The Almighty rebooted – and as raw and rousing as you might remember.

Release Date: 4th November 2023

Label: Silver Lining Music

Format: CD / digital / vinyl

Here’s The Almighty with a pair of re-issued albums – 1989’s Blood, Fire & Love and Soul Destruction from 1991. For those of us unable or unwilling to compute as it seems like yesterday, we’re talking well over thirty years ago.

They find the quartet looking unfeasibly young – all fresh-faced and thirty years younger – on the moody monochrome portrait of Blood, Love & Fire. With the albums having never been re-released before on vinyl, for those who want to have the Almighty’s early fire in one mega-serving, Silver Lining Music released both albums in a limited edition 35^th Anniversary gatefold vinyl with splendid brand new artwork by the band’s long-time Art guru, Koot.

And after having half a dozen from each album searing into the brain at the recent Manchester Academy gig, we’re ready to appreciate the full albums on vinyl for the first time in a long time. The post-gig thrill and all that, kicking in, with a vengeance.

Originally released in 1989, the new red vinyl Blood, Fire & Love – the youthful, scruffy, raw biker rock classic – holds several jewels amongst its treasures. Resurrection Mutha (the opening number in the latest set) and Full Force Lovin’ Machine are go-to tracks – red hot cuts and the rest ain’t too shabby either. The title track and Wild & Wonderful remind us that The Almighty could do the singer and radio friendly tracks (well – on some radios) as well as having the capacity to pack them into damn fine albums.

These are songs that shaped the bunch of impressionable young Rock fans and who will have undoubtedly continued their journey over the decades, picking up bands as they go, yet clinging on to the first love that The Almighty could well have been.

The sophomore release from 1991, Soul Destruction is now issued on green vinyl. It kicks in with another belter in the extended drum intro to Crucify and whilst Ricky’s ‘Lynott’ voice was yet to emerge, the personal preference is to hear him belt out these songs with a passion and aggression, without the spirit of Phil tapping us all on the shoulder. Formative days but Warwick is emerging as a fully fledged songwriter of quality. Love Religion, swaggers and swings and although there are moments of calm, the emphasis is on a rapid-fire rush – some might say fast-paced – uncompromising Hard Rock.

A pairing that some may have forgotten, some may have missed out and which some have been clinging onto in the hope that The Almighty might, one day, make a return – ‘never say never’ remember.

Gotta love Free ‘N’ Easy from Sould Destruction:

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