Puppy – Pure Evil | Album Review

As those already acquainted with the band will know, Puppy revolve around two vital components. The first, as the title Pure Evil slyly alludes to, is a dichotomy between hulking metal aesthetics and sleek contemporary pop songwriting. The second is riffs. Both are in fine supply here.

The second full length by the London trio, Pure Evil follows their debut The Goat, another title hinting towards the subtle juxtaposition that is Puppy’s love for spiked gauntlet adorned metal, popular culture and taking neither too seriously. The Goat was a fantastically unique record abundant with both charm and fun, and considering its contrast to the current state of UK rock, it beggars belief why it was criminally overlooked upon release. One would argue it wouldn’t be too hyperbolic to call it an antidote to both the deathly stoicism commonly found in UK metal and the beige formulaic sound that’s being tarmacked over the popular national rock sound. Thankfully, Pure Evil sees the band attempting to administer the shot for the second time.

Pure Evil isn’t a major musical step up or a departure from the contents of The Goat, but it doesn’t need to be; it’s a continuation of that dichotomy that makes Puppy such a unique and fascinating entity. As hinted at by album art that boasts something akin to that Fisher Price plastic castle we all loved as kids and as proven by the revelling riffs of ‘My Offer’ and electrified leads of ‘Wasted Little Heart’, the record sees Puppy embellishing the battle-axe wielding sensibilities of 80’s metal by implementing them into modernist pop songwriting to brilliant effect once again.

Sure, elitists could take offence to the band marrying classic metal tropes with the sensibilities of a genre that metal was once rallying against. But really, Puppy again forge a sound and aesthetic in a way that forgoes the toxic stereotypes associated with metal. The welcoming, celebratory warmth of ‘Watch It Glow’ stands as a funeral pyre to mundane heavy metal elitism and the grungy garage fuzz-pop of ‘Holy Water’ washes away all remaining dregs, leaving behind something refreshing and new within the modern metal canon.

Yes, the formula remains unchanged from their earlier work but it’s clear the band have put in the time to add a layer of lacquer to the production, sharpen their bladed edge and further exaggerate the central contrast that serves as the crux of their sound. At times, Puppy expand their already encyclopaedic knowledge of the metal spectrum to incorporate riffs from different tangents of the genre into the mix. ‘Spellbound’ enjoys a sound akin to something courtesy from Mercyful Fate prior to it breaking down into a stomping riff that wouldn’t be out of place from the annals of 90s hardcore, and ‘Sacrifice’ sweetens the vile riffs of Venom to the point of indulgence. ‘Angel’ even sounds like King Diamond resurrecting Weezer circa The Blue Album.

But still, even with the tendrils of Puppy spreading further than before, Pure Evil still carries the cohesive sound of The Goat, complete with a prevailing sense of fun and joy. It may be due to the band having more personal flexibility on the production side of this record than in comparison to their last, but it’s clear the band fully enjoyed further tinkering with the components of genre without having to comply with rigid regulations. Closer ‘Glacial’ fully encapsulates this. The highlight of Pure Evil, it’s this track that epitomises the joy and freedom that defines Puppy as a whole, with the song being a free-spirited entanglement of indie and leather-clad riffs in a fashion that could only be executed by this band.

Pure Evil is still a fun and gleeful ode to classic heavy metal, freed of all restraints. Those already well-versed will know what to expect, but for those yet to groove with Puppy, they’ll be faced with something refreshing, exploratory and intensely self-aware of its juxtaposing nature. If you’re wanting an escape from the formulaic modern rock that currently fills the charts, wanting the sound of classic metal engineered for modern day flexibility or quite simply just want some great riffs, then it’s time to embrace Pure Evil.