Review: R66

Next up is the latest album from high-energy Edinburgh rock outfit R66, brilliantly titled The Prostate Years – and from the first note it’s clear this is a band who still believe rock should be loud, proud and delivered with a grin.

Things kick off with Time Bomb Tickin’, where rolling thunder cracks open the door before a sleazy, driven riff storms in. The vocal lands somewhere between AC/DC’s raw energy, The Wildhearts’ melodic instincts and Tom Petty’s storytelling sensibility. The track grinds and chugs forward on a hanging riff before exploding into a massive sing-along chorus that must absolutely tear the roof off live venues. It’s a statement of intent – hard rock, big hooks, no apologies.

Last Man Standing ups the tempo and throws a horn section into the mix, instantly lifting the track into new territory. There’s a snarling punk edge to the vocal that nods towards The Clash or Buzzcocks, but it’s wrapped in a chorus so huge you can’t help but belt it out. It blends hard rock and punk with just enough pop sensibility to make it dangerously accessible – like a British Rancid with arena ambitions. Perfect driving music.

Next comes a track, Dirty Again, that opens with a dual riff from hell – something Angus Young would gladly claim. It drops into a bass-driven rhythm that feels tight and relentless, while the punk-tinged vocal injects that sleazy defiance rock thrives on. This is modern classic rock – attitude, chaos, long hair and loud guitars. The middle eight is superb, stripping everything back before launching into an epic solo that lifts the track skyward before crashing headlong back into the chorus. Pure swagger.

Call the Shots swings into life before settling into what can only be described as working-man rock that Bon Jovi would be proud of. The chorus is absolutely irresistible – by the second round you’re shouting it back whether you planned to or not. Another short but sharp guitar solo leaves you wanting more, and there’s even a touch of early Mötley Crüe lurking in the background, though never in a retro cosplay kind of way.

Devil Can Tell crunches in on another monster riff. The stop-start rhythm feels weighty and deliberate, and when the drums fully kick in it locks into that unmistakable R66 groove. The stabbing, shout-along chorus is so hooky it almost makes you laugh at how effortlessly good it is. The quiet/loud dynamics are present but handled organically, never feeling forced. This is a rock anthem waiting to be discovered.

Money storms out of the speakers with a punk-style count-in and lyrics that feel painfully relevant in 2026. It’s a protest song wrapped in such a catchy, infectious groove that it never feels preachy. The breakdown section must go off live – you can almost hear a Download main stage chanting it back already. One of the album’s real highlights.

The record closes with Ballad of R66, a retrospective nod to the band’s journey. Folk-tinged, punk-driven and built around a brilliant narrative, it carries the same defiance that opened the album but with a reflective edge. The chorus is huge, emotional and perfectly placed to send the listener off smiling.

The Prostate Years is everything rock should be – big riffs, bigger choruses and absolutely zero compromise. R66 aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel; they’re strapping flames to it and rolling it straight down the high street. If these are The Prostate Years, then clearly maturity suits them – because this record proves R66 still have plenty of drive left in the tank.