By Andrew Bansal
Longstanding Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen started a blues side project in 2012, recruiting a group of talented musicians in an attempt to revive a musical style that lends to the roots of all forms of heavy music but is rarely heard in its purest form in the modern day. The group is called Delta Deep and besides Collen on guitar and vocals, features Robert DeLeo on bass, Forrest Robinson on drums and Debbi Blackwell-Cook on lead vocals. Delta Deep released their self-titled debut full-length album on June 23rd 2015 via Mailboat Records, and can be rightfully described as a combination of ‘extreme blues’ and ‘rock-n-soul’.
Filled to the brim with pristine electric guitar goodness, the Delta Deep debut gives blues rock fans plenty to devour, and for fans of heavier variants of rock and metal, it serves as food for thought because it is a classic demonstration of the real roots of all things heavy. It is a well-orchestrated throwback that achieves what it sets out for. The tune ‘Down In The Delta’ arguably stands out as the highlight of the 11-track effort, along with an excellent rendition of Deep Purple’s ‘Mistreated’, featuring Collen’s Def Leppard band mate Joe Elliott performing a vocal duet with Debbi Blackwell-Cook.
Musicians often invest their time, effort and money into side projects that invariably turn out to be merely slight derivatives of their main bands, but Phil Collen bucks the trend with Delta Deep as he has clearly laid the groundwork for something vastly different from Def Leppard, and a project that can stand on its own. Delta Deep’s self-titled album is a refreshing reminder of an ancient musical style.
Rating: 8/10
Record Label: Mailboat
Release Date: June 23rd 2015
Track Listing:
01. Bang The Lid
02. Whiskey
03. Down In The Delta
04. Treat Her Like Candy
05. Miss Me
06. Burnt Sally
07. Private Number
08. Shuffle Sweet
09. Black Coffee
10. Feelit
11. Mistreated