CD review: Trench Dogs - "Fashionably Late"

The following CD review was originally published in March 2016 in the print issue of "Utropia" (Issue no.2-44.Årgang), Northern Norway's biggest student magazine at that time.

They don't reinvent the wheel of glam rock - but they rock! 

TEXT: Stefanie Singh

Artist: Trench Dogs

Album: Fashionably Late

Record Label: Trench Dogs

Rating: 5/6 

Two Utropians in Sweden's capital, Stockholm, for New Year's Eve, ended up at the gig of a Stockholm-based glam rock band. This is how we became aware of the "Trench Dogs" in the first place.

The band consists of Swedes Mattias Johansson (Guitar) and Martin Andersson (Drums), and Australians Andy Hekkandi (Vocals) and Li Sick (Bass), In actual fact, Li Sick is originally from Greece, and Andy moved first to Norway (namely to Stathelle), before heading to Sweden. Probably around the same time, Mattias Johansson was still acting front man for "In Vaïn". Soon after, the Trench Dogs were founded and their first songs produced by no-less than Crashdïet guitarist, Martin Sweet.

Now the first EP, "Fashionably Late", is out alongside a music video for the opener "Self-Sabotage" - and, Jesus, it rocks! Both the song AND the music video. One might argue that the quartet does not reinvent the wheel of glam rock - which they really don't, and yet they acquit themselves quite well. For this reason, we can ignore the fact that the beginning of "Thunder In The Badlands" is slightly reminiscent of Hardcore Superstar's "Wild Boys". It rocks anyway. "Ode To Ashes" is the obligatory "let's wave the lighters" ballad, yet it's well done. And then there is the final "Silver Tongue", which probably works quite well as an encore at the live shows, thanks to its wacky touch.

Trench Dogs' "Fashionably Late" is a self-produced mini album and can be ordered directly from the band via email (trenchmerch.se@gmail.com). And with a price of 70 SEK plus postage, it doesn't cost the earth either.