• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

The opening riff of "Old Man Cry" from Gallows Pole's latest album Waiting for the Mothership should be all you need to know these Austrians play old school. This makes sense, as they've been around since the late 70s, releasing the occasional album over the decades. Gallows Pole play an early Hard Rock/Heavy Metal music that is akin to both late 70s prog/space rock as well as the NWOBHM. Waiting for the Mothership is almost a "missing link" between the two styles.

Opener "Old Man Cry" and the title track, "Waiting for the Mothership" feature some cool, echo-drenched riffs, similar to Sledgehammer or maybe Witchfinder General. Meanwhile, singer Alois Binder's deep, emotive voice gives slower, rockier songs like "Do You Remember" and "A Big Mistake" a definite Pink Floyd feel. The album is a concept piece about a space traveler trapped on Earth after his ship crashes, so similarities with bands like Hawkwind and even Eloy aren't completely meritless.

Gallows Pole's music is not going to appeal to a broad spectrum of Heavy Metal fans, sitting, as it does, so close to Metal's hard rock roots. But if you have a yen for the old school and enjoy the prog and hard rock that help spawn Heavy Metal, Waiting for the Mothership is worth a listen.