Inglorious – Ride to Nowhere
Label: Frontiers Records, Vö/Release: 25.01.2019
Inglorious are one of the most promising acts of the British Hard Rock scene. Their 2016 debut record, I, received great feedback from fans all over the world, who already knew singer Nathan James from Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but also from new fans. After the release, they toured with The Winery Dogs and Steel Panther; their second album, II, came out just a year later and once again, they went on tour, as headliners this time.
For Ride to Nowhere, Inglorious took some extra time. You can clearly hear that as the songs are more emotional and deeper and perhaps, even have a bit more of Nathan James in them than the previous records. With I and II, I also missed time to catch my breath and calm down in between those fast, hard and sometimes musically overladen songs. You’re granted that time now with Ride to Nowhere. It’s still Hard Rock at its finest, yes, but it’s not brimming over with musicality anymore. Previously, you had the impression that the guys had to prove themselves, showcasing what they are able to do with their instruments – meanwhile, we know they ARE musical geniuses.
On the new record, Inglorious show a more softer side of themselves. And with the calmer tunes, it’s also easier to appreciate Nathan James’ outstanding and unbelievable voice. And that’s, of course, not all: in addition, there are great guitar solos from Andreas Eriksson and Andrew Lowe, big bass beats from Colin Parkinsson and driving drums from Phil Beaver.
You can hear a nice example of these five glorious musicians playing together, when you listen to the first single and album opener, Where Are You Now. Although the rest of the album is a bit more on the quiet side, all tracks are of the same high quality. The lyrics are very personal. For instance, Nathan James wrote the lyrics for the song Queen for his mother – and it’s a really nice song indeed. My favourite, however, is I Don’t Know You, a heart-breaking rock ballad, which has me in tears every time I listen to it. And I don’t often cry. This song is followed by While She Sleeps with a great rhythm and an even greater guitar solo. Also the title track, Ride to Nowhere, is an awesome song. But beware: if you don’t want to shed tears, just skip the last track, Glory Days. It’s beautiful and I wonder how a man can reach such high notes? That’s all I can say about it because the track simply makes me speechless.
All in all, Ride to Nowhere shows the softer side of Inglorious and it does so in an unbelievably high quality – just as you would expect from the band. Their third album is another proof that they all are awesome musicians. It’a monster album and a must-buy.
Shortly after Inglorious announced the release date for Ride to Nowhere, three members left the band on the same day. This caused a lot of discontent with some fans, accusations against the two remaining members, cancelled album orders and even calls for a boycott. Obviously, it’s not easy for outstanders to understand what had happened. But one thing is for sure: the record was made by all band members, no matter whether they are still with the band or not. I think, one should give the album and also the new line-up of Inglorious a chance before passing judgment on something that one hasn’t been involved with personally. Don’t let it become a Ride to Nowhere for the guys but a Ride To The Top – also with the new line-up.
