After the demise of Spirit Caravan many saw Wino's new incarnation as nothing more than a side note, a foray into political fuelled metal / punk crossover. Once slating his thirst he would return to pastures more familiar. In 2003 the world was a precarious place. The war on terror reigned supreme, whilst conflict after conflict grabbed the headlines. None of us could have however imagined four years on the world appear to be beyond salvation, and message The Hidden Hand had perpetuated would ring all to clear in our ears and never seemed so vital.

"The Resurrection Of Whiskey Foote" tells the story of a mythical colonial character, Whisky Foote. Whose origin and ethnicity is not defined and is by and large not important in the overall telling of the story. The band have rather focused on the flow of the album and the concept that flows through the record. By far "The Resurrection Of Whiskey Foote" is the bands most rounded and focused offering to date while being stylistically their most diverse. Influences from previous albums "Divine Propaganda" and "Mother, Teacher, Destroyer" are drawn upon, "Resurrection" has moments of pure Doom, Punk and out right straight down the line metal.

With the release of "Resurrection" Wino appears to have thwarted the demons that followed him from Spirit Caravan and now seems at ease with his role in the band; and his partnership with Bruce Falkinburg has developed into one capable of producing an album with such a intricate ebb and flow. Gone is the pure punk influences of "Divine Propaganda" to be replaced with a range of genres from the pure Doom sound of "Someday Soon" to the almost Lynard Skynard southern drawl of "Lighting Hill".

It is safe to say that die-hards of Wino's previous works with Saint Vitus, The Obsessed and more recently with Spirit Caravan will not find The Hidden Hand the band of their choice. "The Resurrection Of Whiskey Foote" is revolution not evolution and preconceptions should be left at the door, as rock this good does not come along every day and should be enjoyed for what it is........fucking breathtaking!!