CD review: The Soldiers – Coming Home

IF a classical trio won The X Factor, this is probably the album that would follow soon after.

It is packed to the brim with well-known songs bound to have music fans rushing out to buy it.

Lean On Me, Against All Odds and Stand By Me — all the obvious choices are here. And they're all choices that will at some point be sung on the ITV talent show if they haven't already.

The Soldiers are exactly that, real life soldiers. Sergeant Major Gary Chilton, Sergeant Richie Maddocks and Lance Corporal Ryan Idzi are on the frontline in between stints in the recording studio.

And after seeing the track listing, it won't come as a shock to anyone that the youngest of the three singers once made it to X Factor boot camp.

But it doesn't look like he needed Cowell and co, as it looks likely this will score a top ten placing on Sunday.

It's quite clear why – the songs sung with real passion and blend really well together. Knowing the singers are real life heroes makes their emotion all the more believable, and that's what makes this album unique.

They open with title track Coming Home and grab your attention from the off. Definitely worth a listen, especially if you're already a fan of classical music.

Coming Home is out now, with some of the proceeds donated to the Army Benevolent Fund, Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion.