After a considerable delay, the release of 40 Watt Sun's debut album is now finally close at hand. This new British band consists of former Warning-front man Patrick Walker (vocals, guitars), drummer Christian Leitch of The River and bassist William Spong, and the two bands named should already give you a good idea of what is to be expected here. For those who bitterly regretted the split-up of Warning, this is not only a gleam of hope on the horizon, it is a sun which actually shines much brighter that 40 watts would allow for. In fact, I believe that no fan of the aforementioned bands could possibly be disappointed by this. Stylistically, 'The Inside Room' is very close to Warning's masterpiece 'Watching from a Distance', making 40 Watt Sun seem like a follow-up project to that band. The Brits play Doom Metal full of emotion and longing, strongly characterised by Walker's trademark singing which is, just as on the aforementioned album of his earlier band, absolutely brilliant - clear and melodic, hitting lower and higher notes with equal accuracy and effectively utilising techniques such as a very controlled vibrato. His great emotional lyrics are present as well, but this time they allow for some hope to shine through, especially on 'This Alone'. The guitar work is rather basic, relying a lot on full chords and adding subtle nuances here and there to create an intimate atmosphere of melancholy. And yet, this album has an identity of its own, distinct from that of Walker's earlier band - it is just hard to put your finger on it, apart from some details which obviously are different. What first struck me as a difference are the drums: before even knowing the band's line-up, I was immediately reminded of The River when hearing them. Leitch's more rhythmic and laid-back playing style differs quite considerably from the very dragging, heavy drumming heard on the last Warning album, therefore creating a slightly different feel. A great novelty is the occasional use of gentle acoustic and clean guitars in the background, adding more depth and atmosphere to the sound. Lastly, the bass work deserves mention as it is by no means dictated by the guitars - instead,