When does a band stop being a band? It’s a regular topic of discussion amongst metalheads that grows more rampant as the years go by. There’s no shortage of classic rock acts touring the nostalgia circuit that bear little to no semblance of the bands who created the hits everyone knows them for (i.e. Foreigner, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet). In recent years, many have questioned the legitimacy of a Pantera sans the Abbott brothers, not to mention the slew of other classic metal acts “reuniting” without key members. While this discussion is usually reserved for legacy acts, I mention it here because somewhere in between opening for Scorpions and putting out this here album, Dirty & Divine, Thundermother completely imploded.
I’m not aware of the specifics, and I’m sure someone with greater intel than I will leap to the comment section with, “Here’s what actually happened.” I’m not here to debate, but rather to relay what I know, which is seemingly out of nowhere, 3/4 of Thundermother abruptly split, leaving founding guitarist Filippa Nässil as the lone wolf. Said 3/4 went onto form a new band called The Gems, that I’ve heard little about since the release of their 2024 debut album, while Nässil quickly assembled a new incarnation, who makes their debut on Thundermother’s sixth studio album, Dirty & Divine.
While the lineup might look different, the music sounds the same. This is yet another no frills collection of retro hard rockers, with riffs and hooks at the forefront. That being said, I can’t help but acknowledge the rather middle of the road quality to many of these tracks, something I haven’t noticed on past Thundermother releases. Accessible rockers like “So Close”, “Can’t Put Out the Fire”, “Feeling Alright”, and “Bright Eyes” sound indistinguishable from the endless crop of “female-fronted” bands making up active rock radio playlists today. In other words, they sound like Halestorm, who sound like The Pretty Reckless, who sound like Dorothy, who sound like…you get the idea. All of these bands follow a very similar musical template, and to hear Thundermother tread this path does not make me excited in the slightest.
This is a band who are at their best when they are at their heaviest, and Dirty & Divine is no exception. Motörcharged speed-fests like “Take the Power” and “American Adrenaline” leave us longing for a full metal affair from these lasses, just as “Watch Out” and “Try with Love” did on their last album, Black and Gold. The brilliantly titled “I Left My License in the Future” packs the piss and vinegar punch of an ’80s Girlschool deep cut, while “Can You Feel It” stands as the obligatory slab of AC/DC arena worship. Standing apart from the pack is “Dead or Alive”, which almost sounds goth in its melodies and textures, albeit in a Love era Cult-esque manner. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but I’m sure I’ll come around to it upon further listens.
Not as dirty as I wish it’d be, and far from divine, Dirty & Divine marks a new beginning for Thundermother, one that sees a band caught between retaining their self identity and going along with the crowd. It’s a good hard rock album in the grand scheme of things, but falls short when compared to past Thundermother releases. Perhaps it’s the sound of a band working out the kinks, one who’ll be firing on all cylinders come their second full length outing, spreading thunder far and wide. One can only hope.
6 out of 10
Label: AFM Records
Genre: Hard Rock
For fans of: AC/DC, Girlschool, Halestorm
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