ALBUM REVIEW: Safe On The Other Side – High Spirits

High-energy rockers HIGH SPIRITS have just put out their latest album Safe On The Other Side. For the band themselves, it boils down simply to a pure love of music that takes influence from a variety of classic rock and metal and creating something that, to them, is full of energy and power. This is certainly something that you can hear throughout the record, however, while Safe On The Other Side is a pleasant listening experience, there is a lot that falls into being generic and cliché.

When listening to the album you get the gist that HIGH SPIRITS wanted to create something that gets you pumped and throwing up devil horns, and we’re certain that there will be those who want nothing but that, but the issue falls more into most songs sounding the same as each other to the point that it ends up feeling like one long track. And while it’s a decent sounding track, it can leave the listener zoning out.

The album does start out strong with In The Moonlight which nicely brings 80s metal and rock ‘n’ roll together, with the following song Til The End Of Time bringing up feelings of nostalgia and positivity, but by the time the band get to Lonely Nights you’ll start to notice the similarities and find yourself drifting off. You might not hate what you hear, but once you’ve heard one song, you’ve kind of heard the entire record.

Yet at the same time there are moments that do stand out when HIGH SPIRITS branch out a bit into the more theatrical side of things. One Day Closer for example feels reminiscent of modern metal and art rock bands with its dramatic flair, with bands like BLACK VEIL BRIDES and WITHIN TEMPTATION coming to mind, with its only drawback being that the song does go on for a bit too long.

Another great track is (There Will Be) Magic Tonight, which is a fantastic rock song that has a fast rhythm and branches out into the theatrical side of things with the use of lightning sound effects, along with just the pure anthemic energy of harmonies shouting “yes!” that you can picture a crowd fist pumping along to.

Safe On The Other Side is a fun record to be sure, but how long can that fun last when most of it sounds the same and feels rather stereotypical? Sure, if you just want a record that only consists of feel-good rock then you’ll enjoy this, but if you want more variety, you may find yourself bored.  

Rating: 6/10

Safe On The Other Side is out now via High Roller Records.

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