Album Review: Everyday Heroes - A Tale Of Sin & Sorrow
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Everyday Heroes have been plying their trade for several years in the South Wales scene. Badged as a Newport outfit, the band that formed in 2014 draws its four members from other parts of the South Wales region as well. Their debut album follows 2016’s self-titled EP and the following year’s ‘The Other Side of Nowhere’ EP. Both releases gained considerable interest in the hard rock community and the band have earned a solid reputation on the live circuit. The band have performed at the Steelhouse Festival, Hard Rock Hell as well as support slots with Thunder, The Darkness and Stone Broken.
With those credentials, it will be no surprise that ‘A Tale of Sin and Sorrow’ follows in a similar vein to many of the hard rock bands who are part of the recent resurgence in the classic rock sound. Think Those Damn Crows, Bad Touch etc but throw in a good dose of Southern rock flavour and you have a good idea. Inspired by the Camino Pilgrimage in North Western Spain, ‘A Tale of Sin & Sorrow’ aims to conceptualise themes of redemption, self-reflection, and the relationship in our lives between chaos and order through archetypes, allegory, and amalgamations of real-world mythology. If you decide to take the album in one hit, which I would recommend, you’ll be able to join the central character ‘Texas Red’ through particular moments on his pilgrimage, like the scattered pages of an old journal, as he attempts to reflect and atone for a sinful past. This works well, the threads of the concept draw together easily.
The songs here are also crafted skilfully enough to also stand alone. From the stomping opener ‘Texas Red’ which utilises some neat slide work, a thick Southern riff, through to the reflective closing song ‘Without a Throne’, there are hooks a plenty combined with the melodic range that the band use to underpin their sound. Luke Phillips smoky vocals fit perfectly, his slight drawl aligned with bands like Skynyrd, Hatchet and Hogjaw. The playing is slick and tight, Philips and fellow guitarist Daniel Richards feed of each other to provide a twin attack throughout.
Everyday Heroes’ formula generally works well. Songs such as ‘The Witch King’ and ‘Victorious (Take My Chains)’ vary sufficiently to maintain the interest, which can be a challenge with the style that the band take; there is always a danger of the songs blurring into one. Whilst that does happen on occasion, overall, the vibrant energy and subtle changes between songs limits the drift. The slower, brooding ‘The Crow’ will appeal to those who want the lighter aloft moment but is an example of one of the more generic tracks on the album.
Tackling a concept on your debut release is a bold move. The songs work well, the story linking each song. The production is crisp and well executed. There is groove and an infectious vibe that makes it clear exactly why Everyday Heroes go down so well in South Wales. This is an area that adores the type of music the band play. Don’t be surprised to see Everyday Heroes on the classic rock bills around the country as soon as circumstances allow.
ICYMI - Everyday Heroes found themselves ship wrecked on Devil's Island this week. Find out what happened here.
