THIRTEENSEVEN - Illuminated CD
This band takes the time-honoured, traditional approach to ensuring that you're gonna fall under its spell and the first thing that involves is an opening track to make you go “wow!!!
” Called “Redefine”, it does just that, by mixing swirling guitar riffing, mighty rhythm work, surging guitar blitz and searing leads all wrapped up in this fuzz of guitar strength, dirty bass and crunching drums. But then there's the song itself – a yearning, impassioned vocal takes off and delivers the song like a bird in flight as it drops down on its unsuspecting prey and hooks you effortlessly in to its clutches. There's a huge chorus that flows from the verses almost imperceptibly as the whole thing drives headlong into your heart with all guns blazing. Then comes “Resolve” and any thoughts that they might have saved the best for first, are immediately dispelled as another crunching slice of deep, surging, guitars-dominated riffing, rages into view as the rhythm section motors, the guitars soar and spark all over the place and this wondrously multi-tracked vocal sings with depth, passion and conviction, as guitar leads fly out of the mix above the roaring riffing that's flowing underneath like a swollen river to the sea. The song once again takes off with its verse-as-chorus structure flying even higher than before, lyrically aware, dynamically effective, twisting and turning to provide constant movement without losing any of its cohesion and just one stunner of a song that mixes indie and rock in equal measure and has just as wide an appeal, commercially sound as the icing on the cake. “Esoteric” follows a similar path with another solid, well written and sung composition that's got more of a sense of light and shade in the verses, with more chiming guitar leads during the verses, no less a strong rhythm section underneath, but when it all explodes for the choruses, the effect is jaw-dropping as the whole song takes to the skies only then to drop back to the verses in a searing heat of guitar leads and driving rhythms. Superbly arranged and every bit as addictive as what's gone so far. “Endless” follows a similar course with its mix of roaring rock and contrasting dynamics, the vocals just opening out to exquisite degree on a song that's fuelled by wild, dynamic riffs, solid rhythms and yet bares its soul at intervals of ringing guitar leads propelled by chugging guitar riffs and the massive drive from the thunderous bass and crunching drums. “The Only One” slows things down just slightly but loses none of the intensity of what's gone before, as the chiming guitar leads and slower rhythmic strength give way to a more intense but no less languid lead vocal which delivers the more balladic might with conviction and further harmonic depth, the choruses rising supremely amid a swirling mass of lead guitars and lurching rhythms.
“Hope” starts with acoustic guitar and emotive vocals before they are joined by deep bass and chiming, ringing guitar leads, as this fantastic sway of a song makes you want to get out your lighter and sway your arms in the air as one gorgeously strong anthem of a track reveals a band that have beauty and passion running through their veins with the power and might you've witnessed so far. The song's got a chorus to die for and as a rock-indie power ballad goes, is absolutely exquisite, sounding mighty and delicate at the same time, with a vocal performance that's got its rich lead strength allied to exquisite harmonies, done to perfection.
From there on, five further tracks do every bit to live up to the presence, strength, cohesion, depth and power of the first half of the album and every one succeeds on every level, ensuring that if you love what you've heard so far, you're gonna love the rest of the album for sure. There's simply not a less than excellent track on here – fantastic guitars, driving, solid rhythms, emotive and strong sounding vocals, all delivering well arranged and superbly written songs that you want to hear again and again.