The Answer - Under the Sky

This review could be summed up in four words: The Answer rock. Hard. Lauded as the new face of old-school metal, this Northern Irish act bring new life to a genre that has arguably grown stale since Bruce Dickinson finally hung up his leathers. Their influences are self-evident (most obviously Thin Lizzy, AC/DC) but The Answer are far from derivative. They inject new energy into an established format with the inclusion of strong blues elements, slowing down the pace to demonstrate their guitar skills to the greatest effect. Admittedly, there are some inconsistencies - the combination of heavy rock and blues is jarring rather than seamless at times - but they show strong potential and are likely to create a new, younger fanbase for the traditional metal scene. [Lucy Weir]