We really have to get working on an Album Review or two, but we'll offer up one more brand new single release, and it's from our old friends 'St. Bennett's', who may have got in our good books early on by pointing out they also loved 'Major Parkinson' (it's a guaranteed way of getting our attention) but have clearly been worthy of inclusion in their own right thanks to a great set of songs which comprise their 'The Devil Awaits' EP - an EP which is now completed thanks to the release of their latest song 'Captain', and which also concludes the rather dark tale told in the songs.
So the story so far..... well the poor Farmer has lost his wife and daughter to the evils of war, sold his soul to the Devil and ventured to the Battlefield to avenge his wife's death and in the final instalment attempts to plead with his 'Captain' (who is almost insane through the ravages of war) to try to prevent more killing, but then ends up murdering him to stop the bloodshed, thus becoming a killer too. It's a cheery story to lighten up the ever darkening evenings and make us forget about the madness of Brexit, Boris Trump and the destruction of the world through climate change.
Musically however this is great fun, it opens quietly whilst the band reset the scene, and they're helped by the 6/4 time signature (I think), the waltz feel adding to the storytelling feel, with guitar colourful and melodic flourishes adding some interest before an inevitable explosion of sound. I say inevitable, because it has been a trademark of this EP, but I haven't tired of the approach yet, and I still think the key to the success of the EP is the big melodies played at a rather grand scale.
This is 'Captain':
Listening back to the whole EP this now all makes sense as a complete work, and I really enjoy the tiny touches (like the crackle of the fire and the country folk feel to the opening of 'Oh Sweet Devil') even more than the 1st time, so please take a listen.