ADKINS – The Wrong Side of Fame (Album Review)

Posted on June 30, 2020 by Paul 'Browny' Brown

ADKINS – The Wrong Side of Fame
Released: July 3rd, 2020

ADKINS Line-up

Sam Adkins | Vocals/Guitar
Josh Willcox | Guitar/Vocals
Michael Chadwick | Bass
Zeno Barwick | Drums

ADKINS online:

The Wrong Side of Fame is the debut album from Hobart four-piece ADKINS. It’s an album filled with melodic vocals juxtaposed by intricate riffs and intense breakdowns. Listening to the record, I hear so many different influences in the band’s music. Their alternative rock sound could be compared to the likes of Karnivool, Breaking Benjamin and Incubus, but there is also a hint of the loud stadium sounds associated with sunset-strip legends like Def Leppard and Guns N’ Roses. What ADKINS have done so well is take these influences and blend them into their own unique sound.

‘See Right Through’ kicks things right into gear, showcasing nice clean and clear vocals against heavy riffs, while ‘Taste’ is a fast, high-spirited track with some punk-influenced moments, particularly in the verses leading up to each chorus. ‘Temporary’ slows things down a bit for one of the more mellow moments on the record. It feels like ADKINS anthem for this record, a song that fans might pull out their lighter for, whilst new single ‘Time Waster‘ hones in on the balladesque love songs of yesteryear showcasing the band’s diverse range immaculately. Instrumentally, throughout the album, Sam Adkins and Josh Willcox play their guitars against each other beautifully while the basslines provided by Michael Chadwick bellows perfectly against Zeno Barwick’s intense drumming. Closing track ‘Tenth’ is the highlight of the record. Despite being the last song on the album, it wraps the debut record up in fine style, with the subtle moments within being some of the most memorable on the album.

What really strikes me as noteworthy is just how refined the sound on The Wrong Side of Fame is. There’s an energy across the album that never falters. Each of the guys in the band delivers, and what’s even more impressive is that after some investigative journalism work (I looked up their Twitter account) I discovered that the members of ADKINS recorded the majority of the album from their respective home studios during Covid-19 isolation. Guys, I’m impressed.

For a debut album, The Wrong Side of Fame ticks a lot of the right boxes. ADKINS have shown that they are an act to be taken seriously amongst Australia’s massive rock scene, and I can’t wait to hear more from them in the future.