ALBUM REVIEW: Silhouettes – Giant Walker
Newcastle progressive rock outfit GIANT WALKER have taken very little time to make their presence felt. Their debut album All In Good Time received rave reviews and grabbed the attention of many of the industry’s revered entities. If you had the pleasure of catching them at the most recent iteration of Radar Festival or on their recent tour supporting FUTURE STATIC you’ll know fine well that the hype is very much justified. It is almost time for the unveiling of their sophomore album entitled Silhouettes which is due for release on 20th September via Church Road Records and it’s shaping up to be their springboard to new heights.
Time To Waste tickles your tastebuds with stomping grooves and silky vocal melodies to get this release off to an impressive start. Short, snappy and straight to the point. Make Me dishes out some flair-filled riff segments to effortlessly lure you into its web, turning on the style at just the right moments. Silhouettes neatly shifts between serene acoustic vibes and energetic punchiness that both showcase their own inviting qualities. Throw in some lush clean tones bolstered by slick bass lines and you’re onto a winner.
Use On You introduces some additional grittiness combined with an enticing beat that is difficult to resist. Halcion maintains this mentality with a simmering intensity injected with commanding vocal surges. Eraser, Obscurer conjures up an intriguing soundscape by fusing a host of light and dark elements, exhibiting the band’s diverse musical palate.
Round And Round We Go possesses an addictive rhythmic prose that has you hanging off every note and syllable. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming along long after you’ve finished listening. So You Say delves into a more vulnerable, emotive space. “So I’ll stay in the rain, just so you can see that my fire’s fading out” really strikes a chord and will undoubtedly resonate with many. What It’s Worth follows a similarly poignant path, allowing sublime melodies to lead the way. Pockets of crunchy heaviness still remain but are tastefully executed along the way. A fitting finale.
Silhouettes is a lean, mean, fighting machine. There are no lulls or missteps to be found. No song overstays its welcome but each chapter leaves you feeling satisfied. GIANT WALKER have finely tuned their skillset and channelled it into a potent force. Keep your eye on this talented collective as it will be incredibly surprising if their stock doesn’t rise significantly off the back of this release.
Rating: 9/10
Silhouettes is set for release on September 20th via Church Road Records.
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