ALBUM REVIEW: cut. turn. fade. back. – Hail The Sun

At this stage in their career California’s HAIL THE SUN are becoming an unstoppable force. Their output is always of a consistently high level and 2023’s most recent instalment Divine Inner Tension holds a very solid argument to be sitting atop their mightily impressive catalogue. Follow-up and seventh studio album cut. turn. fade. back is looming, due for release on October 24th via Equal Vision Records. Will this effort keep the freight train rolling?

The Drooling Class forgoes the warm up and skips right into an energetic swagger packed with vigorous drumming and alluring lyrical patterns. The melodic chorus provides a stark contrast to the waves of aggressive screams unleashed by frontman Donovan Melero. There’s No Place In Heaven For Fakes is equally as punchy. Enticing rhythms form in the shape of galloping riffs and mathcore fuelled wildness leaving an emphatic stamp. Live Forever experiments with a colourful array of layers with synths, snappy drum beats and soaring vocal passages with some heavy surges thrown in for good measure.

Insensitive Tempo lets the bass lines do the initial heavy lifting as Melero utilises his evocative narratives to paint his canvas. “never dim your light because it makes someone insecure” strikes a particularly personable, uplifting chord. Skilfull lead sequences also make their presence felt. Blight dials up the intensity with a mixtures of swift and hefty instrumentation. The unpredictable stylistic shifts keep you guessing as the lyricism portrays the chaotic stages of an existential crisis. Consumed With You opts for a more deeply sentimental candour. The touching thematics weave a story of struggle amongst the subtle atmospherics.

I Can Tell By The Scars possesses a lively, accessible quality. Crammed with bounce and anthemic vocal hooks topped off with a slick solo piece, this could very easily become a longterm crowd pleaser. Building Code reprises the tone of honestly vulnerability. “I’ll always live and die by chaos” displays a more introspective approach of personal experience. Relapse Is A Love Affair is perhaps the most poignant offering HAIL THE SUN have produced to date, detailing Melero‘s unfortunate reacquaintance with his addiction following a bout of illness. His distinct sincerity and bravery to shine the spotlight on such a subject is guaranteed to resonate with the listener.

Rightless Destiny turns to a more politically charged slant, hammering home the sheer amount of conflict and division currently being caused around the world. War Crimes continues the conversation with similar sensibilities, utilising the jarring juxtaposition between vibrant riff segments and damning declarations.

cut. turn. fade. back. cleverly ebbs and flows between heaviness and emotive pathways, tackling a variety of intriguing subject matter on its journey. HAIL THE SUN are certainly not scared to approach pressing topics with confidence and conviction whilst expertly weaving such content into their signature, deft musicianship. Another meticulously crafted arrow has just been added to their already brimming quiver.

Rating: 8/10

cut. turn. fade. back. is set for release on October 24th via Equal Vision Records.

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