There’s something genuinely old-school and cinematic about The Miner’s Son.
It’s a full-blown movie soundtrack born out of grit, rebellion, and the hum of heavy amplifiers echoing through the fog of 1980s England. Created by ETTECON, a British film production company helmed by husband-and-wife duo Kevin and Juliette Short, this project started as a passion film and exploded into a rock ’n roll revival that feels as raw as it is nostalgic.
Juliette wrote most of the songs, while Kevin handled the heavy-lifting of composition and production channeling decades of shared musical obsession. The result? A soundtrack that captures the turbulence of industrial Britain through massive guitar riffs, fiery punk undertones, and some seriously commanding vocals.
Let’s get into it, track by track.
1. Just a Miner’s Son: The title track kicks off with soaring vocals and power chords that feel straight out of an early Judas Priest playbook. It sets the emotional tone of the film perfectly, a working-class track drenched in pride and frustration. The chorus punches hard, and the guitar solos slice through the mix with that unmistakable NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) edge. It’s the soundtrack’s spine.
2. American Freeway: Instantly brighter in tone, this one trades the grit for big hooks and open-road energy. The riffs are thick and crunchy, while the vocals channel a bit of that Def Leppard-style sheen. It feels like the song that plays when the band (in the film, Black Diamond) finally starts believing they might make it.
3. Dumb Little Country Boy: A rock-country hybrid with attitude. There’s something cheeky and self-aware about this one, it plays with genre and expectations while keeping its boots in the mud. Think Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Iron Maiden on a countryside bender.
4. Working Man: This track could easily sit on a playlist with Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Slow, heavy, and emotional, it digs deep into the film’s central theme, the struggle of the everyday man against an unforgiving system. The vocal delivery is gruff but human, like a miner’s call echoing through steel tunnels.
5. Them Against Us: Here comes the punk energy. Raw, fast, and relentless, this is where Kevin’s punk roots really shine through. The guitars have that dirty UK Subs vibe, and the drums hit like a riot in motion. It’s rebellion on tape, the song that flips a middle finger to the establishment.
6. The Dream: A sudden shift, this one’s cinematic, almost ethereal. A heartfelt (but not sappy) ballad that slows everything down and gives Juliette’s songwriting space to breathe. The lyrics talk about ambition, loss, and chasing something bigger than the hand you were dealt. Easily one of the emotional high points of the album.
7. Mr Hot Shot: The swagger track. You can almost see the leather jackets and eyeliner. There’s some early Motörhead and Billy Idol flavor here, high tempo, tongue-in-cheek attitude, and riffs that refuse to quit. A definite crowd-pleaser.
8. Long Gone: At under two minutes, this one’s a quick hit, raw punk rock energy, no filler. It feels like the kind of track recorded in one sweaty take, live in the studio, and left perfectly imperfect.
9. Ain’t No Lie: A pure rock ’n roll cut that balances melody with muscle. The chorus hits hard and would fit perfectly in a bar scene or a live montage from the film. You can tell the band’s chemistry is real, it’s the sound of old friends who’ve played together for decades.
10. The Void: Here comes the darker, heavier side again. “The Void” is sprawling, dramatic, and slightly doomy, more Sabbath influence for sure. The vocals dig deeper here, bringing out the emotional exhaustion behind the film’s industrial conflict. It’s a slow burn that rewards repeat listens
11. The Walkabout: A short, instrumental-style interlude that feels like a breather, maybe even a moment of reflection within the movie’s narrative. It’s atmospheric, letting the guitars ring out over soft drum work, evoking the feeling of wandering without direction.
12. Barista Baby (Bonus Track): And then the curtain call, a bonus cut that’s playful, lighter, and a bit tongue-in-cheek. It doesn’t quite fit the somber industrial tone of the main story, but it’s a fun outro that shows ETTECON’s sense of humor and range.
The Miner’s Son is a love letter to a golden era of British rock. Juliette and Kevin Short have built something that honors their influences while staying deeply personal. It’s cinematic without being pretentious, and heavy without losing heart. The vocals throughout the album are commanding and full of grit, they sound lived-in, not polished. And the guitars? Relentless. Every riff feels intentional, echoing the defiance of the film’s working-class themes. In an age where many soundtracks lean on nostalgia as a gimmick, ETTECON uses it as a weapon, a way to remind us that rock’s soul never left; it just needed a new story to tell.
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