Back with their fourth album are The Scaramanga Six, the Yorkshire collective who variously feature members of Being 747, Robochrist and a Queen tribute band (“to achieve the desired level of pomposity”).

The Dance Of Death follows on where 2005’s Cabin Fever left off, though with greater clarity this time, with more theatrical, often over the top rock music, which (for soundbite purposes) sounds like a punked up Divine Comedy.

Opening with The Throning Room, a song which is at least as old as those on Cabin Fever, the band set the tone nicely by bursting in on a eerie string intro with big glam rock guitars, organs and shouts of “YEAH!” before finally getting around to firing off a fast-paced punk tune. Next up is recent single, Baggage, a looming pop song that assures us “there ain’t nothing wrong”.

With an altogether softer approach (at least initially), Sunken Eyes tackles the topic of domestic violence without ever actually mentioning it (the protagonist is “always bumping into things”) and really shows of the band’s ability to write epic, multi-layered songs that give the big names a run for their money.

With more of a new wave sound, I Wear My Heart On My Sleeve is one of the most poppy songs on the album. But what a pop song, if there was more in the charts then cynics like me would despair less for 70’s and 80’s-influenced guitar music. The same goes for the altogether too brief Lifeblood Running Out, which combines sugary pop and shouting perfectly.

Concluding with another epic, the dark and brooding Towering Inferno, The Scaramanga Six draw to a close 45 minutes of pure brilliance. The Dance Of Death is their most fluid and most pleasing work to date, making this the perfect time for you to start listening to them.

Label: Wrath Records
Website: www.thescaramangasix.co.uk
Release date: 9th April 2007

Tracklist:

1. The Throning Room
2. Baggage
3. The Collector
4. Vesuvius
5. Sunken Eyes
6. I Wear My Heart On My Sleeve
7. Helvetica
8. Lifeblood Running Dry
9. I See Red
10. The Towering Red