Basement Saints - Down South (2024)

Founded back in 2012, the Austrian band BASEMENT SAINTS is clearly influenced by the 70s classic rock/southern rock days. Their music is authentic, with a singer that somehow reminds me of IAN ASTBURY (THE CULT), a Hammond Organ that brings back the URIAH HEEP/DEEP PURPLE memories and so is their Classic Rock that is also a clear HEEP/PURPLE affair.

Their line up consists of Simon Molly (Drums), Anton Delen (Guitar, Bass & Vocals) and Robby Keys (Hammond Organ, Keys & Vocals), and Down South is their 4th album so far, and especially uptempo rockers like Spark In The Woods, Highway Lines, the superb Sunflower Seeds, Boots and Buccaneer are a joy to listen to if you’re a fan of pure classic 70s hard rock and roll. There are more straight forward than for example DE WOLFF, but I can imagine the 2 of them playing together somewhere in Europe. Besides all the rockers that are included here, the band also has calmer material, such as the semi-ballad Sail Through The Night that reminds me of SLADE a bit, and the melodic rocker Night Owl (not the LITTLE RIVER BAND classic!).

There’s actually no single weak moment to be found on their new album, and fans of aforementioned bands like URIAH HEEP, DEEP PURPLE, THIN LIZZY, 70s MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND, QUEEN, etc.