Every once in a while a forgotten classic rock band will resurface, usually with only one or two original members, and attempt to regain their former glory with a new album. Most times, it is a futile, lame attempt to cash in on a name, usually instigated by a popular artist covering one of their songs. But once in a great while, the music merry-go-round brings them full circle to produce something worthwhile.

That is the case in Nazareth's new album “Big Dogz.” Nazareth was Scotland's greatest export, leading the way for other Scottish bands like Big Country, Wet Wet Wet, and Deacon Blue, and certainly was inspiration for many bands including Guns 'n' Roses, with hits like “Hair of the Dog,” “Alcatraz,” and their defining take on Boudleaux Bryant's classic “Love Hurts.” Nazareth was a band in the '70s that walked the fine line between hard rock and progressive rock, and they have recaptured that spirit and musicality on “Big Dogz.”

Founding members, vocalist Dan McCafferty and bassist Pete Agnew, remain intact in the band while lead guitarist Manny Charlton (who, after leaving in 1990, started a different band called Nazareth featuring Manny Charlton in 2009, causing quite a bit of confusion among fans) has been replaced by Jimmy Murrison, and the late Darrell Sweet has been replaced by Pete's son, Lee Agnew on drums.

Although the band has been active throughout the years, they've been virtually nonexistent to most Americans as they have not toured the US in years. But “Big Dogz” proves this band is not done yet. The album opens with a perfect example of their ability to blend hard and progressive styles with “Big Dog's Gonna Howl,” and delivers the variety of rockers, love songs and epics that one would expect from the band in their heyday. If I didn't know better, I'd believe this album was a lost artifact of bygone days, only to be surprised to find that Nazareth is still one of the “Big Dogz.”

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