ALBUM REVIEW: Staring At The Sun – Decay

DECAY are a post-hardcore band from Liverpool. They are made up of vocalist Daniel Reposar, guitarists
Connor Baugh and Nathan Peloe, drummer Toby Hacking and bassist Matthew Pickford. Following on from 2019’s EP, Modern Conversation, Staring At The Sun is the band’s debut album. Taking influences from BASEMENT, CITIZEN and TITLE FIGHT, and giving their sound a DECAY spin, will their debut album achieve the same success as their EP?

The first song is the titular track of the album. It is an infectious burst of music. The vibe is upbeat, and everything is strong. The vocals and the instruments are the highlights as they blend in well together and the production on this track is stand-out and really sets the pacing for the album. September 27th continues the strong pacing, and despite being at a slightly slower pace than the previous song, this number stands out for the vocal performance of Reposar. His voice is powerful and strong, and really catches the audience’s attention.

Empty Feeling starts off with a riff that sounds like something akin to FOO FIGHTERS before turning into something else entirely. The fast-paced track does not affect the overall pacing of the album as the production makes sure that all the songs sound the same. However, Ache is totally different. It is a pain-filled song with heavy guitars and shouted vocals. It should sound out of place on the album, but, thanks to the superb production, it does not. The pacing of the song is fast and there is a spoken word bridge about how dreams seem to be dead. It is a calming moment in a song so full of anger and pain.

On the other hand, Feel Better is a much slower affair. The instruments are mellow, and the vocals are softer and this juxtaposition would sound jarring on any other album. However, on Staring At The Sun, the change feels natural. The position of the song as the midway point shows a shift in direction for the album. This is proven in the next half of the album. For example, Hold On is a mellow rock song, whereas Misery is a post-hardcore song full of anger.

In conclusion, Staring At The Sun is a very strong start for DECAY. The band have stepped up their game from their EP, and have expanded upon their very unique sound. The band clearly know what path they’re going to take their music in and it is obvious from this album, that an exciting future is destined for DECAY.

Rating: 9/10

Staring At The Sun is out now via Fox Records.

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