These Floridians have a Classic Rock inclination which really soothes the soul whilst raising the fist.
Is that really Iron Maiden's 'Wasted Years' with just piano and vocals, that's audacious. It also takes away that stunning, bubbly riff. Oh, it works you say? Impressive...
This is just one of the surprising things about 'As Darkness Falls'. These Floridians, presenting their debut after two years of existence, have produced songs which, at their best, have a Classic Rock inclination which really soothes the soul whilst raising the fist. 'Self-Righteous Parade' showcases Chris Hodges' surprisingly chart-inclined vocals beautifully, allied with pianos and rock-fall drums for real success. 'Forever' isn't afraid to stand Indie next to Melodic Rock – they regard each other warily for a while, then start dancing together and laughing giddily, a tight little riff opening it's coat to reveal glimpses of glory, then tiring of being so coy and laying out on a chaise longue, ripping out a lovely solo. Likewise, 'The Stand' throws in the kitchen sink and then goes back for the bath taps too. When it's like this, you really want it never to stop.
Unfortunately, they then seem to run out of inspiration and in the latter part of the album and give us a series of conforming songs which sound either exactly like what Prog Metal sounds like all over the world or what Indie sounds like all over the charts. 'Make It Rain' is standard Proggy soundscape, 'Everyone Has A Story' is faux Rammstein power and '108' a lumpen Prog Metal instrumental.
There are moments of real success here, but they spoil it with orthodoxy. Either through fear, exhaustion or design, they run for the comfort of a familiar sound. Come on lads, don't be afraid of the dark...
Steve Swift
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