I first heard the debut album of Los Angeles hard rockers Year Long Disaster a few years ago. Their material was excellent for such a young band and from that point on I knew the band was destined for some type of greatness. Much like their Canadian counterparts Priestess, the band really knew how to craft catchy and memorable hard rock melodies and song structures without simply copying their influences. Their debut remains high on my list of most played albums. I am happy to report that they have not been sitting on their asses since then. With several years and many concerts under their belt, the band once again went into the studio with more songs ready to blast you in the face and force you to remember their name.

The intro Black Magic introduces the sound of the band with subtle bass and reverb electric guitar melody, leading directly into Show Me Your Teeth, the first single from the album. This song basically tells you all you need to know about this band. They are heavy and they are catchy, with a knack for creating infectious melodies. The production has been stepped up since the last album as well, with particular emphasis on the vocals and guitars. Love Like Blood continues the same energy but steps up the guitar playing and throws in a bit more of an aggressive edge, though the chorus can get a little repetitive. That's to be expected though with this kind of music. The band is once again all about keeping things simple in terms of song structures, but adds plenty of instrumental ear candy to keep your interest. The guitar playing of Davies in particular sounds excellent. Up On Sparrow Hill got my attention with its mixture of stoner metal riffs and a touch of melancholy. The lyrics are also well written and delivered by vocalist Daniel Davies with plenty of emotion as always. His voice is one of the best things about the band, reminding me somewhat of Wolfmother’s Andrew Stockdale, but also uses his range a bit more extensively. The album, like the previous one, has a few slower songs as well. Seven Of Swords is a nice acoustic song while Foggy Bottom creates a calm atmosphere with serene electric guitar and bass. I also like that this time they decided to place them a bit more strategically, instead of just putting them at the end.

Has it all been done before? Sure. But nevertheless Year Long Disaster show that the old formulas still work if you write some decent songs and play your music with feeling. Indeed I think at least some of the reason I like these guys so much is because there’s a sense of familiarity about their music. Something about them reminds me of the old 70s hard rock, while keeping a modern edge. Every single song on this album has something positive about it, which makes for a damn fun listen and an album that doesn’t get old too fast. Even after hearing all the songs 7-8 times, they were still enjoyable and didn't lose their listenability. This is once again a great performance from this young band, and a great way to start spring.