Nazareth-Rampant (1974)

The Scottish band Nazareth's continuous tours across the United States, promoting their early albums, clearly influenced the sound of their fifth album, "Rampant". In addition to various allusions to American life and culture, the album also reflected their musical roots. Recorded in Switzerland during the first months of 1974, this fifth release saw the band comprised of Dan McCafferty (vocals), Pete Agnew (bass, guitars, and vocals), Manny Charlton (guitar), and Darrell Sweet (drums) craft a work that, while showcasing their characteristic laid-back and versatile rock, leaned towards Southern rock sounds and the acoustic style typical of American rock. These American influences appear in the Southern rock track "Silver Dollar Forger", the atmospheric folk-rock song "Sunshine", and the infectious "Shanghai'd in Shanghai". On the other hand, their signature sound is present in the rock and roll anthem "Glad When You're Gone", the heavy "Loved and Lost", the intense "Light My Way" and the galloping "Jet Lag". As was customary on all their previous albums, this one also includes a cover of a song by a band other than themselves, this time the classic by The Yardbirds, "Shape of Things", reimagined here in a powerful hard rock style. With a gold record and excellent sales worldwide, this album confirmed Nazareth as one of the most popular and successful hard rock and classic rock bands of the 1970s.