From the green fields of Hertfordshire (Hitchin to be precise) comes the groove metal stylings of bands such as Down, Clutch and Corrosion Of Conformity in the shape of quintet The Best Medicine. Following the debut release of the promising 'Lightweight' single released at the tail-end of 2019, The Best Medicine were somewhat stopped in their tracks by the pandemic, but treating lockdown as an excuse to get some writing sessions under their belt and slipping in recording sessions between the various shutdowns, they have roared back with the powerful, 'take no prisoners' 'Miracle Cure' EP.
Five tracks of head-shaking, no nonsense, hard hitting rock touched with a bluesy influence and a groove sodden undertow, 'Miracle Cure' sees all five musicians on top form - James Anson's bellow of a voice leading the band with some force, Will Horsman and Ryan Moore's twin guitar attack allowing space for ferocious chordal assaults and solos peeled off with dexterity and venom, and the rhythm section of Craig Anderson (bass) and Nick Plews (drums) pushing and pulling the songs into deep, dark grooves - providing an exciting, loud record with a tough sounding production (provided by Andy J Davies of Damage Recordings in Hitchin).
The huge bluesy riffs and gargantuan grooves are there from the 'get-go' with the opening 'Leap Of Faith', which sets the tone for the rest of the EP and even finds time for a guitar solo that sounds a little like it's been influenced by Joe Walsh's guitarwork in 'Hotel California'! The slower, tougher groove of 'Madame Damnable' follows with a fabulous twin guitar mid-song break that leads into a melodic second-half of the song with more twisting guitar solos. The rumbling bass in the verses of 'Outlaws (Living Free)' leads the band into more 'Sounds of the South' territory but this time following the tones of bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet rather than their usual influences, while the dramatic beginning of 'Reap The Whirlwind' gives way to a pounding, riffy stomp of a song complete with soaring vocals. The closing title track, 'Miracle Cure' is a fast-paced, rollicking, 'train engine' of a song and finishes the EP in impressive style, and in my case led me to go back to the beginning and play the whole EP again on a couple of occasions.
'Miracle Cure' is a top-notch EP full of power, precision and great playing. The band play the 'New Blood Stage' at Bloodstock in August and hopefully the combination of that and this fine EP will see them increase their audience hugely. Their Facebook tag reads 'The Best Medicine play blues-influenced metallic rock whether you like it or not'. We like it boys, we like it!
'Miracle Cure' is out now and available on all the major digital streaming sites and from the band's Bandcamp page - www.thebestmedicinerocks.bandcamp.com
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