Artist: The Chameleons
Title: Arctic Moon
Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Post Punk
Release Date: 12th September 2025
Label: Metropolis Records
Album Review
That’s an album we’ve eagerly awaited! And with good reason: for 24 years, this legendary Mancunian band had not released an LP. During that prolonged hiatus, only the singer, Mark Burgess - now styling himself as “Vox” - had kept the flame alive under the banner of CHAMELEONS VOX. Today, following the return of Reg Smithies, one of the original guitarists, the line-up has resumed touring as THE CHAMELEONS, recorded two EPs, and finally delivered a new full-length opus: ‘Arctic Moon’.
We were fortunate enough to receive the album two weeks before its release, and the least one can say is that the result lives up to expectations. Naturally, the sound has evolved. We are no longer in the realm of the powerful, resonant Post-Punk of the 1980s. The overall atmosphere now takes on a muted tenderness, weaving strands of Soft-Rock, subtle Psychedelic nuances, and a refined touch of Glam. The major influences come as no surprise: they are Vox’s favourite artists, THE BEATLES, DAVID BOWIE and T-REX.
It’s no coincidence, the album’s centrepiece, ‘David Bowie Takes My Hand’, directly evokes the ‘Thin White Duke’: It opens with an acoustic reverie reminiscent of ‘Space Oddity’, then blossoms into a magnum opus exceeding eight minutes. In an interview he granted, Vox explained: “It’s probably the best track I’ve ever worked on, but it’s very different from what THE CHAMELEONS did before.”
A re-recorded version of ‘Where Are You?’, arguably the most powerful track, opens the album, which closes with the single ‘Saviours Are A Dangerous Thing’, a song that perfectly blends crystalline guitar textures with melodic control, while revealing a sombre political message. Among the other gems, ‘Magnolia’ enchants with its psychedelic bursts, ‘Free Me’ surrenders to Dream-Pop reveries, and ‘Lady Strange’ wields an irresistible allure.
Another remarkable composition, ‘Feels Like The End Of The World’, recalls the grandeur of THE VERVE’s ‘Bittersweet Symphony’, illuminated by superb string arrangements. After four minutes, the rhythm halts, and Vox improvises a poetic declamation about the signs we can discern around us. The other instruments return, and the finale is repetitive and hypnotic. Superb.
Let us note the significant contribution of the band’s new members: Stephen Rice on second guitar, Todd Demma on drums, and especially Danny Ashberry on keyboards. Vox is keen to emphasise that this album is the work of a true collective, with most songs having germinated in a shared spirit. Moreover, they enlisted a string ensemble, Pete Whitfield’s ‘Real Strings in Manchester’, which infuses the arrangements with authentic orchestral warmth.
Even if some may regret the absence of post-punk bombshells like ‘Don’t Fall’ or ‘Second Skin’, one must acknowledge that this album exudes genuine elegance, a sleek, vibrant, and spacious style - a retro-futuristic Rock that will delight fans of R.E.M., THE CHURCH, TEARS FOR FEARS, or THE VERVE.
‘Arctic Moon’ will be released on 12 September via Metropolis Records. To pre-order:
Bandcamp: https://chameleonsuk.bandcamp.com/album/arctic-moon
Metropolis: https://metropolis-records.com/artist/chameleons
THE CHAMELEONS will be touring in the next months. Check the info here: https://chameleonsband.com/shows
Listen to the interview of Mark Burgess (“Vox”) in the WAVES radio show.
Tracklist
01. Where Are You?
02. Lady Strange
03. Feels Like The End Of The World
04. Free Me
05. Magnolia
06. David Bowie Takes My Hand
07. Saviours Are A Dangerous Thing
Line-up
Vox – Vocals, Bass
Reg Smithie – Guitar
Todd Demma – Drums
Danny Ashberry – Keyboards
Website
https://chameleonsband.com/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 8
Total: 8 / 10
