Twister – ' Cursed & Corrected'

However, one rock band has been working incredibly hard for the past 5 years or so to put the North East firmly on the musical map! Consisting of four lads from the Durham area, Twister have already shared a stage alongside the likes of Status Quo, Simple Minds, Bumblefoot (Sons of Apollo/Guns N’ Roses) and Jools Holland and on 13th November 2020, they will unleash their eagerly awaited debut album ‘Cursed & Corrected’.

It’s been a long journey to get to this point for the members of Twister, namely Stevie Stoker (guitar/vocals), Jake Grimes (guitar/backing vocals), Ryan Lee (bass/backing vocals) and Jack Corbett (drums/backing vocals)… but all the years of honing their skills on stages and venues around the country paid off when they travelled to Parr Street Studios in Liverpool to record ‘Cursed & Corrected’ with producer Tony Draper. The album was then mastered at the famous… nay, legendary… Abbey Road Studios in London by Frank Arkwright who has previously worked with the likes of The Killers and Biffy Clyro to name a few. So it’s fair to say that the stars eventually aligned for Twister in 2020, despite the obvious setbacks brought to the world by COVID-19! Described as being part of the ‘New Wave of Classic Rock’, have Twister done enough with their debut album to cement their place as the next big thing to come out of the North East and more importantly, to sit at the top table at the banquet of up and coming UK rock bands?

Kicking things off is the short but atmospheric instrumental opener ‘We are the Cursed & Corrected’. Strange but spooky squeaking sounds create a sinister mood, perhaps representing the ‘cursed’ whilst the organ and foreboding sounding male choral effect may very well be a subconscious nod to the divine medieval heritage of their home city and county. Hard-hitting tribal sounding drums (a bit like the opening drums on Toto’s ‘Africa’ if they had been played by Anthrax!) and a repeating lead guitar riff eventually make way for the intro of second track (and the third single released from the album) ‘Save Us Yourself’. This is a classic track in the vein of melodic hard rock, with a catchy opening riff and power chords before a quieter verse driven along by drums, bass, clean guitar and vocals. It’s certainly no slouch of a song, moving along at pace with a loud, powerful, melodic chorus that to my ear, probably sounds more reminiscent of more alternative rock bands such as Green Day than a classic rock band. It’s a great opening few minutes where Twister well and truly set out their musical stall!

Next track ‘Young & Affected’ ensures that the pace set by the opening tracks remains. The verse actually has a very Biffy Clyro feel to it, mainly due to the prominent, dancing bass line and it’s interplay with the clean guitars but also due to the vocal delivery. There’s a unique sound to Stevie Stoker’s vocals where he almost sounds as if he’s speaking the lyrics directly to the listener… yet he’s clearly singing (and singing well!). Perhaps you’ll have to hear it to understand what I mean but the only other singer I’ve heard delivering vocals in such a manner is Biffy’s Simon Neil, albeit he does so in an obvious Scots brogue! No matter what it is, it creates an energy that builds towards the much heavier, punky chorus. The gang vocals shouting “we are, we are” throughout the chorus will surely lead to an instant connection with live audiences who I can imagine singing along to this with gusto! This could very well become Twister’s live anthem!

‘Natural Survivor’ starts with a few haunting piano chords and some heavy breathing (not sure why… but I think it maybe signifies fighting for survival) before a lone guitar riff accompanied by bass drum beats starts to pick up the tempo. The opening guitar riff repeats throughout the track and there’s some great drum work by Jack Corbett throughout, in particular showing his skill with the bass pedal. There’s a kind of progressive rock element at times, accentuated by the punchy, stabbing sections which rather than detract from anything, actually highlights the immense musical talent within the band. The first guitar solo of the album is played with great control and restraint by Jake Grimes (I’m led to believe it’s his work!) and when Stoker sings “I’m a natural survivor”, it’s so believable that you can’t help but feel that there’s a real personal side to the lyrics.

Next track ‘Trees’ sounds very much like very early Foo Fighters in the opening section, whilst the incredibly uplifting, feel-good chorus reminds me of the type of song that would be a big hit with crowds at festivals on a hot summers day. The clever bridge section brings the tempo and energy down a bit in an unexpected sonic change before exploding back into the chorus as the song plays to a close. ‘Wild and Lonely (Fingers Crossed)’ is an unusual track in that it mixes the hard rock guitars with keyboards/synthesisers and what sounds very much like electronic drums (although I may be wrong with that!). The chorus is all hard rock with power chords, powerful drums and driving bass but the verses have quite an experimental vibe at times… and it works! It’s a blend of old and new to create something fairly unique. Perhaps this is the type of sound that’s the ‘new wave’ in the phrase ‘New Wave of Classic Rock’?

‘Trading Hearts’ has an intro that taps straight into the melodic hard rock/AOR market as a drum-fill makes way for some great lead guitar. The ultra-melodic chorus is as good as anything I’ve heard coming out of the so-called ‘Scandi-rock’ scene in Sweden where classy melodic rock has found a home in recent years. On this track, Twister successfully twin Durham with Gothenburg and show that they can compete with the best in the genre. Stoker’s vocals are pretty faultless throughout as he effortlessly sings lyrics such as “I’ll be there when your heart’s been traded. I’ll be there when it’s cold and you’re sleeping alone”. If melodic hard rock/AOR floats your boat (and it floats mine!), this track is tailor-made for you with its sing-along chorus, catchy guitar riffs and very much required sickly-sweet lyrics. Brilliant stuff!

With the album past the midway point, next up is first single ‘Call To Arms’. As I write this review in the early hours of the morning, Donald Trump and Joe Biden are fighting it out for the Presidency in the United States. Both candidates are on the TV urging their supporters to keep fighting for their respective beliefs and not to give up… and I think this is roughly what this track is lyrically about, judging by Stoker screaming “This is a call to arms. What are you waiting for?”. This is pretty much a rock song for the times we’re living in! There’s a kind of playful, circus-like musical intro (very apt as I watch the circus that’s playing out across the big pond!) that breaks into a verse and chorus driven along by the rock-steady rhythm section of Ryan Lee and Jack Corbett. This was the first single released from the album and an ideal introduction to the band.

Every good rock album has a softer, lighter side. Sometimes it’s a big, cinematic power ballad whilst other times it’s a simpler, more melancholy acoustic track. No matter what form it takes, this is often the point in an album where a band can show a different side and prove that they’re not a one trick pony, so to speak! For Twister, ‘Mystery’ is that track. Opening with some simple but beautiful acoustic guitar, Stevie Stoker shows a completely different side to his vocal talent from the outset. Even with the introduction of drum and bass and the tempo slightly increasing as the track progresses, the band ensure that this song doesn’t run away with itself, tempered by some lovely piano and “ooohhh, ooohhh” harmonic backing vocals. To an extent, it’s quite an unexpected track from left field… but the musical arrangement along with the quality and control in the vocal

performance makes this a great addition at this point in the album. If the goal was to show a different, more eclectic side to the music and band, it worked a treat!

The pace picks up again with ‘Feeding Frenzy’, starting with a few moody power chords that suddenly lead to an altogether happier sounding, feel good song! It’s a track driven along by some great bass work and rhythm guitar and even includes a guitar solo, something of a rarity on this album. But the big selling point is undoubtedly the infectious “oh, oh, oh” gang-style backing vocals that you’ll find yourself singing along to fairly quickly! I’ll be interested to see this track played live, as I’m sure the audience will raise the roof singing along to the gang-vocals. It’s a song that’s made for live gigs!

The mood goes from frenzied to atmospheric with next song ‘Monroe’, a mid-tempo ballad-type track with a huge chorus that reminds me a bit of Thirty Seconds to Mars in the ‘Kings and Queens’ era of their career. It starts softly and quietly with guitar on a bed of synths/keyboards and builds to a crescendo with the introduction of Jack Corbett’s kick drum. “Monroe, don’t go. I need you now” sings Stoker in the chorus… and whilst it’s not entirely clear who Monroe is, they’re clearly a special person to have inspired such a brilliant song! There’s a real commercial edge to this track and in my rock radio DJ days, this would’ve slotted nicely into the show’s playlist! As it ends, it seamlessly segues into penultimate track ‘Fist Fight by the Waterside’, a much heavier affair that opens with a great lead guitar intro. One thing I’ve noticed about Twister is the prominence and importance of the drums and bass, something often overlooked by others bands when recording and mixing albums. But once again, they take a lead role in the verse of this track, dictating the pace. It’s genuinely great to hear! There’s another gang-vocal “whoa, whoa” in the bridge section, something that may very well be a signature for Twister and this leads to an absolutely blistering guitar solo!

The album closes with the second single released by Twister, ’64 White Lies’, one of the heaviest songs on the album that starts with a classic Marillion-style opener before exploding into a drum fill followed by heavy rhythms and riffs. The sound softens for the verse but builds up again to an angrier, more powerful chorus with angst-filled lyrics such as “we fight and brawl” spat out by Stoker with vicious intent. It’s a rollercoaster of a song that has so much going on musically and is an ideal way to close any debut album.

Recording a debut album and releasing it to the public isn’t an easy thing to do these days. With music so easily accessible online, it’s getting harder and harder for young bands to attract the attention of record labels and producers. Arguably, only the best of the best get the opportunity to really promote their music, so to be that, a band’s final product has to be pretty unique and of top notch quality. With ‘Cursed & Corrected’, Twister have managed to do that. To me, the production of the album has a very ‘garage band’ sound about it; not too polished or over produced, ensuring the raw power and energy of a determined young band comes blasting out of the speakers. But the real magic of this album is that it will attract younger rock fans with its modern, verging on alternative sound whilst ensuring the older classic rock generation will appreciate it with classic riffs and choruses. This is a classy debut album that deserves to be heard, so I implore you to get onto their website to buy the CD or vinyl… or both!

If Twister is indeed a band that’s part of this ‘New Wave of Classic Rock’, with ‘Cursed & Corrected’ they’re riding the crest of that wave! Move over St Cuthbert… Durham has new favourite sons!