GIANT – Shifting Time

What a pleasure it is to see and witness the return of Giant. I was quite smitten with the US rockers’ earlier albums back in the day and I was actually rather surprised when this sparkling new disc of theirs named “Shifting Time” showed up in my mailbox, but that just goes to show that yours truly is a lazy bum who has not been paying attention. The line-up anno 2021/2022 is a reconfigured one in that Dann Huff is no longer a steady member of the team, but he does make a wicked guest appearance here, which should please those of you who cherish the old Giant records.

The guitars a delightfully sharp and crunchy, and there are some kick-ass rockers to be found in the shape of “Never Die Young”, “My Breath Away”, and “Standing Tall” where Giant lock into a solid groove and give it their all. The sound is crisp and vibrant, and while the first half of the album contains some excellent barnstormers and fist-pumping tunes, the other half is slightly mellower and more polished without necessarily being slick or saccharine. The band have obviously striven to create a dynamic offering where the compositions possess depth and atmosphere while also ensuring that they come across as memorable yet not entirely devoid of a few surprising twists and turns, and to a large extent these gentlemen have succeeded in that endeavor. Another tune that beautifully showcases just how much Giant have to offer is the excellent and emotionally charged ballad titled “Don’t Wanna Lose You”. Vocalist Kent Hilli delivers a superb performance throughout and complements the many nuances of the songs beautifully. Getting him onboard was obviously a great move, but that is hardly surprising given that his work with Perfect Plan rules.

“Shifting Time” a musically cohesive piece of work that seems balanced and confident, and although it lacks truly breathtaking songs that will make your head spin, there are plenty of melodies that soar and infectious vocal hooks to be enjoyed here, and this is one well-written LP that the veteran outfit can be proud of.