Release year: 2024
Label: Mutant Rock Records

During the COVID years, British psychobilly originators The Meteors seemed to be living in the studio. During 2021, they cranked out a whopping three full-length albums. And, to be honest, one could not escape the creeping suspicion that quantity was supplanting quality to some extent. (See our review of Dreamin’ Up A Nightmare here.)

Now that things are back to normal, The Meteors have also resumed a more typical interval between albums. Throughout their circa 45 year long history, they’ve typically released a new album every few years. 40 Days A Rotting is their first since 2021.

And maybe it’s just coincidence, but 40 Days A Rotting packs a lot more punch and feels more inspired. It’s not like the 2021 were scraped from the bottom of the barrel, they just lacked… well, something.

And that something isn’t lacking on 40 Days A Rotting.

Essentially, this is The Meteors as The Meteors is. Straightforward, solid rockin’ with a vicious snarl and plenty of vitriol. It’s psychobilly as it originally was: werewolf rockabilly; a punk edge and an image all its own, but never forgetting the rockabilly roots. If you’ve heard a The Meteors album from this millennium, you know what to expect.

In what can perhaps be called classic fashion for the band, the album kicks off with an instrumental. The Blood Red Sea is a fine little thing with nice guitarwork by the main man P. Paul Fenech. I’ve always liked his instrumentals, and feel like they’re sometimes a bit underappreciated.

The first song Road Burn kicks off in classic fashion, as well: Fenech’s snarl is as ever, dripping venom and full of pent up anger. The sound is, as has become the standard for The Meteors, somewhat lo-fi and rough around the edges, but perfectly serviceable. (A heads up regarding the vinyl version: its sound feels notably muddier than digital versions; I’m guessing this is because the entire 51 minute album has been crammed on a single vinyl.)

And as said, musically, this is classic The Meteors: psychobilly. A bit of punk, a bit of rockabilly, 100 % psychobilly. There’s nothing new under the sun.

But you weren’t expecting a bag full of new tricks from P. Paul Fenech & company, were you?

Of course you weren’t.

And accepting this, 40 Days A Rotting is a solid The Meteors album. It doesn’t contain any tracks that will replace any of their genre defining classics, and it’s not an album casual listeners will absolutely need in their collection. And members of the WWWC and other kattle will of course need this album regardless of what I say. But the rest, psychobillies and other sundries who like The Meteors but aren’t rabid fans: whilst not an essential addition to your collection, 40 Days A Rotting is a worthwhile addition to it. It’s a solid little album that proves Fenech still has the knack for writing good stuff.

So, 43 years after their debut, The Meteors still deliver the goods. 40 Days A Rotting isn’t innovative or trailblazing in the sense In Heaven and other early albums were, and it’s not the shining jewel of their lengthy discography – but it’s a solid release nonetheless. And you know, I kinda like it this way. Knowing that a new The Meteors album will sound exactly like The Meteors is in a way… I dunno, comforting? That there are things in this world that don’t change.

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