This week we’ve been graced with a classic, anthemic rock song from the boys of Mallory Knox. They’re a UK based band who formed in 2009, but only really started making a big impact after the release of their EP ‘Pilot’ in 2011. They are currently sponsored by Rockstar energy drinks and are about to embark on a UK tour with Don Broco.
The band comprises of Mikey Chapman (lead vocals), Joe Savins (guitar and vocals), James Gillett (guitar and vocals), Sam Douglas (bass and vocals) and Dave Rawling (drums and vocals). Lots of vocals in there lads! If you like people like Don Broco, Deaf Havana and Lower Than Atlantis then these guys will be right up your street.
On to Lighthouse. This track is the first signal form their new album ‘Signals’ and it’s full on from the start with a great guitar riff and a strong kit line. It’s then layered with long, reverberated guitar chords to create a thick, cushy texture before dropping back to the classic meaty bass sound and high guitar riff that you’d expect from an anthemic rock song. Then we break for the bridge with cymbal work on the drums before leaping into an in your face chorus, full of guitar riffs, bass riffs, full on drums and lovely ah-ing in the background from the backing vocals.
To break up the texture the next chorus leads us into a stronger vocal than the first with an off bit guitar riff. With the way those skank chords have been thrown in you’d be forgiven for thinking that we were about to launch into a rocked up version of a classic Bob Marley song. Just before you get too comfortable this texture breaks and Mikey gets a little more shouty on the vocals before calming us down again with that softer bridge and then launching back to our lovely ahhh’s and crazy chorus.
The guys don’t finish there though, there’s a break reminiscent of the bridge that lets us see they’re soft side and that as epic as their anthem sections are they can do quiet and delicate too. Oh and they can actually sing!
The song finishes on a climax back on the chorus and in true rock style fades out on a lush chord from the lead guitar.
I have to say I was unsure of this track when I heard the preview on iTunes, you really need to give it a thorough listening to and take the journey to get into it. Launching straight to the chorus can leave you feeling a bit disjointed.
I would also like to take the time to thank iTunes and Mallory Knox for reconnecting me with my 14 year old grunge/emo/scene kid/rock obsessed self. In recent years I have expanded away from the genres of music associated with those scenes and have almost lost touch with them a bit. This song would be a great closing song on a show like The Vampire Diaries which I am also a little obsessed with at the moment.
‘Lighthouse’ has reawakened my rock appreciation so time for me to go and dig out my old Kerrang! mags me thinks. Until next week, rock on!
-TWSH
Download Lighthouse and Signals
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