Written by: Nick Ashton
Band:
Title:
Release Date:
The Last Bastion
Who We Are
27th June 2025
In June 793 a marauding band of Vikings crossed the North Sea to attack the island of Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumbria, laying waste to all who crossed their paths. History does not record the songs written to tell the story of this invasion; but surely the debut album from Newcastle’s The Last Bastion would have been a fitting soundtrack. Crushing riffs, epic vocals, remorseless bass lines and powerhouse drumming forged in the fires of Valhalla are offered up in worship of the ancient gods of Heavy Metal on Who We Are.
Let’s be up front here: this album does not set out to reinvent the wheel. There is no Gen Z-friendly genre-fluidity; you are not going to hear trap beats, jazz piano, ambient drone and prog noodling melded into a single song. Your chakras will not be realigned and your cosmic path will not be cleansed after listening to Who We Are, for this is an album of pure, unadulterated heavy metal majesty. Opening song Ignite, while ostensibly being about a racing driver pushing man and machine to their limits, is in fact a statement of intent. Here, as throughout the album, Rob Mack’s riffing is relentless. Think early Saxon, Priest and Maiden with Metallica-esque flourishes. Kev Brown’s vocals are gruff and powerful but remain melodic throughout. While frequently rabble-rousing, as on the chugging Pay the Price and the fist pumping Medusa, he also shows a mellower reflective side on Screaming in Silence which offers a welcome change of pace. The rhythm section comprises Oscar Thompson (bass) and Ákos Farkas (drums) who keep the bottom end rock solid. Thompson’s bass rumbles along, providing solid foundations for the riffing taking place over the top, while Farkas delivers some interesting drum patterns on songs such as Pay the Price before ramping up the raw power on The Aviator.
this is an album of pure, unadulterated heavy metal majesty
Lyrically the songs touch upon themes familiar to the metal community: brotherhood, loyalty, fast cars, daring adventures and even a nod to Greek mythology and a tribute to Lemmy on bonus track Rebel Soul. But the most important element of each of the ten tracks on offer here is the riff. At times monumental, such as Seven Deadly Sins which sounds like tectonic plates colliding; elsewhere galloping, such as the Maiden-esque World on Fire or simply no-nonsense neck snapping intensity such as The Aviator. Mack can shred too, when required. His soloing is restrained, never outstaying its welcome or detracting from the overall structure of the song. Indeed, on both Screaming in Silence and Pay the Price the main solo is held back to the end of the song thereby shifting the focal point. However, when necessary he can take centre stage, such as on the blistering Through the Storm on which the controlled aggression of the main riff spills over into a textbook shred solo.
A strength of this album is the band’s devotion to the cause: to paraphrase their website this is more than music; it is a way of life. Their passion and enthusiasm boils over in each note, each scream and each crash of a cymbal and that energy is to be lauded. That said, I think that the inclusion of another slower song along the lines of Screaming in Silence would have helped to break up the relentless nature of the riffing on offer. Sometimes a little light helps to emphasise the intensity of the darkness. Nonetheless, if you enjoy traditional heavy metal packed to the brim with huge riffs, heroic vocals and epic songs then you are sure to enjoy this album.
The Last Bastion are:
Kev Brown – Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
Rob Mack – Lead Guitar
Oscar Thompson – Bass
Ákos Farkas – Drums
Track Listing
- Ignite
- Who We Are
- Screaming in Silence
- Pay the Price
- The Aviator
- Seven Deadly Sins
- Medusa
- Through the Storm
- World on Fire
- Rebel Soul (Bonus Demo)