Biters – The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be

“I put the Biters together to bring some style and substance back to rock n roll” – Tuk Smith

Remember that feeling you had in high school?  The one you had while you were getting ready on a Saturday night? The one when you first fell in love? Had a broken heart? The one you had when you put on your favorite album? Well, thats The Biters.

The Biters have influences deeply rooted in classic rock, early trash and glam with a punk rock edge. Were talking The Dolls, Thin Lizzy, T-Rex, Bowie, Ramones, and Kiss. Not only can you hear it but you can feel it. The Vibe, the passion, the authenticity.

The Biters hail from Atlanta Georgia and feature Tuk Smith on Vox & Guitar, Matt Gabs on Lead Guitar, Joey O’Brien on Drums, Phil Kross on Bass & Vox. Soon after their supporting European tour with Blackberry Smoke, and right before embarking on their headling US East Coast tour, the bad suffered a shake up. Bassist Phil Kross abruprty quit the band, putting the tour in jeopardy. Luckily Tuk called long time Biters friend Ricky Dover jr, who stepped up to the challenge.

2017 has been a banner year for The Biters. They made Team Rocks list of best albums of 2017, featured in classic rock magazine, and were just announced to be playing  this years Kiss Kruise. yeah, THAT KISS! The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be is there second full lenth release on Earache Records. They have previously released 4 EP’s.

Biters  The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be Released May 19th, 2017 on Earache Records was Produced by Dan Dixon.

Imagine a sold out stadium show in the 70’s, screaming guitars with giant hooks, monster drums, vocal that are actually sung. Teeming with raw emotion, sincerity, yet verging on anarchy. Thats the best way I can describe this album. Oh, and it makes me smile. What else can you ask for from an album?

This album is a departure from the straight up AC/DC type bombsatic assault of 2015’s Electric Blood. Electric Blood was the perfect album to be supporting as they were on the road with Buckcherry. But this time around Tuk wanted to make sure people didn’t see them as just another party band. Not only is the sound totally different, but the songs are empowering! The new release may seem like a total departure of the Biters sound if you were only familiar with their two LP’s. If you are familiar with their 4 EP’s you’d know this is exactly the album that had to be written.

The first single off this album, Stone Cold Love is a melodic wall of sound. Tuk’s voice is beautifully woven into the verse. The chorus is another matter, Tuk’s voice seems to ascend from the heavens with the fierocity of a hell hound before setting back into the verse. After the third verse Matt kicks off a butter smooth solo one might imagine from Ace Frehley. As the song nears a close Matt keeps the intensity up, remember how Angus Young would keeping soloing almost till the end of the song? Yeah, like that. For Me “Don’t Turn This Good Heart Bad”is a stand out song. The opening guitar is killer, and it just keeps going from there. The guitar sound and Tuk’s vocals are a big part of this album but lets not ignore the rhythm section. Joey’s drumming couldn’t be any stronger. It is exactly as complicated as it needs to be, nothing more, nothing less. It is a driving force throughout, that never distracts from the goal of where the song is taking us. In an age of double bass drum hysteria, this is refreshing break. What you get instead is a driving beat with an incredible swing. Joey is a master of the hi-hat, absolutely incredible! The bass guitar adds to that swing. The tone is loose enough to make you nod your head with a groove to make you dance!

This album is a must own for any fan a true rock n roll.

4.5 Stars