REAL CD-Rip! ADD LINK! Tango Down consisting of lead vocalist Chas West (West Bound, Resurrection Kings), guitarist Scott Miller, bassist Axel K. Gessner and drummer Keith Michaels will be releasing their new studio album This Is Gonna Hurt via Kivel Records in June 2022.
Not even a Pandemic can keep them away from finishing what they started. The events that unfolded over the last two years in the end only delayed them. Matter of fact, TANGO DOWN took the imposed shutdown and used it to their advantage to fine-tune the band’s follow-up to ‘Bulletproof’… Making a very good album into a GREAT album.
Only released on physical format, “This Is Gonna Hurt” is a killer melodic hard record from a band that never fails to deliver; TANGO DOWN is on of the few acts delivering consistent albums in this genre respecting its essence.
Many bands maintain or try to match their previous effort. TANGO DOWN has been blessed with the strangest of luck they manage to outshine each release. Hands down, this is the band’s best album to date.
Singer Chas West (Lynch Mob, Jason Bonham, Resurrection Kings) and guitarist Scott Miller took everything that was the strongest qualities of each release and combined them into one strong album that flows perfectly from beginning to end.
An album you can listen to at the gym, in your car, or at the beach and always puts a big smile on your face. You’re going to sink your teeth so deep that This Is Gonna Hurt indeed.
Title track opens the albums with a punchy hard rock swagger, but with a lot of hooks and power as well. Then “Fantasy” is about as perfect as a melodic hard rock track as you can get. I absolutely love the chorus as this song is catchy as hell and has the nice addition of subtle keyboards added into the mix.
“Scream” continues the melodic bliss with a bit more edge on the guitars and some great harmony vocals. I have always liked lead singer Chas West’s voice and was extremely impressed with his other band West Bound and their 2019 release so it’s certainly nice to hear his vocals again on a new Tango Down record as this is now his 2nd album with the band.
“Lying To Myself” is the obligatory mid-paced rocker and it’s a very good one. West sounds ace on this track as he sings in a slightly lower register and the added keyboards make this another melodic winner while “Nobody Gets Out Alive” cranks things back up with a chugging guitar riff from Miller on this old-fashioned ’80s arena rocker.
“Standing Tall” is another rocker that sounds straight out of 1989! It has that certain throw-back attitude that brings me back to the days on Sunset Strip in a way. Great stuff that is accentuated with a chunky production and great guitar solo.
Tango Down brings the midtempo semi-ballad in the likes of “Until We Meet Again”. It’s a smooth track with a cool arrangement, sweet guitar work and heartfelt vocals from West.
The next track is something a bit different as “Forget What You Know” brings a refreshing sound from the band. I love the heavy guitar riff and bass line laid down by Axel K. Gessner over the pounding drums of Keith Michaels. This is a really cool track with some cool and different production sounds. Another winner of a song.
“Let It Go” is up next with and this is a flat-out Dokken-styled rocker with melodic chorus and classic gang style background vocals.
The album ends with the razor, speedy hard rocker “Dirty Penny”, sharp ‘n rockin’.
“This Is Gonna Hurt” from Tango Down is a more than welcome return featuring some of the band’s most impressive songs to date. “Fantasy” might be one of the most infectious songs of the year while several others are right up there too.
Welcome back Tango Down…
1. This is Gonna Hurt
2. Fantasy
3. Scream
4. Lying to Myself
5. Nobody Gets Alive
6. Standing Tall
7. Until We Meet Again
8. Forget What you know
9. Let It Go!
10. Dirty Penny