Review | Thundermother – Dirty & Divine

AFM Records

With ‘Dirty & Divine’ another new chapter begins for Thundermother. This band has had quite a few highlights after the release of their previous album ‘Black And Gold’ such as an extensive tour of the USA with Scorpions, as well as a line-up change mid tour. Only chief mother Filippa Nässil is still at the helm of the previous album’s line-up. However, it is super to also see bassist Majsan Lindberg back in the formation. After her year away from the band, she has been the lady who conjures the low tones from her bass guitar for quite some time now.

LIVE IN THE STUDIO

This line-up also includes singer Linnea Vikström Egg and French drummer Joan Massing. And the result is quite something. So this has been a close-knit group since the switch in the middle of the previous tour.
It shows, and the ladies know it too, because most of the album was recorded live in the studio. Something that, in my opinion, immediately brings the vibe of the album to another level. In addition, an analog recording method was chosen, which usually turns out warmer and fatter anyway. Together with producer Søren Andersen they made sure that the album sounds lickety-split.

And musically? Something happened there too with the arrival of Ms. Vikström at Filippa’s side. Now the songs do not only come from the hand of the latter Thundermother. Almost everything was written by these two ladies.

FRESH WIND

It is clear to hear that a fresh wind is blowing in the Thundermother camp. The new energy has created a cool and more melodic vibe in the songs. But it’s still up and coming and unmistakably the Swedish rock machine this band has always been. Just a bit more “radio” friendly DNA on this record compared to the previous releases. That’s quite a statement for a record that doesn’t even have an almost genre obligatory ballad on it. Am I missing it? No, absolutely not.

The album opens with the catchy mid-tempo ,,So Close’’. Pumping drums and bass, nice space for the vocals and polyphonic singing in the chorus. And Filippa‘s guitar rocks nicely as ever. ,,Can’t Put Out The Fire’’ could have come straight off a Kiss release in the 70s. Great melodies and a fat chorus to sing along. Even with some shared lead vocals by Filippa, Majsan and Linnea. And yes ladies once the rock and roll virus is in your body that fire can never be extinguished.

,,Speaking Of The Devil’’ is a bit more up-tempo and at first glance looks more like the old familiar Thundermother work. Were it not for the fact that the devil is in the detail and suddenly a hook of a chorus comes around the corner that is so enormously catchy, it spins through your head for days to come.

,,Feeling Alright’’ has a Thin Lizzy vibe to it especially when I hear the guitar solo work on this track. Delicious and then the message is also one you may ponder for a while. The song is about the feeling you have with someone you can give yourself completely to and feel completely yourself. Mentally but certainly also sexually.

FIRST SONG

,,Take The Power’’ is actually the first song on the album that could have been on any of the previous albums. Rock and Roll all over. Up-tempo as hell and just a great stomper.

,,I Left My License In The Future’’ was the first new song [written entirely by Linnea], which was already the first to be heard from this Thundermother lineup. It had already been released in November 2023 as a preview and single. Live, then, this song is already a regular addition to the Thundermother set.

,,Dead Or Alive’’ again has a mid-tempo pace and beautiful melodic vocals. What I like about Linnea‘s vocals is that one moment they sound very clean and when she throws her power into it she has a super fat edge to her voice. So in that respect she is a super versatile singer. Since I have seen this line-up live several times, I can say that she certainly knows how to do it live.

,,Can You Feel It’’ has an AC/DC vibe to it and as a musician I know exactly what it’s all about when you’re on stage and there’s a fat amp steaming behind you. I guess that’s the feeling most musicians are addicted to.

,,Bright Eyes’’ is another stomp in the mid-tempo genre. And yes again it features a wonderfully catchy chorus.

,,American Adrenaline’’ closes the album in a decent up-tempo vibe. And I think this one could be a really cool song in the live set.

MORE MELODIC AND MORE ACCESSIBLE

All in all, The big difference is that Linnea has it in her to conjure delicious vocal melodies. This makes Thundermother anno 2025 sound more melodic and more accessible compared to the older material. I must admit that I had to get used to this approach for a little while.

The bass and drum parts form a very massive basis for all the songs. The guitars sound wonderfully fat and I notice with every listen I discover new things in the songs.

THUNDERMOTHER – THE CONCLUSION

These ladies can and should be insanely proud of ‘Dirty & Divine’, for indeed the album sounds Dirty at times and Divine at others. A killer classic rock album. This band has matured years with this album. I wrote it before but do it again now, many bands may take an example from them. This is how rock and roll is supposed to sound like!

I can’t wait to see them at work again live, because this well-oiled machine will play the roofs off all the venues and that’s where a rock and roll band like Thundermother is at its best too.
This album is just highly recommended.

Release date: 7 February 2025