ALBUM REVIEW: A Night to Remember – By Torchlight
An album based upon a story is an intriguing concept. For alternative rock act BY TORCHLIGHT, their new album is based upon a story that band founder Thom Hall wrote. He started BY TORCHLIGHT in 2016, and has released an acoustic demo album, along with an EP and four more albums. However, A Night To Remember has been two years in the making, and comes with a noir crime story in which a former officer turned private detective tracks down the murderer of his wife two years after she was killed – A Night To Remember indeed.
The album comprises nine songs. Night Shift kicks things off and provides a short introduction to the record. It is creepy and eerie, and is reminiscent of the theme music to a detective series. However, things really get going in the second song, Never Sleep Again. The slow jazz-rock number’s strength is in its lyrics. They tell a creepy and terrifying story about a murder. Whilst some people might complain about the lack of instruments, apart from a trumpet and some light guitar, that is a positive thing. This is because the lyrics are the main draw of the song.
The title track picks things up from its sombre start. The instruments are fast-paced, and there are more of them. The difference in pacing might be jarring to some people; however, it works within the story that is being told. That story element does come with a downside though: the songs cannot be played out of order, otherwise they wouldn’t make sense. On the other hand, most concept albums are only very loose concepts. Therefore it is a testament to the talent of BY TORCHLIGHT that the concept for this album is very firm.
In fact, the album is very clever with its pacing. The slow start quickly builds up into a fast-paced frantic cat-and-mouse chase. It then slows down during Mr White, which is a mid-tempo jazz number. However, it feels natural and does not affect the album’s overall pacing. The other positive of having an album follow a concept is that it is given a strict structure. This further helps the album’s pacing because it has to follow a start, middle and end. A Night To Remember does not limit itself to one genre. Whether it is rock or jazz, this album is confident not only in its storytelling, but its sound as well.
In conclusion, BY TORCHLIGHT have created an extremely unique experience. This album highlights Hall‘s strengths in storytelling, lyrics, structure, and everything else. The only issue of the album is that the story structure is so ingrained in the lyrics that some people might be turned away from listening to it. However, the mixing of genres, and the unique lyrics will draw people into the album. Despite being only nine songs long, BY TORCHLIGHT clearly know how to prioritise quality over quantity. This is a unique project that is for anyone who is into rock music, storytelling and concept albums.
Rating: 9/10
A Night To Remember is set for release on August 5th via Take Over Mars Records.
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