After eight years away from the studio, The Temperance Movement are back with New Promise Land Incorporated, their fourth full-length album. Produced by Ethan Johns and released through Earache Records, the record finds the British rockers returning to their blues based hard rock roots, with a sound that puts the focus on the raw energy of five musicians playing together in the same room.
Formed in 2011, The Temperance Movement made a name for themselves by combining the bluesy swagger of classic rock with plenty of grit and soul. The current lineup features vocalist Phil Campbell, guitarists Luke Potashnick and Paul Sayer, bassist Nick Fyffe, and drummer Simon Lea. Their self-titled debut and later albums, particularly 2018’s A Deeper Cut, earned them a loyal following. After reuniting on stage in 2025, the band now return to the studio with their first collection of new material in eight years.
Musically, New Promise Land Incorporated sticks to familiar territory, bringing together rugged guitar riffs, hard-edged vocals and the loose grooves of classic rock bands like The Rolling Stones, Free and The Black Crowes. Opening track “Shadows” gets things going with a straightforward blues rocker, while “Eat You Alive” adds a little more energy with its driving riff and Phil Campbell’s gritty vocals. Both songs give a good sense of what the album is about: unpretentious rock and roll built on solid performances.
The album really hits its stride with “Silverlight Blues,” a rugged, country-tinged blues rocker with excellent vocals and some particularly satisfying lead guitar work. “Scars” takes a more ballad-like approach without losing its hard edge, while “Mongrels” is arguably the record’s definitive highlight. Its stripped-down, focused arrangement gives Campbell room to deliver arguably his best vocal performance on the album, backed by some haunting lead guitar.
“Always Been Love” brings a funky edge to the mix and features the album’s best riff, adding some welcome variety. The Americana-tinged “Saving Grace” and “Let It All Out” then bring things to a close on a solid note, with a more reflective feel.
The production deserves a mention, too. Working with Ethan Johns, the band recorded live to tape, and you can hear the difference in the way the instruments sit together. The sound isn’t pristine, but that’s part of the appeal: the guitars have a nice bite, the rhythm section keeps things bouncing along, and the whole record has the loose, lived-in feel of a band enjoying the chance to play together again. For this kind of blues based rock, that approach certainly works far better than a glossy studio treatment would.
Overall, New Promise Land Incorporated is a welcome return from a band that knows what it does well. The songwriting is solid, the performances are strong, and the production gives the music just the right feel. It’s an enjoyable collection of blues based rock that sounds comfortable in its own skin. The band may be revisiting familiar ground, but they make a convincing case for staying there.
The Review: 7.5/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– Eat You Alive
– Silverlight Bl
– Scar
– Always Been Love
– Mongrels
The Big Hit
– Mongrels
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