Ian Blurton’s 2019 album ‘Signals Through The Flames’ presented nine tracks of well crafted melodic hard rock and metal. The performer’s old soul brought a classic sound to the fore, with tracks that took influence from Black Sabbath (‘The March of Mars’), Blue Oyster Cult (‘ICQ’), ‘The Cage’ era Tygers of Pan Tang, and most notably on album standout ‘Days Will Remain’, a hefty nod to the vintage sounds of Judas Priest from 1978.

‘Crimes of The City’, the second release under the band name Ian Blurton’s Future Now (following 2022’s ‘Second Skin’), owes a similar debt to various classic rock and metal influences, but if anything, is even more effective. Delivering ten riff filled numbers in a little over half an hour, it leaves nothing to chance and no room for obvious filler.

The first thing that’s notable about this recording is that the production values are a little less “bright”, but that actually makes the old school vibes sound even more genuine. The opening track ‘Ends of August’ quickly latches onto one of those riffs that borrows heavily from a pre-’British Steel’ Priest, delivering a solid mid tempo chug, overlaid with moments of perfectly pitched twin lead. Things get better still by the time the lead break arrives, with Blurton joined by Aaron Goldstein to share an ascending melody that knows it doesn’t need to be fussy to make an impression. This isn’t about shredding the frets, but adding extra hard rock textures to an already superb tune, whilst a decent chorus brings in a world of harmony vocals to contrast the solid melodic metal grooves. It’s a really strong number, no question, but things crank up a gear with ‘House of Lords’, a metal edged tune that opens with a classic, galloping riff, before descending into something more melodic where twin lead guitars dance behind a great vocal which, again, shares traces of a mid 70s BOC. If there were any doubt before, this is where Future Now’s gift for recycling classic influences becomes really obvious, but also comes into its own via some really tight playing. By the middle of the track where a crashing drum part ups the tension and multi-layered vocals dart between a huge guitar riff, the track genuinely sounds like unearthed treasure from the 70s, played by a metal band ripe for rediscovery. It’s genuinely great.

Presenting more of a groove, ‘Search For Tomorrow’ blends Thin Lizzy’s swagger with the chug of early T*d N*gent, bringing more classic rock, before switching gears midway to explore more of a stoner influenced chug. The guitars are a little woolly sounding during the middle section of the track, but the rhythm section (Glen Milchem on drums; Anna Ruddick on bass) put in some really hard yards. Even with the less than bright production values, Anna’s bass comes through with a pleasing amount of weight, before a huge guitar sound soars above everything to take a more epic sounding coda further into the realms of 70s homage.

‘Between Heaven & Hell’ is another definite standout, with the guitar work taking on a heavier tone, chugging through a Sabbath-esque riff (there are influences from the ‘Sabotage’ era at the heart of the main melody) coupled with an Alice In Chains-ish vocal. It barely takes twenty seconds before this track starts to sound like a classic metal staple, and the muted drum sound makes everything sound even more dense. Those looking for a touch more melody will get something worthwhile too, with Blurton’s lead voice soaring into more of an AOR territory on a well constructed pre-chorus. It would’ve been better if the main hook offered more than a repetition of the title, however; that’s definitely a weak link here, but since this is musically on point, that’s also a relatively minor quibble. With its opening crushing riff and yet another twin lead rising to the fore, ‘In Broken Lines’ wastes no time in flying the classic metal flag, and as with the rest of the material here, the combination of punchy rhythm guitar work and a confident vocal is enough to sell a great tune, but the slightly more complex chorus and middle eight flaunting the dark harmonies of peak BOC and a little of Kansas’ pomp quickly outshines this arrangement’s more direct metal elements. The hook mightn’t be as immediate as a couple of the other tracks here, but in terms of showcasing a smart melodic metal sound it really works.

Elsewhere, ‘Cast Away The Stones’ – a number revisiting a riff that’s not a million miles away from Judas Priest’s ‘Saints In Hell’ (something of a Blurton staple) – adds a few busier guitar leads; ‘Seventh Sin of Devotion’ flaunts a whole world of 70s pomp via another superb Blurton/Milchem harmony, before a siren-like lead guitar creates a bombastic climax, and ‘School’s In’ is an immediate highlight with Sabbath-esque riffs shared brazenly throughout, whilst a lyric tackling the threat of gun violence in schools shows a deeper angle to Ian’s songwriting. For those not interested in the world’s issues, the music is, of course, more than solid enough to hold up on its own. On a basic level this track is a perfect showcase for Future Now: it’s heavy on the guitar, huge on the layered vocal, and Milchem’s drums present plenty of old school wallop.

For those who still love old school rock and metal, ‘Crimes of The City’ is a genuine treat. Granted, you could still spend a fair bit of time playing “spot the influence”, but Ian and his band recycle everything with love to create the ultimate tribute to classic sounds. The balance between heaviness and melody is always well considered, and like the previous Blurton albums, the songwriting has a pleasingly hooky edge without detracting from the riffs. In terms of “classic rock” for the twenty first century, this album actually delivers the goods better than some of the big name acts, making it a highly recommended listen.

November 2024