The Answer - Rise EP (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Rock
Label - TAP

Track listing -

01 - Rise (Radio Mix)
02 - Lost
03 - Rise (Acoustic version)
04 - Rise (Full version)

The "Rise 2012 EP" follows last year's release of The Answer third consecutive Top-40 studio album ‘Revival’.After years supporting some of the biggest names in rock ‘n’ roll, The Answer fully deserve their place at the top of the bill as a major headline act.
Interesting to note that the title track from this EP was originally recorded as the title track for their 2006 debut album. Up until now (6 years later) the track remained unreleased."Rise" has been re-surrected, re-written and re-recorded and offered in three different ways.
The tender opening of the Cormac Neeson's lyrics and Paul Mahon's acoustic guitar work is a departure from what we would normally expect from these seasoned hard rockers.
However, the crescendo builds with the introduction of violins then explodes into life as the rhythm section of James Heatley's drums and Micky Water's bass thrust us back in familiar territory of a record that will have you thrashing your hair around wildly with your fists in the air.
The B-side "Lost" is very much a thunderous, riff-heavy offering that we have come to expect from a rock band whose roots are deeply imbedded in electric bluesy hard rock and the extravagant excess of the '70s.

Cormac growls and sneers his way through a story of self-awareness and rediscovery over a thumping rhythm and wailing guitar. This song would sit comfortably on any of the previous three albums and it's almost a shame that it is only appearing as a B-side in this EP.
The remaining songs on the EP are the 'Full long' and the 'Acoustic version' of the title track, the latter giving the listener a mellower ride with the emphasis more on the lyrics which tells a poignant story of loss and recovery.

A great stop gap release whilst the band get album no4 finished off. Well worth checking out!

Rating 10/10