Achilles

Achilles

The eighth album from Norwegian hard-rock rangers Audrey Horne kicks off with the title track’s prog odyssey about the chaotic times we live in. “In the Eye of the Hurricane” combines the finely honed twin-guitar interplay of Arve Isdal (also of Enslaved) and Thomas Tofthagen with the kind of catchy AOR that dominated late-’70s and early-’80s US FM radio. The Thin Lizzy-inspired “God Damn Beautiful” sees bassist Espen Lien taking a lead-vocal turn while the galloping, Maiden-esque “Insanity” also takes lyrical inspiration from their 1982 classic “Hallowed Be Thy Name.” Vocalist Torkjell “Toschie” Rød reaches for the heavens on “Six Feet in the Ground” and the excellent “Vampires,” the latter of which demands beer-hoisting sing-alongs and air guitar in equal measure.