Andy And The Rockets - Casino (2025) [Hi-Res]

‘I’m Alive’ bursts out on a sea of voices and some ’80s riffage and could have come off a Treat album and also reminds me of the criminally underrated Stage Dolls. We get some sleazier rock ‘n’ roll on ‘Your Touch Is Too Much’, which is perfect for radio with a hook so big you catch Moby Dick. The first power ballad, ‘I’ll Die If You’re Done’, is full of soul and passion with a couple of wonderful lead breaks. It’s back to some heavy rock on the serious ‘The Other Side’ before the next ballad, the shimmering and moody ‘Cyanide’. This is huge and bound to be a killer live. ‘Wild Ones’ has an alt/southern feel and another superb melody along with sublime harmony vocals, then we go kind of hair metal on ‘Creatures Of The Dark’ before the rockin’ ‘Dirty Love’. We go alt again on ‘Seven Years Bleeding’, which is propelled along on a steady bassline and a superb vocal from Andreas Forslund, then things get twangy on the outlaw country-flavoured ‘Ride Or Die’. The final ballad, ‘In From The Cold’, brings a bit of classic blues rock where Forslund gives it everything and Lagerqvist plays the most beautiful lead break. The final cut, ‘Heartbreak City’, is a modern heavy rocker with a darker melody.

I cannot recommend this highly enough. It is superb, full of world-class songs, expensive riffs and excellent performances. The melodies are mighty, and the lead breaks are white hot, but nobody overplays. This is a classic in waiting and should be considered in the same league as FM, Treat and TNT.