In summary:

Break The Silence may be Gun’s first album after a decade-long hiatus, but it hits all the right notes and shows that Gun haven’t lost their knack for creating songs which will rattle around your head for weeks on end.

Break The Silence receives 8/11.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Thirteen years is a very long time indeed.

You could raise a family, or play in three World Cups, or make one Chinese Democracy (almost!).

That’s how long Scottish rock giants Gun had been away from the spotlight after disbanding amidst the rubble of their disastrous fourth LP 0141 632 6326 (1997), and they decided to get the band back together in 2009.

However, the initial excitement of this news was squashed when talismanic frontman Mark Rankin declined to partake and had to be replaced by Toby Jepson. Expectations were lowered even further when the newly reformed Gun cut a fucking awful 5-track EP which displayed many of the “pop” tropes of that ill-fated fourth album, and then both Jepson and drummer Gordon McNeil withdrew from the project.

Talk about a failed comeback, huh?

This could’ve quite easily been the end for Gun, considering the only remaining members were co-founders Giuliano Gizzi (lead guitar) and Dante Gizzi (bass), but in retrospect it just goes to make Break The Silence an even more impressive record.

After much deliberation, bass player Dante Gizzi decided to take on the reigns of lead singer.

This move made a lot of sense, consdiring he and his brother are the driving forces behind the band and he’s provided backing vocals on all of Gun’s previous albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

A few days later, they hired guitar tech Derek Brown to fill the bass slot which had been vacated by Dante, then persuaded popular drummer Paul McManus to get on board, and suddenly this new-look group were raring to go, as they embarked on a mission to reclaim their spot among rock’s top tier of musicians.

The reason I mention the “lore” of this album is because Gizzi brings a very different vocal style to that of Mark Rankin, and any Gun fans who go into this album expecting that classic baritone will undoubtedly be jarred when met with the new frontman’s much higher, raspier vocal work.

However, it doesn’t take long for the quality of the material to shine through.

Album opener Butcher Man gallops out of the gates, the band wasting no time in letting us know that they don’t plan on making the same mistakes this time around, as they turn up the guitars and drums to full volume and stomp their way through three minutes of high octane rock.

This is quickly followed by 14 Stations, a track which has the potential to go down as one of the best they’ve ever penned. McManus’ pummelling beat is coupled with a chorus from Dante Gizzi which you’ll struggle to get out of your head for the next few weeks (trust me, I know!).

Speaking of Gizzi, he needs to be given his flowers here.

Stepping up to lead vocals was a big ask, but he shows he’s more than up to it by delivering the performance of his life. Sounding like a wild cross between W. Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses) and Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance), this is most certainly new territory for Gun, and the vocal gymnastics he’s able conjure up across these twelve tracks are truly stunning.

It’s clear that the Gun haven’t lost their talent for writing catchy tunes, as this album is full of them.

Whether it’s Lost & Found, No Substitute, Bad Things, or How Many Roads, you could jump into any of them and be comfortable singing along by the end of the very first listen.

Break The Silence ends with a triple-whammy of the fantastic singalong Innocent Thieves, Running Out Of Time, and Last Train which drive home the fact that, while this is undoubtedly a little more “polished” than their early 90’s work, it’s every bit as memorable and it’s to their credit that there’s not a single dud on the entire disc.

So why isn’t this album rated 11/11?

Well, the biggest critique of Break The Silence is the noticeable lack of guitar solos from axeman Giuliano Gizzi.

Some of these tracks could’ve been taken to a whole new level had Gizzi decided to drop one of his trademark face-melters into the mix, but the moment never arrives and instead he spends the bulk of his time playing what is essentially rhythm guitar (albeit a very loud one!).

In the years which have passed since this release, the band have explained that they made this choice in order to align with current trends in rock music. It’s agreeable that guitar solos have faded from the forefront during Gun’s 13-year hiatus, but one can’t help but feel that they missed an opportunity to create some truly legendary tracks here.

They say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, but in the case of Gun it’s more like you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone and then it comes back, because even the most ardent of supporters wouldn’t of expected them to return with such a fine LP.

If you’ve felt a little alienated by the music industry’s fascination with overly materialistic nu-metal and emo in recent years, then there’s a lot to be said for Gun’s brand of straight-ahead blue collar rock (and yes, they still have the faux American accents!). Break The Silence is full to the brim with catchy songs, and it’ll be very interesting to see what Gun do next!

In summary:

Break The Silence may be Gun’s first album after a decade-long hiatus, but it hits all the right notes and shows that Gun haven’t lost their knack for creating songs which will rattle around your head for weeks on end.

Break The Silence receives 8/11.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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