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Nazareth's latest album called "The Newz" was released in the summer of 2008. Although I am familiar with very little of their back-catalog, I can tell that this album follows the form of their previous successes with hard-driving riff songs mixed in with heart-felt ballads. I also feel like there is a strong presence of funk influences on this record as seen in the song "Goin' Loco." But let us not forget the most important part to any Nazareth record, the raspy and relentless vocals. What I find most interesting about them is how the singer has created such a recognizable dissonant sound for the heavier songs and yet it still fits the ballads.
One thing that's very hard for an aging band to do is maintain their edge. Over the course of time we've all seen bands that dry up due to a lack of variety, and yet we've seen other bands that have literally alienated their audiences due to dramatic changes in song and band structure. In the case of this band and record, I notice both scenarios taking affect. It felt to me as if this album were both too much the same and not at all like what I have come to expect with past hits like those mentioned above. The songs on this album give off a very strong sense that the producer had more to do with the sound than the band. By that I mean that it felt like these songs could have been written for anyone to have recorded with the distinct sound of Nazareth laid on top. I'm sorry to say this because I've always thought of Nazareth as an inspiration to the metal years if not one of its originators.
Is this album metal, no. Was it intended to be, I don't think so. However, the last track on the album called "Dying Breed" comes with a special surprise in the form of a bonus track called "Goblin King." Definitely the high point on the album.! This song is a complete diversion from the rest of the album in that it features guitar work consistent with modern metal and creepy spoken words in a very low key, some of which in another language. It shows that they are very capable of recording heavier songs. Now if only they'd have done more songs like this on the record.
I think the goal here was to produce an album that a fan of the early Nazareth would recognize. Although they are successful at this, I feel like they still could have made the album a little heavier and achieved a better result.
More fodder for the argument over weather a band should change their style after so many years or weather they should continue releasing albums that seem to imitate previous success rather than build upon it.
Rating: 65
Reviewed By: Brian Grefrath