11

GUITARS

As we've noted in the videos section, In Search Of Sun are a band which have very much been on the Room Thirteen radar since we reviewed their EP some time ago under their previous name Driven. That EP was an absolute tank in its own right, but comparing it to this debut album - the band's musicianship, style and composure has come on leaps and bounds. With there being more room to breathe, it perhaps encouraged the Harrow based unit to branch out and really look to deliver something a bit different. This is abundantly clear right from the start, as the opening track The World Is Yours hits hard with some excellent guitar licks throughout before pummelling you with a solo - not to mention the phenomenally catchy chorus. The step up is just very apparent when comparing any track from the old EP and that's even just this track alone.

As the album progresses, Give In hits with a menacing sounding riff and 51 56 again slams you with some superb guitar work. As a unit, they sound tight but the guitar work throughout the album is truly the stand out aspect. It has enabled what would have sounded like a very solid heavy record into one that is far more distinctive - and in the scene at the moment this could prove pivotal. By this point in the album as well, it is clear that another development and change from their older material is the fact that vocally, the band have moved away from a harsher sound, instead opting for cleaner vocals for the majority. This is not necessarily a bad thing at all, as for these new tracks it works a lot better to have cleaner, more epic sounding, vocals soaring over the music underneath. Some bands feel they have to have harsher vocals, but even at this early stage, In Search Of Sun have shown their ability to identify what exactly each track requires and needs to make it sound as good as it can be. From their live shows, what is certain is the fact that they're able to switch up between the two with ease, leaving it very much open to what they'd look to pursue in future.

The absolute stand out on the album is the track In Search Of Sun itself. Again we've got some mega GUITARS, but this track just feels like their statement of where they are at musically. The riff sounds greasy and the tight drumming holds it all together well. The second half in particular absolutely rips it to shreds. Perhaps the clearest negative for the album is the fact that it could have seen a few of the tracks cut. On a full play through some of the songs can sound a bit samey, so with a few cut it would have been a far more concise beast but as debut albums go this is damn impressive.