Mirror Queen’s journey continues apace with the release of their new album Verdigris (TeePee), the New York bands third record and it further hones their sound, which mixes melodic guitar leads of Thin Lizzy and the heavy approach of NWOBHM with lighter, Pink Floyd like, prog-rock flourishes. The introductory song in this short six-part compendium cranks the volume up, it is a powerful nugget of hard rock with sumptuous twin guitar flourishes and a Budgie like a sense of power and speed. Verdigris is bookended by bangers as ‘Curse the Night’ takes a similar four to the floor approach, after a doomy intro you are hit with pounding drums, pacey riffs and rather tasty solos courtesy of Morgan McDaniel and axeman cum vocalist Kenny Kreisor.

The tracks in between these cover all manner of rock genres starting with grunge in ‘Flying Eyes’; it has a gloomy, slightly melancholic atmosphere and shoegazer sense of melody, with an echoey, psychedelic guitar ringing out till the dying seconds. This psychedelic side is further explored on the title track ‘Verdigris’, the echoey 60’s sounding guitar helps add an ethereal, Pink Floyd side to their hard rock. That is not before ‘Sorrow’s End/Dark Kiss of the Sun’ covers heavier ground, a sludgy pseudo doom metal wall of riffs batters your ears, all topped off by a delightfully searing solo. Deep Purple is the starting point for the seven-minute long ‘Starliner’, fuzzy riffs and melodic guitar licks abound within the warmth of its 70s rock environs.

Verdigris continues Mirror Queen’s kaleidoscopic approach to rock, its fuzzy riffs, searing solos and big choruses come in a variety of different shapes; from full-bodied Budgie/Deep Purple hard rock and doom-tinged metal to grunge like melancholy and light, psychedelic prog rock.

8.0/10

THOMAS THROWER

Thomas Thrower, Ghost Cult Magazine, Mirror Queen, Verdigris, Tee Pee Records, Hard Rock, Prog Rock, Budgie, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Morgan McDaniel, Kenny Kreisor