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Bite The Bullet: End Of The Line
Bite The Bullet - End Of The Line Album Art

Bite The Bullet: End Of The Line

AOR Melodic Rock
4.0/5.0

Internet (Label)
Escape Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 12.01.2022 | Released: 14.01.2022

In the midst of the worldwide pandemic, 2021 gave us the resurrection of this mostly forgotten UK band Bite The Bullet. The musical partners of singer songwriter Mick Benton (also vocals, guitar, bass, and keyboards) and drummer Graham Cowling formed the band in 1986, releasing their debut self-titled debut in 1989. This was in turn reissued in 2019. Which inspired the duo to record new tunes for their second album, Black And White, last year. Almost a year later, Bite The Bullet returns with their third album, End Of The Line. Is this a metaphor for their second death? I've got no clue.

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Essentially, End Of The Line is a return to the previous album. There's no sense reinventing sliced bread, when you have your musical formula well-established. Greatly influenced, back in the day and now, by bands such as Toto, Mr Mister, Foreigner, among many others, Bite The Bullet offers listeners catchy AOR melodic rock with strong vocal harmony, memorable melodies and refrains, and ambitious guitar solos. End Of The Line is a consistent and constant platter of these songs with some interesting variety.

For instance, Over You, Let It Go, and perhaps also End Of The Line rise as heavier rockers with stronger riffs. Similar is September Sun, yet more steady in the groove. Alternatively, while heavy in the bass line, Base Jumping offers a lively beat with both bounce and groove, and with a more prevalent guitar line. Something more AORish comes with the synth-establish Roundabout, but this also quickly moves to a more guitar driven song. But the synth layer is more prominent within Camaraderie, an anthemic ballad with the prerequisite soaring guitar solo in the later third.

There is one final song that needs mention: Cold Wind, track 4. Listen carefully, and tell me if you hear UFO in the riffs and melody. I couldn't put my finger on which UFO song (or songs) but then it hit me after several spins. Shoot Shoot. Or, perhaps, an odd combination of Shoot Shoot and Natural Thing. It's subtle, but I think it's there.

All in all, the conclusion is simple: with End Of The Line, Bite The Bullet offers fans another creative and uniquely consistent album of AOR melodic rock. If you liked Black And White then, by all means, get this album. Recommended.


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The Take Away

With End Of The Line, Bite The Bullet offers fans another creative and uniquely consistent album of AOR melodic rock. If you liked Black And White then, by all means, get this album. Recommended.

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