I knew little of this London-based six piece when presented with this, their debut album, 'Handful Of Dreams', and after a little research I still don't know very much about them. Together for three years now, this album was written mostly by chief songwriter and guitarist Terence Warville, who has previously been in Stimulator with Billy Morrison. They have just played the Sonisphere Festival for the second year in a row and can count Russell Brand and Billy Morrison as fans.

The album starts well with 'Wishing Eye' a solid, stadium-sized slab of a tune wrapped up in a crunchy guitar coating. The vocals of frontman Giles Van Lane are distinctive, reminding me of John Corabi mixed with a bit of Ian Astbury for good measure. The title track is an instant hit,with a chorus more infectious than herpes it demands hitting of the repeat button. More songs like this and these handful of dreams could well come true for this band.

Their take on Talking Heads' 'Once In A Lifetime' is a rocked up version that works pretty well here, updated for a modern age I'm sure it is a live favourite. 'Breathe' is their stab at a ballad, a slice of '90s stadium rock balladry, it comes on like 'Illusions' era GN'R meets Audioslave; an epic ride that builds nicely, virtual lighters will be held aloft. 'Shine' shows promise with spacey guitars and Ian Astbury-like vocals, yet loses it with the annoying Rage Against The Machine style pre chorus rap which doesn't seem to fit the song at all. It even has a fantastic chorus - shame. Maybe it'll grow on me, if not then re-record it guys as it's a top song!

An obvious stand out track is 'Missmatched Ties', its catchy riff is simple and effective as all the best ones are. 'Powerstorm', with its chuggy, heavy riffage, is also one of the more commercial sounding tracks, with some nice harmonies going on and an interesting arrangement it keeps my attention. The mellow vibe of 'Maybe Sometimes' has a '70s feel to it, starting like the Foo Fighters' version of 'Baker Street', it builds to a sweet song, almost like something The Carpenters would have written, a very well written tune and a definite highlight.

Current single 'Sundown' placed near the end of the album sounds like Axl singing for early U2 in the verse, the chorus is snotty and urgent. A good single choice, it's radio friendly and should get them some attention. Closing track 'Walk A Mile' I can do without; piano-led and orchestral it is an overlong song that hints at 'Don't Cry' and 'November Rain' but doesn't reach those dizzy heights.

'Handful Of Dreams' is a mixed bag and a good one at that. There is much musical satisfaction to be gained from digging into this album. They have an ear for a catchy tune, incorporating elements of everything that makes a classic rock band interesting to listen to, the songs are diverse, though sometimes I feel they try too hard (leave the raps to Rage!). They remind me of Gun and The Cult at their late '80s/early '90s stadium heights, this is evident in songs such as 'Hold Me' and the title track.

Slam Cartel set their standards high, the songs are strong, well written and with a crisp production job courtesy of George De Angelis (Trevor Horn's right hand man) the future looks bright. 'Handful Of Dreams' is a good debut album, and I hope it brings them the success they truly deserve.

www.slamcartel.com