Soul Destruction

The Almighty's rough brand of metallic punk always relied a lot more on attitude than actual talent, and despite the best efforts of the British press to bestow rave reviews and endorsements upon the Glasgow quartet, the simple fact remains that most of their albums weren't very good. None more so than their sophomore effort Soul Destruction, which repeated virtually all the moves of their debut, including under-developed songs and a noticeably amateurish production from ex-Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor. Pounding opener Crucify and lead-off single Free'n'Easy show some promise with their no fuss approach and respectable hooks, but they soon give way to an increasingly unconvincing succession of mid-paced rockers (Joy Bang One Time, Praying to the Red Light) and downright incompetent ballads (Bandaged Knees, Little Lost Sometimes). And except for the semi-interesting Hell to Pay, the disc's second half is a complete wash.