Rogue Angels bring grit and storytelling to new EP ‘Right Side Of Midnight’

There’s a workmanlike confidence running through ‘Right Side Of Midnight’. Rogue Angels aren’t trying to reinvent rock music so much as remind us why strong hooks, well-shaped riffs and a little theatrical character still matter.

The Wrexham five-piece have built the EP themselves from the ground up, and that DIY instinct gives the release much of its personality. Every riff, lyric and arrangement has been developed within the band, with sessions split between their rehearsal space and a home studio in Coedpoeth. But rather than sanding away the rough edges, the process has left the songs with a strong sense of directness.

Rogue Angels draw openly from the big, melodic rock of the 80s, but ‘Right Side Of Midnight’ is more interesting when it steps away from nostalgia and into something more grounded. ‘Liza’, for instance, approaches homelessness without turning hardship into decoration. The writing acknowledges the distance between those experiencing it and those who would rather just look away.

While ‘You Talk Too Much’ brings a different kind of energy, centring a defiant female character who refuses to sit quietly in the background. Elsewhere, ‘Seven Year Itch’ leans into the band’s instinct for accessible, hook-heavy rock and has already earned recognition from local radio.

Their recurring character Kane also adds another layer to the project. Born from both angelic and demonic sides, the figure acts almost like a mascot for the contradictions within the band’s writing: glamour and grit, confidence and uncertainty, light and darker subject matter existing at the same time.

The EP ultimately feels like a band sharpening its identity in public. Rogue Angels are clearly moving towards a heavier direction, but this collection captures the point where their melodic rock foundations and more hard-edged instincts still meet comfortably.

It’s robust, hook-driven and a solid statement from a band learning exactly how much weight their songs can carry.