Tonight Alive offer up a darker, more twisted collection of tunes.
Veering away from their poppier, anthemic choruses, with ‘
Underworld’, Tonight Alive offer up a darker, more twisted collection of tunes - and Jenna McDougall’s catchiest vocal hooks match the heavier guitar sound well. Although at times the album’s a little clichéd lyrically, Jenna reaches to consult the negative emotions she has restrained on previous records and this exploration results in a fair few bangers.
‘
Temple’ proves itself as a chunky, riffage fueled tune that addresses the damage of depression and recurring physical pain. ‘Disappear’ is driven and rhythmic, a hark back to the sounds of 80s goth bands that has seen a recent resurgence in popularity; it’s well-poised for Lynn Gunn’s (PVRIS) feature, welcoming her snarling vocals to create something escapist and uplifting. ‘
Burning on’ seems like an ode to this energy and new-found force, marrying synths with big choruses and cascading guitar riffs.
Sadly a few tracks sound a little too uniform, a tad too similar for the fully fledged originality this release deserves, however a truly redeeming feature can be found in the last track of the album. Corey Taylor’s (Slipknot, Stone Sour) guest spot is a delicious morsel in ‘
My Underworld’, unearthing a deep-rooted passion and mighty unity of contrasting voices.
