5/10

Having previously let their odd and irreverent sense of humour run wild on their first two albums, suitably titled 'Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion' and 'The Body of Christ and the Legs of Tina Turner', the Irish outfit Fight Like Apes have toned down their eccentric persona and opted for a simple self-titled full-length for album number three. But having lost two original members between this and their previous studio album, have they still managed to regain enough of their core sound in order to still be considered the same band?

While the band have always had two synth players at the forefront of their own unique sound, the loss of their rhythm section has meant that the synths now fully dominate the general feel of this record and the difference in vibe is clearly noticeable. While it hasn't affected the direction of the group too much, you do feel this sense of deflation in their pace and confidence, which has resulted in an album with far less teeth and power than their previous works.

It is a shame to hear what were a great band lose so much of themselves in this new release. While it still remains a largely enjoyable listen, the flow of this new material seems to underwhelm this record as a whole and will probably be the last thing we hear from this once incredible band.