RIVAL SONS – Lightbringer

No other outfit executes raw, vibrant hard rock quite like Rival Sons, and it is always a treat to hear and experience what these skilled Americans are up to in terms of their live activities and studio work. As to the latter, what we have here is their upcoming slice of classic rock genius entitled Lightbringer, so let us take a quick peek at said piece of work, shall we?

The album’s opening tune, the epic ‘Darkfighter’, truly sets the pulse racing and all you can think of when it reaches its climactic denouement is that you want to listen to it again. Elsewhere, the groove of ‘Mercy’ is undeniable and ‘Sweet Life’ is a kick-ass barnstormer that just so happens to be infectiously catchy. Each track on the disc is infused with a prominent sense of vitality and an inimitable swagger, and all the subtle details that reveal themselves the more you listen to the disc make for a phenomenal experience. Vocalist Jay Buchanan is bang on the money and truly excels on the emotive ‘Redemption’ and the aforementioned ‘Darkfighter’, but it is hardly as if we needed any proof that he is one of the best singers and frontmen out there, did we?

These gentlemen have never released a lackluster album, and although I was certain that it would be impossible for them to outdo the vital and potent Feral Roots output from 2019, they have in fact released their most accomplished and rewarding record to date. Powerful is one word that comes to mind here, but the bottom line is that Rival Sons sound absolutely exceptional on Lightbringer and that vintage-inspired rock has rarely felt more electrifying than this. If you want musical depth, then you need this LP – it is as simple as that, really. There are riffs, melodies, and ideas here that would have made Led Zeppelin and Bad Company envious of these guys, and you can quote me on that.