Single Review: Gold Phoenix – There’s No Illusion Here EP

Surrey garage rockers Gold Phoenix are set to release their long awaited sophomore EP, There’s No Illusion Here, in just a few days time on May 7th, the new EP follows in the wake of their 2017 singles, Lotion and Oh So Hard, and their 2016 self titled debut. There’s No Illusion Here was recorded in deepest Wales at the legendary Rockfield Studios and Leeders Vale Studios with Nick Brine (The Darkness, Seasick Steve) and mastered by Pete Maher (Jack White, Rolling Stones) that brings a touch of studio polish to Gold Phoenix‘s fuzzy garage rock soundtrack.

Since forming in 2014 Gold Phoenix have been steadily building a name for themselves with UK and European Tours, festival appearances and now with their latest release, There’s No Illusion Here, that opens with the insistent fuzz drenched riff of Hard To Beat that provides a perfect, an aptly named opening, to their latest release. The fuzz drenched guitars and attitude are omnipresent on the EP but the soundtrack constantly switches in style, from the heavyweight proto rock of Black Bullet and Every Step Of The Way, to the driven psych influenced alt rock of Oh So Hard through to the pure garage rock of Hot ‘N Cold.

All five tracks carry an influence from the likes of The White Stripes, Queens Of The Stone Age and Band Of Skulls, this is married to a snotty garage attitude that sits alongside a touch of heavyweight proto rock riffage. With the release of There’s No Illusion Here it’s obvious that Gold Phoenix have unleashed their strongest EP to date, this has been partially achieved through the experienced hands at the helm in the studio, but that’s not to do the band any disservice as this is a collection of five original tracks that draw from the best of the alt rock and garage scenes, and if you’re a fan of the fuzzy and original side of those scenes then you need to introduce yourself to Gold Phoenix.

Gold Phoenix‘s Facebook page can be found here