Billy Talent
III
Warner Brothers
ETA March 2009

What they’re saying
Halfway through 2008, vocalist Ben Kowalewicz said that Billy Talent were not leaving Canada until the new album was finished. They were pencilled in record in November 2008 with star producer Brendan O’Brien (Rage Against The Machine, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam) and are confirmed to play Soundwave and Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park festivals. All aboard the promo train!

Thrash Hits verdict
They’re already punk rock stars in their native Canada and their major label clout has already put ‘Turn Your Back’ onto the NHL 09 video game so expect this record to propel Billy Talent well and truly into the mainstream on both sides of the Atlantic.

They released ‘Turn Your Back’ – expected to be the first single off their third album – in September 2008 with the aid of Justin Sane and Chris #2 of Anti Flag’s vocal talents. Some fans were worried that the mediocre riffs and politico-by-numbers lyrics might rub off. They didn’t and there is much to look forward to from the third offering from the foremost punk rockers around.