Thunderous Jones kicks off the new year with a new single and news of their new album as we set a record for overusing the word ‘new’ in the same sentence.

We’ve been aware of Thunderous Jones for a few years now. Long story, but we arrive at the start of 2021 with a catch up via line up changes, a debut single Home which appeared in late 2019, followed by The Wire in March 2020.

Now consisting of Liam Coffey (vocals) Danny O’Connell (guitars/vocals) Connor Croxford (bass) Jack Banister (guitars) and Tom Bevan (drums), they’re a different proposition from our first encounter way back in 2014. Six years on, TJ promises “a sound rich in metal riffs, soaring harmonies and deep-rooted, emotional grooves. There’s no escaping the prog influence in certain tracks and are also regarded as Djent inspired.“

Quite some billing, yet no idle boast as during 2020, they released a ‘limited lockdown’ nine and a half minute demo entitled Stop The Show on their social media platforms. After gaining thousands of views on Facebook alone in under a week, the band removed it… for now. However, the track caught the attention of Kerrang! Radio’s Johnny Doom, who (despite it being in demo form) featured the song on his radio show.

In a show of mutual admiration, the Rainbow Grave singer, Kerrang! Radio DJ and co-founder of Crust Punk band Doom, joins the band on the new single Fallen. It’s a mighty effort too, bursting with bouts of black metal roars, thrash and aggression as the clean and harsh/’cookie monster’ vocals bounce off each other and we even get a hint at something melodic on the “Life’s not fair / I don’t care / We are fallen…” chorus. Juddering forward relentlessly, it might be a bit of a cliche to say that the band lives up to their name.

By contrast, Choked offers an alternative vision of Thunderous Jones. No less intense but in a more controlled fashion where the contrasting vocal styles possibly work better within a restrained arrangement. An emotive guitar break breaks free of the melancholy vibe until another injection of angst is tempered by a reflective coda soaked in desperation.

With the new songs inevitably recorded during lockdown – if it works for McCartney et al, why not? – the good news is that the TJ debut album, also carrying the title of ‘that’ track, Stop The Show is set for release in mid-2021. Could be interesting…

Here’s Choked:

Thunderous Jones online: Facebook

News of the Thunderous Jones gig at Melbourne Assembly Rooms in May 2021 here

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