When the news filtered down the Wimpwire a while ago that Vega‘s creative mainspring, brothers Tom and James Martin had left the band, many who know far more about the subject than I declared the band to be a shot duck; And I must admit that I myself had doubts over the band’s ability to recover from such a multi-faceted loss. To lose a bassist and a keyboard player is bad enough – but to lose two major parts of the band’s songwriting process at the same time? That’s a big hurdle to overcome…

But what do I know? Here we are a few months later and I -and you, soon, if you’ve any sense – am in possession of a brand, spanking new album from the outfit that is every bit as enjoyable as anything else the band has committed to wax thus far. Singer Nick Workman and newish drummer Pete Newdeck have combined well to take up the songwriting slack, and if the Martin boys haven’t exactly been wiped from the Vega fanhive mind in one fell swoop, the anxiety felt about their loss will at leas be completely alleviated by corking anthems such as the title track and 33’s and 45’S…

The band present as a slightly heavier, darker proposition here – certainly a more modern-sounding one – though the whiff of names like Bon Jovi still hangs heavy on the superb second track Killers. Long time guitarist Marcus Thurston has formed a solid partnership with six string compadre Billy Taylor, and the pair add bite and solidity throughout, helping in the process to forge a sound that continues to take the band away from it’s AOR origins towards a sound more attuned to a wider listenership. If that’s the plan here, then Battlelines has succeeded big time.

Workman is truly a world class singer, the owner of an emotive voice that really has the power to move, a fact he proves time and again here, and given that he’s taken on a bigger role in songwriting duties then surely that voice will only continue to grow as the centrepiece of the band’s sound. As a starting point for Vega 2.0 Battlelines is fantastic – doubly so when you think of what the future for this lineup might hold…

Battlelines releases on September 8th