It’s an AVALANCHE of Rock & Roll - Armed to the teeth album review
Have you heard the news? Rock isn’t dead. It never has been. It’s just been harder to find. Which sounds odd - how can it be hard to find music when we’ve got access to all music at all times? Actually that’s the precise reason for the apparent ‘rock and roll pandemic.’ Trying to find something new and interesting in a sea of the same is like trying to find an extra small needle in a thousand Haystacks. Because of this, every few years - as music and its trends change and adapt - someone likes to claim that ‘Rock is dead.’ However, rock is only dead when we stop having hope, community and electric guitars. The truth is, modern music has a superpower; it is a product of the music that comes before it. So, current musicians have the chance to use the tech and musicality of our era and mold it with the icons of our previous decades.
The Australian band AVALANCHE does just that. With clear influences from the 70’s and 80’s in their music, style and even cover art of their new debut album Armed to the teeth. Lead singer Steven Campbell’s Vocals match the power and drama of bands like Iron maiden and AC/DC whilst their fist bumping choruses are reminiscent of artists like Joan Jett and Bon Jovi. All the while, they create their own unique sound and show off their fantastic musical talent.
AVALANCHE are an aussie-based pub rock band led by married duo Steven and Veronica Campbell. Not only are they married in life, they are married in music - with their equally talented and powerful musicianship blending together to highlight the other. Together, they truly shine. They are joined by Blake Poulton on rhythm guitar and Bon Lowe on the drums. Each individual's talent radiates through their music. I truly believe this band has potential to be at the top of the modern rock charts after not only being credited by major bands and publications such as Kerrang! UK, Rolling stone magazine and Airbourne frontman Joel O’ Keeffe - they have won Australia’s largest live original music initiative. I can see that AVALANCHE will be paving the way for modern rock music - especially following their new album - which I got the chance to listen to a few weeks before release.
While catchy choruses and musical talent are all well and good (which AVALANCHE have in plenty,) music is about how it makes you feel. So let me describe it to you:
You’re sat in your living room and press play on Armed to the teeth but when you close your eyes you’re transported. You’re in a venue, the type that’s in a basement of a pub where the bar staff laugh if you try and buy anything nicer than a beer. The crowd are rowdy and hyper and the nicest people you’ve ever met. The band are so close that you feel like you’re on the stage with them. The music is all consuming as you jump and throw your hands in the air. Everyone else is doing it too and you realise that you’re all connected. Everyone shares the same experience at the same moment. It feels defining. It’s like in Monsters Inc when they realise laughter and joy is more powerful than fear. Because every heavy guitar riff and clash of a drum is filling you with a shaking energy and you’re sharing it with the crowd and they’re giving it right back.
If you want to experience that live, you can see them on their upcoming Europe tour as they share the stage with major band Airbourne.
You can buy tickets HERE. https://www.avalanchebandrock.com/shows
You can also pre-order their album HERE. https://ffm.to/armedtotheteeth
It will be released on all platforms on the 13th of February 2026.
My Suggestion? Buy a physical copy, if you can. Even if you just pay for the album on itunes. It supports the band but also supports you. Owning media has plenty of benefits including, well, just enjoying the content more. A band that puts their love and soul into music like this deserves that support and recognition.
