Originally formed in New Zealand back in the early ’80s, and now operating from the UK, the four-piece have been gigging relentlessly for the last few years, and are proving that hard work does indeed pay off in this fucked up circus we call “the music industry‘.
Led by frontman, Eugine Butcher (vocals), with James Sherry (drums), Michael Gaffney (guitar), and Ricky McGuire (Bass), Desperate Measures have delivered a solid steel-toe kick in the balls with ‘Sublime Destruction‘.
From the outset, ‘Back To The Rats’ is bursting with swagger, melody, and Butcher’s snarling vocal delivery which is very much present throughout the albums eleven tracks. As each track has its own story to tell, ‘Sublime Destruction‘ paints a captivating picture of the times we live in today with moments of hope, desperation, and rebellion.
“Everybody’s talking about World War III, I’m locked in a world of misery“; snarls Butcher on the stomping magnificence of ‘Enjoy The Ride‘, which can be found in the gooey-centre of the album, followed quickly by a sort of ‘So-Cal’ influenced banger in the form of ‘Lost Angels‘, and that’s just one example of the aural journey on offer with ‘Sublime Destruction‘.
There is a sense that that the music is not directly attached to one fixed strand of Punk-infused Rock, but rather a wonderful pallet of styles from over the ages, which the band have fused together resulting in a captivating album that not only has a positive message, but also makes you feel like you’re not alone when it comes to dealing with the struggles of day to day living (‘Thinking of England‘, ‘Seven Sisters‘, ‘Still Got Me‘).
With that being said, ‘Sublime Destruction‘ is a body of work that has personality, swagger and zero bullshit. Get your copy via this link or stream the album here.
4/5
Oran O’Beirne
www.overdrive.ie 2024
