Rating: RRRR
Label: Battlegod Productions
Review By: Alan Holloway
Tony Mills hasn’t had an easy time of late. The vocalist who
blew my young mind in Shy all those years ago was constantly pilloried for having
the audacity to join TNT, and is still recovering from a serious heart attack.
Now a lone wolf once more, at least for this album, Mills has recorded what is
by far his most personal piece of work, kicking his demons in the arse and
rocking out while he does it.
‘Over My Dead Body’ is in turns melodic and mournful,
reflecting the things the singer has gone through, at times seeing Mills laid
bare as the cover might suggest. Don’t think that this is some self reflective
doom fest, mind, as there’s some cracking heavy melodic rock tracks here, most
notably the upbeat and catchy ‘Northern Star’, and the Shy-like ‘No Love Lost’,
which has a go at certain people. He even pays tribute to the good old
days with the infectious ‘4 In The Morning’ and ‘Somewhere In London’, both of
which will please fans of Mills’ more melodic work. On the darker side we have ‘Gate
21’, scene of the heart attack, followed by a cover of Jaques Brel’s ‘My Death’
(more a cover of the slow Bowie version), the former having a weighty heft to
it with the latter seeing Mills really delivering with vocal passion that
really reminded me of Geoff tate.
Mills impresses on every level throughout what must have
been a cathartic album, co-written with Robert Sall. It’s difficult to listen
to without thinking a bit of Queensryche’s ‘Operation Mindcrime’, with the
smart lyrics, additional atmospheric inserts and Mills high register, but it’s
a different breed of album. ‘Over My Dead Body’ is a massive Fuck You to
everyone who attacked Mills for doing a difficult job, proving that he is much
more than anyone’s hired gun. Powerful, passionate and a must for fans of his
work, this proves that Tony Mills has plenty more left to offer.
I totally agree!
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