It’s taken a decade but there is a new album from Blueneck called Moonlighting. It appears some serious medical issues led to the delay but thankfully they are back.

The album takes it cue from the more electronic The Outpost rather than their earlier post rock sound. At times it's almost like listening to a very depressed Pet Shop Boys.

Blueneck have a recent trend of opening the album with a stunner of a track and this is no different. Mouth Of The Snake starts with insistent synths and electronic drums before a thrilling change in pace and the introduction of the guitars.  

Unfortunately, the next track Fragments is just that. Some fragments looking for a frame of a song to hang from.

The one-two punch of the next two tracks are some of the best Blueneck songs since King Nine. Return To Cadiz bristle with energetic guitar, while some unadulterated non electronic drumming propels Goliath powerfully forwards, a welcome change of pace.

It all sort of fritters away after that with Did You See The Sunrise? slipping far too close to modern Coldplay territory for my liking. 

You also feel that occasionally the singing need to change it up. The haunting, sorrowful vocals are very much a trademark of the Blueneck sound but occasionally an emotional variation would be good – Maybe a flash of anger or something more uplifting like Alcest manage.

Whilst it is good to see them having returned, we are not at the peak of King Nine or The Fallen Host yet