Now, I have a LOT of love for this band. I’ve been a fan of them for years and have seen them rise through the ranks of festival scenes and venues, and truly think they are on the cusp of absolutely exploding. They have also been so kind to us, sharing our posts about them and even stopping for interviews a couple of times (you can find one in the highlight video here). Their last album was also one of the first articles up on this site, which you can check out here. So, safe to say, anticipation is high with this album! Does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive in and see!

The album opens on lead single ‘START AGAIN’. It very much starts off where their last album leaves off, a fantastic groovy, heavy rock riff to get everyone’s heads bobbing. The guitar drops out during the verses, giving it a very early 2000s radio rock/nu/industrial metal feel to it. That 2000s feel very much continues through the chorus too, it being MASSIVE and arena-filling, albeit all too brief, and reminds me of the likes of Saving Abel and Seether. The bridge keeps it simple but still heavy rock. And that half-time bit in the outro is amazing! It’s the perfect high-energy track to open the album with and also to use as a single. It easily makes our playlist!

Next up is another single, ‘DON’T HOLD ME DOWN’ (yes, it’s their second album of shouting titles at you). It keeps the energy high, the drums driving a quick, stomping pace through another awesome riff. The riff almost has a Volbeat feel to it. It continues through the verse, the vocals fitting pretty perfectly over the top. It’s followed by dropping down huge for the pre, it being something that will go down a storm chanted live. It’s a shame it only comes around the once in the track! Then, exploding back in with a huge, powerful chorus, the dynamics and writing of this track are fantastic. The half-time drums in the bridge almost turned it into a breakdown, as did the almost screwed vocals. As good as it is, man I wish they’d have gone all out heavy with it. A final chorus then takes us home in style.

For a second I thought Danny Carey featured in the opening of the title track. The drums at the start are so ‘Ticks and Leaches’ or ‘Fear Inoculum’. A typically huge rocky riff soon punches the listener Square in the face over the top of it, though, reminding you exactly what band you’re listening to. Tristins vocals fill the gaps perfect in the verses when his guitar cuts out, again adding a fun bounce to it all. Meanwhile the huge, slower chorus is almost uplifting with the powerful backing vocals, and is infectiously catchy. I’m pretty sure that was a scream to end the chorus, too. I really want Tristin to cut loose and give us a proper growl, but with the way he’s evolving, it feels like it’s only a matter of time. Especially when the band venture close to breakdown territory with the heavy bridge. So far they are three for three with awesome tracks, though, and it’s another that easily makes our playlist!

The first non single of the album, ‘TAXMAN’, goes just has hard the other tracks. It’s faster and more rock’n’roll than I was expecting too, channelling more of a Motorhead energy. It’s a straightforward track too, balls-to-the-wall throughout. It’s a nice change of pace from the first few tracks, and we even get an awesome guitar solo from Tristin, plenty of wah making it sound sick. It’s another great track, and would do good as a later single!

Another single, and one that we’re very familiar with here at Overtone, ‘LOOK UP’, is up next. It’s a steadier, lighter rock track more in line with AC/DC or Airborne than anything else. It’s an insanely catchy track that has grown on me more and more after the initial shock of the lighter tone. It’s an easily playlisted track and honestly one of my favourites from the band!

‘WARNING SIGN’ is yet another change of pace, being a slower, ballad-type track. Honestly, it works perfectly with the bands style too, and is a beautiful addition to the album. Sure, it has some distortion to the guitar and bass still, but it’s a lighter track for sure. The chorus is MASSIVE, reminding me of some of the lighter Alter Bridge ballads in the best way. I can’t stop listening to this track, it’s amazing, and another of my favourite the band have ever done. Another one for the playlist!

Tracks like ‘BEAUTIFUL LOVER’ and ‘THE FOREST’ are two more steady-paced songs. Both are excellent, with Tristin letting out his Welsh more on the former as his voice really reminded me of Kelly Jones at times. Meanwhile the latter is another great ballad, having almost a folky feel with the bouncy, acoustic sound. His vocals are FANTASTIC over the top of it too, fitting just as perfectly as the heavier stuff. It almost has an air of Newton Faulkner to it. I absolutely adore the variety in this album. I’m never once bored, and it’s arranged in such a way to keep it constantly interesting. Two more awesome songs.

‘THE WAY HOME’ is another foot-stomping hard rock track that definitely take a note from Phil Campbell’s successes. Meanwhile ‘SOLID 9’ is more closer to the sound I’ve come to expect from the band. Then ‘ROCKIN’ RING’ gets pretty heavy, almost having a hardcore-sort of vibe with Tristin’s harsher, more distorted vocals. It’s again practically a scream, I love it. All three are amazing songs and again really show the talent and variety of the three’s songwriting ability.

And with that, we sadly reach the final track already. ‘BACK TO THE END’ is certainly an interesting way to close out the album, too. It’s Creed. There isn’t any other way to describe it. And it’s certainly not a bad thing. It’s a dark, acousticy ballad with an incredible chorus. I’m not normally into slower album closers, but this works perfectly. It’s not only an amazing way to close the album, but is an incredible song in its own right. It’s another track that I can’t get enough of, and while I usually get shouted at for putting so many songs on one album onto our playlist, screw it, have another one! Everything about this song is amazing, check it out immediately!

Overall: Wow. What a fantastic album this is! Every track was amazing and, as I’ve said before, it spanned a lot of different sounds and styles. The band have experimented with this second release and everything they tried paid massively. They’ve somehow even topped their huge debut album. This band are going to be MASSIVE, and this album will certainly be a contributing factor to that. It’s easily going to be one of our top albums of the year, and I can’t not give it…

The Score: 10/10