Album Review: Greyfox Conspiracy - Preacherman (2025)

Written: 23rd November 2025

Wales is currently a hot bed for rock and metal bands with Those Damn Crows, King Kraken, Florence Black, Scarlet Rebels and of course, Bullet For My Valentine all flying the flag with pride. Greyfox Conspiracy features a line-up of five veteran musicians that clearly have a deep love of what they do. On Preacherman, the band’s debut album, they blend their hard rock, blues and Southern rock roots with songs about life and love, all seasoned with a healthy splash of Old Western tales.

Title track, Preacherman opens the album with an infectious riff and keeps its foot down throughout. Rob “Greyfox Growl” Cooksley immediately makes his mark on the album with his whiskey-gravelled voice the driving force, as it is for much of the album. He uses the scope of his vocal range, hitting several high notes during the track. Preacherman tells the story of Dr Pierre Bertrand Hill, a former Presbyterian minister who became a Texas Ranger, preaching to his flock while hunting, killing and burying outlaws. He rides all day and through the night / With a bible in his left hand and a pistol in his right. Solid backing from the rest of the band keep interest levels high and with a chorus built for the live arena, it signifies a strong start to the album.

Twist of Fate cranks up the blues influence in the band’s sound, lacing it with a raw edge that channels the attitude and swagger of AC/DC in both spirit and execution. The track is inspired by a friend of Greyfox Growl telling a story of a night out in a US bar - he was dragged into the chaos and attacked when a fight broke out before being saved by a stranger. Guitarists Kenn Barnes and David Harris combine effectively to project the tension and danger described in the lyrics with Barnes producing a soaring solo towards the end of the song.

Branded Man, inspired by the 1960s series Branded starring Chuck Connors, follows a wandering loner who rights wrongs. Told the truth now he needs to go / Which way no one will know / Damage done and the lies they spread / Took his revenge and then he fled. Although a slightly slower track, it lacks none of the fire of Preacherman and Twist of Fate. Barnes’s guitar solo begins thoughtful and evocative before exploding into a blistering rapid-fire inferno. By the time I Got Your Back arrives, Greyfox Conspiracy have clearly settled into their groove and as listeners, there is the feeling that we know what is coming. Nevertheless, the sharp articulation of the music is compelling, meaning that familiarity does not necessarily diminish impact.

Lord Have Mercy is a foot-stomping anthem that explores the reaction of many people when seeking forgiveness and mercy: they look skyward for help - an act of desperation in pursuit of redemption. An urgent and propulsive groove is anchored by taut, articulate drums and Darren Richards’s bass, weaving a dark under current, shapes the track’s character without eclipsing its melodic contours. Backs To The Wall - which has moments in the verses that are in some ways redolent of Ghost’s Mary On A Cross - adds some variety to the album. There is a sense of triumph in both the lyrics and the music that breathes through the defiant chorus that surges like a rallying cry.

Crazy Horse pays tribute to the honoured Lakota war leader who defended his people’s land and traditions until 5 September 1877 when a cowardly guard stabbed him in the back while in custody. Greyfox Growl is once again the beating heart of the song, telling his tale with a convincing authenticity that shows a deep interest in the subject matter. Some of his vocal theatrics are dramatic and arresting, delivering one of his most expansive performances on the album. His lower register carries a weathered, dust-road grit, while the sky-reaching highs inject a sense of exultant grandeur. 

Freight Train lives up to its name and evokes a strong feeling of movement and travel. Another song that links to the band’s love of stories of the Old West, it tells the tale of fugitives riding freight trains to dodge bounty hunters and lawmen. Like a sidewinder, just can’t go straight / Carrying my troubles through towns and states / My face is on a poster, wanted dead or alive. The most consistently intense track on the album, it ends as it would in concert with a journey around the drum kit. Greyfox Conspiracy have certainly managed to capture their live intensity across the album.

Renegade, which brings more feelings of AC/DC to mind, and Time Will Tell bring the album to a close; the latter is an excellent slow-burning track that reflects on the state of the planet and asks if it is too late for us to make a difference to the current crisis. It feels more contemplative than assertive and it adds another dimension to the overall experience, though another track of this nature earlier in the album might have been welcome.

Preacherman is an album that captures the essence of Greyfox Conspiracy with unwavering focus. There is a realism to their music that makes it all the more appealing and the Old West thread running through the record ties the songs together in a way that feels well-judged. While some may argue the stylistic range is a little narrow, this is a band that knows its strengths and delivers with conviction. Greyfox Growl may be the voice that commands attention but it is the strength of the band that collectively allow those moments to rise above expectation. For anyone drawn to hard rock with grit and bite, this is proof that raw power, attitude and purpose can still make a record unforgettable. Grab a whiskey a settle in…

Preacherman is released on 12th December 2025

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