New Music Review: PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS ‘We’re the Bastards’

PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS 'We're The Bastards' - COVER PHOTO

Rating: 9 / 10 Stars

PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS is: Phil Campbell (guitars), Todd Campbell (guitars), Tyla Campbell (bass), Dane Campbell (drums), Neil Starr (vocals)

REVIEW – You don’t earn a name like We’re The Bastards without the conviction to back it up. And on their sophomore record, PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS double down on what made their debut turn heads—rowdy rock swagger, whiskey-thick riffs, and a whole lot of heart. But this time, everything hits harder, grooves deeper, and swings with the confidence of a band that knows exactly who the hell they are.

Born in the ashes of Motörhead, following the passing of Lemmy Kilmister, this Welsh outfit led by Phil Campbell—flanked by sons Todd (guitar), Tyla (bass), Dane (drums), and vocalist Neil Starr—proved with 2018’s The Age of Absurdity that they were far more than a legacy act. Now with We’re The Bastards, they’ve kicked the doors off their own sound, producing a lockdown-recorded beast that sounds like it was made to crush stages.

The title track sets the tone like a battle cry. Chunky, anthemic, and tailor-made for fists in the air, “We’re The Bastards” is a statement—about the band, the fans, and the unshakable bond between both. Starr’s gritty howl brings the chorus home like a beer-drenched sermon, and from there, the album never lets up.

Tracks like “Son of a Gun”, “Bite My Tongue”, and “Destroyed” burn with high-octane speed and punk snarl, while “Born to Roam” and “Desert Song” slow things down without losing any bite—stomping through southern grit and sun-scorched Americana with surprising finesse. It’s these swings in mood and tempo that show how much this band has grown—less afraid to take left turns, more willing to trust their instincts.

“Waves”, a near-seven-minute closer, hits differently. Laidback but emotionally loaded, it drips with psychedelic tones and spacey vibes—something you wouldn’t expect from a band with “bastard” in the name, but it lands with impact. And that’s where We’re The Bastards shines: it doesn’t settle for one flavor of rock. It pulls from metal, punk, grunge, and blues, yet stays unmistakably grounded in the band’s DNA.

The album was engineered and recorded by Todd Campbell in Wales during the pandemic, and you can feel the closeness. There’s something tactile about the production—tight, live, unfiltered. The mix from Søren Andersen gives it that chest-punching presence, but it never sounds over-polished.

Phil could’ve packed it in after Motörhead. But instead, he built a band with his family and made one of the most consistent, honest rock outfits of the last decade. And this record is the payoff. It’s loud. It’s loose. It’s loaded. And it’s a reminder that real rock and roll doesn’t die—it just gets passed on, bloodline to bloodline.