Album Review: And The Sky Darkened – Between Ghosts
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
If you follow the South Wales rock and metal scene it’s highly likely that you’ll be aware of Cardiff based band And The Sky Darkened. Formed in 2015, the band have gigged hard over the past few years and released their debut EP ‘The Fracture’ the year after. The band can cleverly blend their influences to create a melodic sound with a steely underbelly and the ability to let rip with the incendiary devices when needed. Everything from Tool to Metallica to Alice in Chains is wrapped up in their ball of noise. It’s contemporary and yet traditional at the same time. This four-track EP is the first to feature their revised line-up of founder members Ryan Lewis (vocals, guitar) and Ollie Hansen (guitar) with drummer Matt ‘Animal’ Thomas and bassist James O’Donovan who arrived last year.
Opening song ‘Burden Hardest to Bear’ has a Mastodon style feel circa ‘The Hunter’. The driving drums from Thomas and the duelling guitars compete for top billing whilst Lewis’ clean vocals are strong and clear in the mix. Plenty of melody and well-structured backing vocals widen the appeal, whilst the mournful roaring of Lewis doesn’t detract in any way. It’s a catchy song with hooks that live long in the memory. It’s also got a mainstream feel that should appeal to fans of a wide range of bands.
There’s a change of tempo as one would expect on ‘Turn These Eyes Blind’, the song smoulders with emotion, enhanced by multiple time changes. A deep, dark opening gives way to a thick riff, the melody always present whilst O’Donovan’s thumping bass adds heft. The twist as the song reaches the mid-section is the eruption into heavy, Thomas’ adding a battery of drums whilst the song continues in style. New track ‘The Darkened Await’ begins with a more mellow feel, the duel guitar work giving the intro breadth before a chugging riff kicks off the song for real. The longest track on the album it builds impressively, with thrash elements mixing with more classic metal styles. This is where And The Sky Darkened show their mettle, as they power forward, the combination of cleans and guttural roars working sweetly. There’s also an explosive change at midpoint as the band switch gear and really let loose, a scorching solo soaring over the thunderous rhythm. It’s all a bit epic!
After that excitement the pace slows for the final song, the title track which begins with swirling synths and a jangling guitar. Lewis takes centre stage with an angst driven performance, accompanied by a melancholic acoustic backdrop, the tension slowly building with clever use of layered vocals. And whilst it never quite gets to the climax you are expecting, it’s a neat twist and another demonstration of the variation which the band employ. It’s a powerful finish to a solid and impressive sophomore EP which is full of melody and a brooding intensity.
