Review RIVAL SONS ‘Lightbringer’

A few months after Rival Sons pushed a new album called ‘Darkfighter’ into the record stores, the successor is now released. If you reflect on the title, the new record is no longer that dark. ‘Lightbringer’ is the name of the new disc and offers six new songs.

Before we go into the quality of the album, it must be mentioned that a little more than 30 minutes of playing time is not excessive. The question remains why they didn’t release both records together as a double album and there remains the aftertaste of a possible marketing-technical move although one must conclude, that the two discs are representing a different expression.

Fortunately, this does no harm to the music. Like ‘Darkfighter’, ‘Lightbringer’ was created in one session in 2021 and begins with a song that has it all. It is the “title track” of the previous album, which ended with ‘Darkside’. The song becomes very quiet at the end and it is the beginning of the opener ‘Darkfighter’, the song which picks up the theme again. Thus, a smooth transition is guaranteed.
‘Darkfighter’ is an eight-minute epic that portrays the facets of Rival Sons very well.

As said, it is an acoustic beginning before the track releases its rock roots after about two minutes. Nevertheless, Rival Songs not only give full steam but vary skillfully between peaceful passages and hefty rock outbursts. There are many rock albums that don’t contain as much playfulness and variety as this one song. In some parts I even felt reminded of Queen, while most of the song is an emotional journey between blues and rock.

In contrast to the opener, ‘Mercy’ comes across as very straightforward. It’s a classy rock song that immediately reveals its excellence, equipped with a chorus that sticks right away.

The calmer moments can be found on ‘Redemption’. The emotional song offers singer Jay Buchanan the opportunity to show all his class. He manages to create emotions with his voice, and not only during this song.

It continues rocky with ‘Sweet Life’ before the catchy ‘Before the Fire’ seems like a flashback to the debut of the same name.

The album ends again with great emotions through ‘Mosaic’, a song in which the whole emotional spectrum comes together.

‘Lightbringer’ is a very well done album and lives up to expectations. Each of these songs is a highlight in itself. Rival Sons offer a great variety and also manage to give the album a common thread. Nothing seems artificial or forced here. With all the finesse ‘Lightbringer’ has an ease that serves the album very well.