If there’s one thing that Australians do well, it’s their music scene. For years they have been churning out the best new bands this world has to offer, everyone from Tonight Alive, to I Killed The Prom Queen, Parkway Drive and some band called 5 Seconds of Summer (hey, love them or hate them, y’all know you look perfect standing over there in your American Apparel underwear.) Australia have been known to pull in some of the best tours we’ve ever feasted our eyes on and hello, SOUNDWAVE? To say they embody everything that’s great about rock music would be an understatement and now there’s another band to seek your teeth into. Welcome Storm the Sky and their debut album ‘Permanence’.
To give you an idea of what to expect from the album; it was recorded with Cameron Mizell (Sleeping With Sirens / Memphis May Fire) and features guest vocals from Matty Mullins, Trenton Smith and Jake Taylor. It combines the haunting clean vocal of frontman Will Jarratt, with the ferocious growls of Daniel Breen and whips them all up with a giant dose of erratic guitar riffs, thrashing cymbals and bass deep enough to prompt a bowl movement.
‘Alive’ kicks things into gear, gliding in softly with echoing clashes of drums and vibrating synth-line that swiftly transforms into a beefy introduction. Though predominantly lead by Jarratt’s vocal and electronic elements, it eases you into an album that gets tougher the further you go.
‘Same Graves’ fully embraces the metalcore aspect of this album, opening with the meatiest breakdown, full of intense snarls from Breen. This is where the intricate guitar work takes pride of place, something that is also flaunted in tracks such as ‘Tempest’ and ‘Sheltered’. Each track is full of energy, increasing your heart rate until Jarratt takes over the choruses in a magical fashion.
Recent single ‘Portraits’ offers a more melodic approach when compared with the rest of the record and it’s an easy choice for a single. It’s got a lot more bounce and rhythm to it, as apposed to the filthy basslines and screeching riffs that otherwise dominate – this is no bad thing though, particularly when you have Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire lending his vocals to the track. On the other hand, you have tracks such as ‘Oh Sister’, which is like an 800m sprint whilst holding your breath. As soon as Breen’s recognisable “blergh” hits, it’s full-throttle and leaves you gasping by the time Jake Taylor (In Hearts Wake) makes his vocal entrance in the last minute.
The slightly less intense ‘Red Letter’ rounds things off on the album, we still hear the bellowing bass and harrowing synths, it’s just perhaps a little softer to the ear. Featuring the line “we’re unforgettable” is a bold statement to close this impressive debut on, but Storm The Sky have made their mark where they need to, making all important friends along the way. Permanence means durability, longevity, eternalness and if anything this album is just a demonstration of how they will continue to rise and make their stand.
TAMSYN WILCE