with Deen Castronovo behind the drumkit. The band's formula hasn't altered all that much, but something about this line-up sees the band spark rather than merely click, and I can't help but feel a lot of this is down to the addition of Hughes. While the band's prior vocalist John Corabi was a strong vocalist, there is something about Hughes' voice that adds so much to the tracks and fits like a hand in a velvet glove, with songs like "Bustle And Flow" bursting out of the speakers with Hughes leading the charge.

The band run through eleven tracks of blues-tinged rock 'n' roll that will hold your attention and then some; the swagger of "Chosen And Justified" will have you up and out of your seat, while "Unspoken" will be one of the first songs I want to hear once I can stand in a field and drink beer while listening to live music once more. While each song shares the same house, none of them occupy the same space, giving you a varied listening experience with plenty in common that means if you like one track, chances are you will enjoy most if not all of them.

The band's constant member Lowry meshes well with Aldrich to create a strong guitar backbone that compliments Hughes' singing, which is given the spotlight in the album's mix. While this is often a red flag, the production on Holy Ground is solid and gives each instrument its own audible space while striking a balance with pushing elements to the front of the speakers, allowing listeners to focus on whatever element of the sound they wish to without having to make a concerted effort.

It is when you ask yourself what separates this from the glut of classic rock records that have seen bands like Rival Sons and Alter Bridge become leading lights that the band's hook of being a supergroup becomes the demarcation line. Simply put, Holy Ground is far from the most original record out there; opening track "Holy Ground (Shake The Memory)", for example, feels like a reskinned Alter Bridge song. Given most of the band's members have been a part of many of the seminal bands (that pre-date these examples) of the genre, it feels unwarranted to demand them to change their style to be more unique musically as they played pivotal roles in making it; at the same time, resting on your laurels isn't a great way to stand out from the crowd that has caught up with you since.

The Dead Daisies prove there is more life to their names than being merely rock royalty; Holy Ground is unlikely to be the most earth-shattering release of the year but it is one that will likely creep its way onto your record player more often than you would think.