BIG CITY – Testify
- Posted on 26-08-2021
The latest album by the Norwegian outfit known as Big City marks a change in that new vocalist Jørgen Bergersen has entered the fold while the style and sound of the group has also turned slightly more aggressive compared to earlier on.
What we have here is an energetic mixture of hard rock and heavy metal with a punchy, powerful production to it and where the emphasis is on melodies that are easy on the ear and instantly accessible. However, there are no surprises of any kind to be discovered or enjoyed here, and the whole affair is quite formulaic from a purely musical and lyrical perspective. In other words, "Testify" offers very little out of the ordinary and I find that the vocals lack grit, charisma, and dynamics. There are several good ideas present on the disc and this is a well-produced output in many respects, but it is simply not the barnstorming hard rock treat that it could have been and the tunes are neither particularly memorable nor exciting.
Although the song material lacks longevity and staying power in general, the galloping and driven "Heart’s Like a Lion" stands out and is undoubtedly the best of the bunch. The title track and "How Dark Does It Get" also contains their fair share of muscular riffs and sharp solos, and the melancholy nature of "Conception" is relatively enticing too, but all in all the record is a lackluster offering and I do wish that there were more quality tracks to be found on the LP.