Fury UK VR
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
2009’s VR is the third full-length album from Fury UK. The Manchester band has a sound that’s hard to pin down, falling somewhere between hard rock and metal. The band cites influences like Dream Theater, Metallica and Dio, but they may be closer to Subhuman Race-era Skid Row with a gritty NWOBHM edge.
The lyrical content of VR is positively grim, recalling some of those fatalistic thrash metal themes of the early ‘90s like politics, religion and war. The lyrics suit the overall tone of the album though, which is fairly dark. Guitarist/lead vocalist Chris Appleton somehow manages to thrash away while still maintaining a sense of melody and delivering the occasional hard rock hook. Unfortunately he’s not the best vocalist. The band could really benefit from a dedicated lead singer; someone with enough power to make these songs really stand out. Appleton’s voice just isn’t strong enough or distinctive enough to compete with brother Luke Appleton and Martin McNee’s thundering rhythms or his own impressive guitar work. The band might also benefit from some songwriting support. Their lyrics are intelligent enough, but the song structures could use some work.
VR is a completely solid, completely rocking album, but its “middle of the road” nature may end up hurting it. It may be too dark and heavy for rock fans, and not powerful enough for metal fans. The potential for greatness is definitely there, but Fury UK still has a ways to go.
Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Band:
Chris Appleton (g/v)
Martin McNee (d)
Luke Appleton (b)
Track Listing:
1. VR
2. Game Over
3. The Hostage
4. Playing With Violence
5. The Outpost
6. The Human Condition
7. Brotherhood
8. The Last Invention
9. Call To Arms
10. Death By Lightning
Label: Rocksector
Website: www.furyuk.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 6.5/10