Tonight Alive - Underworld

Rating:

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.

‘Underworld’ is fast-paced and contains some of the strongest material Tonight Alive have written to date. This album serves as the key to unlocking Tonight Alive’s full status big guns in the international rock scene. Now may be the time to get on board. Nariece Sanderson