West Yorkshire's self-confessed masters of pop bastardy make a welcome return with their fourth album. Such is the measure of The Scaramanga Six's lack of subtlety that their drummer is on loan from a Queen covers band to achieve the "desired level of pomposity".
It's not the only thing they have in common with one of rock's most flamboyant bands either: the Morricone brothers love their harmonies, there's a liberal use of strings, a sense of humour (on the excellent 'The Collector', "coincidence" is mis-pronounced to rhyme with "silence") and - for a relatively modest record label - the production of 'The Dance Of Death' sounds huge. Rock solid riffs and semi-operatic vocals propel 'Vesuvius', 'Sunken Eyes' features a great melodic twist, 'I Wear My Heart On My Sleeve' boasts a cracking punky chorus, whilst 'Towering Inferno' lives up to its immodest title. So although their tongues remain firmly in cheeks, The Scaramanga Six remain a serious musical proposition.