Album Review: Dan Byrne - This Is Where The Show Begins (Frontiers Music, 2026)
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Written: 10th May 2026
It came as a surprise, that a mere two weeks after the release of Revival Black’s Under The Light that vocalist Dan Byrne announced his departure from the band. Nevertheless, his debut EP Beginnings, released in the Autumn of 2023, was extremely well received and now he prepares to unleash his debut full-length, This Is Where The Show Begins. Dan comments, “This album has been a long time coming for me and many of my fans, so I’ve truly poured my heart and soul into it. The journey to get here has been a wild one. Full of moments that shaped me, challenged me, and pushed me further than I ever expected to go as a young lad from Liverpool. I’ve lived with these songs for a little while now and I’m so proud to finally release them into the world. It feels incredible.”
This Is Where The Show Begins is a collection of ten melodic rock songs that range from blues-tinged to harder-edged moments, each carefully curated to highlight Byrne’s talent as a vocalist. Saviour - which lyrically rejects the idea of being cast in that role - is a stomping, hard-rocking opener that immediately leans into Byrne’s heavier side. ‘Cause I won't be your saviour / But I can take you high / Yeah, I'll drag you through hell / Just to make you feel alive.
From the outset, Byrne’s delivery is convincingly gritty and this continues on She’s The Devil, a fiery exploration of being all-consumed by a dangerous, seductive woman. Musically, it builds on the strong foundations of Saviour, with Colin Parkinson’s bass lines rumbling with intoxicating authority. Albeit with a thoroughly modern twist, this is good old-fashioned hard rock in the best possible sense. Lyrically, it may contain some overly familiar tropes such as So show me how to rock / And I'll show you how to roll, but the album is far more about the sound and Byrne’s voice than the words, even if singing along with them live would be great fun. Two songs in, the album is already bursting with energy - irresistibly engaging and thoroughly entertaining. Byrne states, “She’s The Devil is where I really let loose. It’s easily the most unapologetic song on the record - a straight-up, all-out rock ‘n’ roll track where everything is turned up. It’s got that blues-rock-on-steroids feel that nods to the greats but definitely drags it into the modern day, complete with a bridge that is a little bit of a hat-tip to the likes of Whitesnake.”
Praise Hell lowers the tempo and leans further into the blues, highlighting another side to the music. Just as compelling as the two opening songs, it builds towards a powerful conclusion, driven by jaunty keyboards and culminating in a final soaring guitar solo from Glenn Quinn that intertwines beautifully with Byrne’s impressive vocal gymnastics. From its first moments, Sober is imbued with the spirit of the eighties, particularly through its synth-driven opening. Showing further variety, the choruses crackle with a decadent swagger that contrasts perfectly with the melodic rock verses. Byrne shifts effortlessly from the softer moments into yet another memorable chorus. Cherry & Leather returns to the heavier riffs of Saviour, with Byrne’s biting vocals full of raw attitude. He has put together an excellent band and drummer Max Rhead gives a masterclass in restraint - tight, dependable and driving when required, adding weight without ever drifting into unnecessary flamboyance.
Death of Me – which was first released on Beginnings - starts the second half with a dark ballad that delves into toxic obsession with destructive love that, while ruinous, offers an intense high. And the way you talk is something that I kinda like / Here we go, you're gonna go and whet my appetite / You're still a little supernova in my mind. Making spectacular use of his entire range, Byrne becomes the protagonist who is reflectively thoughtful during the piano-led moments and defiantly robust when the song ignites.
While each track here is certainly accessible, Temple is more polished in its execution than most and might offer another direction for Byrne to pursue in the future. As the album moves towards its conclusion, Pulling Me Under and Hate Me – the latter of which is probably my favourite – keep the tempo and hard rocking attitude high. Byrne is particularly passionate on Hate Me and Max Rhead gives his most thunderous performance.
With a sense of the epic, Home ends proceedings in grand style. The accompanying press notes for this release state that Home might be the result should Glenn Hughes and 30 Seconds To Mars combine their talents and that comparison feels fitting. Byrne comments, “Musically, it’s vast - cinematic guitars, soaring vocals, and a sense of release that makes it feel like the light breaking through at the end of a storm. Lyrically, Home is about connection that transcends distance, the kind of love that grounds you no matter how far you roam. It was born out of life on the road: hotel rooms, long drives, and late nights spent under unfamiliar skies, but knowing that somewhere out there, the person you love is looking up at the same stars.” An uplifting, expansive closer that carries a real sense of scale, it brings the record to a fittingly majestic conclusion without ever tipping into excess.
With This Is Where The Show Begins, Dan Byrne shows he knew exactly what type of album he wanted to make and delivers it with real intent. While the band are consistently excellent throughout, it is undeniably Byrne’s voice that holds it all together - powerful, expressive and carrying a clear lineage from the likes of Paul Rodgers, David Coverdale and Jay Buchanan without ever sounding like imitation. Leaning far more towards hard rock than AOR, the bluesy touches give enough flavour and variation to keep things interesting and there is more than enough here to pull in a wide spread of listeners. It may not be pushing boundaries in terms of experimentation but that is not really the point - the variety in the song writing and the strength of Byrne’s performance make it an engaging listen from start to finish. He has laid down the perfect foundation to step up to something bigger and there are plenty of fans of this style of music who will find this to be a confident, compelling debut.
This Is Where The Show Begins is released on 22nd May 2026
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