Last month a gig I was planning to attend fell through, so I looked around and ended up going to Wine Cellar, where the headline band that night was a group from Christchurch I had not previously come across, Volts. Their combination of melodic classic rock with female vocals and great stage presence just blew me away, and I had difficulty comprehending that I had not come across them previously as there is something about them which is incredibly special. Lee Weir from The Rock was also in attendance that night, as he is a mad fan, and now so am I.
On their latest release When You Go, singer Lorna Coll oozes charisma and style, with a voice which is smoky and sultry, always in control no matter what is going on in the arrangement, which is plenty. Dan Chisholm is a hard-hitting drummer, bassist Victoria Knopp ties in with him as well as providing harmony vocals while guitarists Andrew Knopp and Marc Royal have very different styles yet combine to really bring the storm. This is a commercial belter which is simply awesome, designed both for the radio and the arena, and there is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the finest singles I have heard all year. I have reviewed nearly 80 in 2022, I know for sure this is going to be very near the top of my end of year lists. If you enjoy commercial melodic rock with female vocals and real power throughout, then this is for you.
Since bursting onto the New Zealand music scene, Volts have steadily built a loyal fan-base and a great reputation for their high octane live shows and hook laden songs.
The group fronted by vocalist Lorna Coll, have a style that can be best described as a blend of emotive retro pop meets powerhouse rock.
In October 2021 the band released their debut EP and the frenetic rock n roll track Wolves. The record achieved top 20 status in the New Zealand hot music charts and Wolves has become a breakaway hit, gaining airtime on Radio Hauraki and high rotation on The Rock.