SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RIVAL SONS – LIGHTBRINGER

RIVAL SONS
LIGHTBRINGER
ATLANTIC RECORDS

For their second album of the year, Rival Sons have released Lightbringer, the companion to Darkfighter, released in June. Following an intensive year of touring – as both headliners and in support of The Smashing Pumpkins – Lightbringer brings their 2023 to a climactic conclusion by further establishing Rival Sons as an undeniable rock’n’roll sensation.

Lightbringer opens with “Darkfighter”, a title track for their previous record, emphasising the complimentary nature these two records share. To call “Darkfighter” a stroke of creative brilliance feels like an understatement. The song is a musical odyssey in the truest sense of the word. Opening with a sparse and slightly sinister acoustic arrangement for Jay Buchanan’s vocals to weave a narrative lush with harmonies as the instrumentals slowly begin to expand, including drums, a soft electric guitar, and embellishments to the competing melodies. The song erupts in pure Zeppelin-esque fashion with a chorus that blends acoustic and electric guitars with bombastic drums and the emergence of new riffs. What is exciting about “Darkfighter” is how it never remains in one place for long and from here new passages are introduced, followed by an incredible acoustic guitar solo from Scott Holiday – and this is only the first half of the near nine-minute track.  The song is a stunning display of musicality and songwriting as Rival Sons continue to expand their versatility and exercise their creativity.

The remaining five tracks on Lightbringer, while not nearly as experimental as the opening track, prove to be just as thrilling – particularly the album’s two singles, “Mercy” and “Sweet life”. The former is a riff heavy track accented by drums that groove hard and off-beat accents. The larger-than-life chorus is anthemic and is aided by the use of just vocals and percussion during the pre-chorus, giving it the impression of an all-encompassing wave that swells to great heats. “Sweet Life” is an up-tempo track that feels like a classic rock take on the strut and shuffle of James Brown. There is an R&B vibe present, despite the ‘70s rock riffage, making the song an instant favourite across the record. Additionally, “Before The Fire” brings a sense of modernity to the album with a distinct alternative rock influence.

While brief, Lightbringer is designed to follow Darkfighter and, when paired together, the two records make for a stellar collection of music that showcases a wide range of influences that Rival Sons build upon through innovation yet nostalgic songwriting and strong performances. The result is some of the most exciting classic rock inspired music I’ve heard in quite some time. Through Lightbringer, Rival Sons deliver on their ambitious promises while continuing to raise the bar for what we should expect from rock bands for the coming decade.

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