99 reasons to be cheerful
Fightstar return to the fore with the release of download-only single '99', the band's first taster of new material in almost a year. Fresh from LA, where they've been putting the finishing touches to their forthcoming album, Charlie and Co. have set up a 'micro site' accessed via their myspace page, allowing fans who sign up to their mailing list to download both the audio and video versions of the single completely free.
If this material is anything to go by, then we're in for an absolute treat upon the album's release. Having established themselves on the emo-tinged, hard rock scene, the band employ the characteristically quiet, modulated crisp-clean verses that proceed to explode into huge, fizzing choruses. Charlie's voice, somewhat improved since the last record, soars over the swirling guitars, the lyrics expressing how you should cherish the time you have with your loved ones, while the pounding drums keep everything tight and together. The instrumental introduction features a powerful, driving riff that prickles the hairs on the back of your neck, and returns throughout the song seamlessly blending verse and chorus.
This single certainly whets the appetite for the forthcoming album, and is a must-have for loyal fans and newcomers alike, especially as it's free. The band are tighter, evolving and beginning to develop their own style, something which is sure to win even more fans over this time around.