Steamhammer-Speech (1972)

The fourth and final album from the legendary Steamhammer, a band that emerged in late 1969 within the fertile British blues-rock movement. While their debut was a clear example of the best blues of that era, their subsequent releases leaned towards a more jazz-oriented sound with elements of progressive rock. In 1972, this lineup, comprised of guitarist and vocalist Martin Pugh, bassist Louis Cennamo, and drummer Mickey Bradley, along with guest appearances from Renaissance members Keith and Jane Relf and vocalist Garth Watt-Roy, recorded Steamhammer's fourth and final album. On this fourth release, titled "Speech", the band embraced a style closer to dark hard rock, as demonstrated in the terrifying suite "Penumbra", a track that puts all the black metal bands of the eighties and nineties to shame. In a similar vein come the frenetic blues-rock of "Telegram" and the extravagant "For Against", which includes a long and somewhat tedious drum solo. Despite the heavy, angry hard rock sound, this album became their most progressive offering, featuring intricate songs and complex, challenging instrumentation.