Eureka Machines - Remain in Hope

The story behind the Eureka Machines latest release Remain in Hope is one that could have been scripted in Hollywood.

Battered and bruised from their experiences in the music business world the band were about to call it a day.

In boxing parlance they were on the ropes.

While their two previous albums could be described as quiet classics, and didn't provide any evidence that they had put a foot wrong, the reality was that even though they were critically acclaimed - and the band had a rabid following of fans willing to attest to their magnificence - none of the plaudits had resulted in them being invited up to play on the big stages.

It's all akin to the mirroring of Stallone in the Rocky story.

They gave it their best shot, but maybe their best days were behind them.

There was still fuel in the tank of course, but the question 'does anyone give a toss' must have been bouncing about in the EM camp.

The answer being considered was probably 'not enough for it to matter'.

Then due to Chris Catalyts involvement in the headline grabbing Ginger Wildheart pledge campaign he decided that assuming some control for what could have been one last throw of the dice may be an option.

Thankfully the fans responded and shouted out a resounding 'hell yes, we want more', and with this support, along with his band mates, he embraced the opportunity and rolled double sixes with what is to this day the bands best release.

Maybe it was the hunger to succeed that drove them on, or the appreciation that they had a fan base who would have considered the throwing in of the towel as leaving the story unfinished, but regardless of what the drive was there is no doubt that the band far exceeded anything that the fans had expected from them.

We expected greatness and got more.

Remain in Hope could easily be described as the release the band always had in them, and with the funding from the fans and control over the project, the band were able to deliver a complete piece of work that appears to truly highlight every single one of their talents.

Outstanding song writing, tip-top musicianship and a sterling production are all there, and there is not one single second where the quality dips below mind blowing.

Every artist has this idea in their head about what their songs should sound like, but very often there are limitations to what can realistically be achieved due to the finances that they can dip into.

What we often hear is a facsimile of what is playing in their heads.

Then you get this and it's as if the sun has slipped out from behind the clouds.

Remain in Hope is the release that has seen Eureka Machine take what they had within them and spill it out into the studio where it has been captured in grand style.

I genuinely doubt that there is a band in the UK who could touch them at the moment when it comes to playing rock and roll that is wrapped so warmly in pop harmonies.

Initially I was leaning towards Jellyfish comparisons, but how can you really compare two bands who are equally as good as each other.

One doesn't surpass the other in any way at all.

I've been listening to the Jellyfish album for many many years and now I can honestly say that Remain in Hope will be joining it as one of my desert island discs.

Eureka Machines are a rock band, but there is so much more to them that just that.

In years to come others will look back on this album and claim it to be the 'classic' sound of the Eureka Machines.