India’s Against Evil are back – and long term fans will be pleased to here that it’s very much business as usual for album number three.

Whether that means that Give ‘Em Hell is the best vehicle with which to expand the band’s appeal is a moot point, but if you’ve ever enjoyed the band’s no-side mix of power, speed and thrash metal then there’s absolutely no excuse not to get stuck in again here on the evidence of the trio of superb metal anthems that make up the core of the album.

Full Speed Ahead does exactly what it says on the tin, erupting from the starting blocks and never looking back, whilst standout cut Warriors continues the band’s admirable tradition of penning songs that can best be described as being ‘Manowaresque’. Given the fact that Manowar themselves haven’t written a decent tune in decades, that’s a very good thing indeed in this reviewer’s book.

The third song of the trio, Stay Dead! is a nice, Anthraxy zombie track that’ll spread a smile across the face, and it’s here that you realise just how much fun it sounds like these guys are having when they play. It’s infectious, and that’s exactly the word I’d use to describe next track, the fight song Lights Out, which is a delicious mix of Kiss via the pen of Gene Simmons and, perhaps less obviously Anvil. It’s absolutely as gonzoid as that description sounds – and you’re gonna love it, trust me!

Hellfire, with it’s latter day Priest feel is another highlight, but if truth be told there aren’t really too many low points to be found on Give ’em Hell. Against Evil’s game plan is a simple one – bang some heads and keep ’em banging. And in those terms, it’s hard to see this record as anything other than a resounding success.

Give ’em Hell releases on July 12th.