Angels And Enemies - Sound of Guns Album Review

Sound of Guns

Album Review

Thrusting bass-lines and sparse, shuddering percussion touches blends together. It provides a platform for the edgy, defiant lead vocal attack of Nathan Metcalfe, 'Sometimes'. Softening, ambient "Woo-ooh" backing and echoing of the song title, cushions the blows of Metcalfe's vocals and Lee Glynn's robust bass-lines. It sets this second album off on the road towards achieving mainstream appeal, but retaining an independent edge.

The first four tracks all step beyond the four minute mark, but still possess some snappiness. A prime example being the chiming and longing power ballad, 'The Oceans The Seas The Rivers'. Lo-fi rocking combines a haunting vibe with feral bemusement, 'Flash Of Light'. It uses the different hook of a faltering chorus to strangle out fatalistic feelings.

From the snappier, mystically serenading, mid-tempo rock gliding and "Radio Gaga" hand clapping moment concealing, 'Silicon' to the ambient percussion undercoated, paranoia pushed, pop rock cruise of 'End Of The World'. There's an accessible side to these careering soft rockers. Metcalfe's vocals are at their most poignant when they are un-backed, left to get lost amidst bulleting percussion and winding guitars, 'Glide'.

'Of Our Own Invention', bears out an ability to build from a stirring, light percussion spiced and longing vocal pushed beginning, to create a reflective, feeling felt, poetic epic. Sound Of Guns continues to saunter along the tightrope between run-of-the-mill predictability and distanced self-pitying. At the moment, they are keeping their balance well.

David Adair