On their debut release, ‘Horizon’, British rockers Big Canyon delivered some absolutely massive riffs. Often sounding like a much bigger, warmer version of Tangier and Tattoo Rodeo, and akin to more recent, retro sounding hard rockers in line with Blackberry Smoke and Bad Touch (albeit with more of a bluesy edge), they couldn’t be faulted from a musical point of view. The lead guitar playing was especially impressive. A very retro, slightly scratchy vocal took a little adjustment, but with some strong material in hand, it was clear that, even at an early stage, Big Canyon were a band on the road to potentially better things.
Released almost five years on, their long awaited debut album expands the band from a trio to a quartet, and is the first to feature vocalist Andi Meacock, so the material immediately bypasses the earlier (potential) flaw. With ten really solid sounding tracks – and no obvious filler – it’s also the kind of record that will certainly bring new fans to the Big Canyon fold. An immediate standout, ‘Falling’ opens with a brooding riff that falls squarely between bluesy hard rock and melodic metal, before introducing a brief tribal-influenced drum. The arrival of the main melody shares some fine, melodic rock where slightly dirty guitars are contrasted with a huge vocal, and the new boy sounds effortless as he curls a slightly warbly vocal around some longer notes. What’s important here is that his voice is huge, but his performance is never forced; the vocalist’s choice of style has a very natural flow, and with a pinch of 80s influence in the delivery, it shows a love for a classic rock sound that’s very familiar. With a couple of vaguely grungier riffs creeping in before a flawlessly executed guitar solo – full of sweeping, blues-rock sounds – it shows how this band’s classic sound is also capable of sounding a little more sinister too, and that darker edge really comes into its own elsewhere. Finishing off with a grubby sounding, much heavier breakdown, this particular number has all the makings of something that would sound immense as part of a live set.
Adding more of a groove, ‘Dominion of Truth’ sounds a little more like a throwback to a mid 90s Beggars & Thieves, albeit with a less 80s vocal, and it really shows off Ben Williamson’s gift for a pleasing riff. His guitar work comes with a real grit, but also a natural swagger which really drives the band’s sound forward. Despite his presence obviously being a dominant force, Andi’s vocals are almost equally captivating here, and his slightly bluesy tones also appear to emulate the natural flair of Eric Martin (particularly circa his ‘Destroy All Monsters’ LP), and the way he sells the track’s sizable chorus – equal parts retro melodic rock and contemporary blues rock – is impressive. In terms of familiar sounding rock played with gusto, you’d struggle to find anything much stronger. The same applies to ‘Live’, a hard edged track where the usual swagger is delivered via a slightly more metallic sounding guitar, but the slightly more aggressive approach really suits the band. It wouldn’t be a great leap to imagine this on an old Bonham album, and the huge crying edge to the vocal sounds like a direct throwback to a pre-grunge 1990 in the best possible way. On this number, rummer Leon Ashby attacks his kit with a real force, and really shines when supplying the groove behind the number’s angry lead guitar break.
Pulling out the acoustic guitar, ‘Beautiful Mind’ scales everything back, but instead of taking the expected ‘Zep III’ route, the band venture into a landscape of massive jangling sounds, more befitting of an old 80s rocker, before adding a layer of harmonic electric guitar for a very melodic finish. In terms of “ballad”, it’s a nice addition to the album: sedate, but never cheesy; stripped down, yet still full sounding. With the help of another great vocal, something that could’ve easily been a slow-burner works very well, allowing for a little reflection before ‘Captain of Your Soul’ hits with a dirty great riff that sounds like a throwback to the brief period in 1991 when the big haired rockers toughened up. The groove here isn’t actually a million miles away from something you’d find tucked away on Warrant’s underrated ‘Ultraphobic’, coupled with yet another assured vocal, offering a listen that’s harder around the edges, but still with that big hearted Big Canyon sense of accessibility and melody. Even the album’s weakest track – ‘That Thing You Do’, a mid tempo trudge where Andi’s voice veers a little too close to James LaBrie for comfort – Big Canyon sound like a musical force, sharing chugging riffs and hefty rhythms with the confidence of a band who have more years under their collective belt than these musicians actually possess at the time of recording. This album definitely features more melodic tracks, and more interesting arrangements, but looking at the positive here, this workout still shares a great riff or three, and its more melodic middle eight is a welcome reminder that the band haven’t completely abandoned their usual flair.
Opting for something quieter again – at least on the verses – ‘Meant To Be’ shows Big Canyon tackling something a little more soulful. Its blend of clean guitar and vocals is near perfect, and its great to hear bassist Julian Palmer adding subtle melodic textures throughout. The band revert to type on a harder edged chorus, however, and Ben’s guitar comes through with plenty of crunch and Andi steps forth with a massive cry. If it weren’t clear before, this makes it obvious what an important addition to the band their still new vocalist is: he has power, but also range, and on this number in particular, he approaches the material with the professionalism of many a classic rock/melodic metal performer. The end result might sound like the Canyon boys channelling some of their heroes, but in terms of end result, this is a flawless melodic rocker – worth the price of admission alone.
Big Canyon hardly thrive on originality, but with solid songwriting – driven by big choruses and bigger solos – and a great sound, this ten track album is a hugely enjoyable listen. Its retro approach shares a massively assured throughout, and Andi’s voice, in particular, has given the band a stronger edge. Rock fans will certainly own many similar sounding discs, but that won’t make this any less impressive. Some reports suggested that British rock was dying – or even dead – at the end of 2024, but this – along with excellent releases from Silveroller, The Black Vultures and various other great bands working the underground – would suggest otherwise.
January 2025