There’s very much a sense that Gallows are the Great White Hope of UK punk. While the underground scene has never lacked a steady-stream of also-rans to support whichever US import has sold out the Astoria this week, there’s been a distinct lack of homegrown headliners. With a rumoured-to-be-almost-ridculously-enormous deal with Warner Bros, they might be the band to make UK punk important again.
‘Abandon Ship’ has enough hardcore grunt to sidestep any accusations of popularism but its hooks are palatable enough not to make the ears of a non-convert wilt under the firestorm of punk fury spitting out the stereo. If Jo Whiley’s prepared to let them in to Radio 1 during daytime hours, then there’s hope for them yet.
Whether they’ve got the songs to live up to their Brits-Do-The Bronx billing that they’ve been getting in certain quarters remains to be seen, but when vocalist Frank Carter bellows “Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please?” as the song pulls back on the reigns, you get the impression that a hell of a lot people are starting to take notice.
‘Abandon Ship’ is out for download on May 28, and gets a physical release June 4 on . Gallows tour across the UK in June – more details are available here.
