No Sin Evades His Gaze have been causing some stirs recently, having released a debut single in May and playing a well-received set at Bloodstock a few weeks back. They feature ex-members of some bands you may have heard of (Ravenface, for one, a Band of the Day from some time ago who I’m gutted I didn’t get to see live before they split up), and their average age is around 21.
The band is a five-piece featuring younglings Dan Thornton (19) on guitars and Theo Harvey (17!) on drums/vocals, the middle-aged James Denton (20) on vocals and Matthew Lowe (22) on bass, with grandad Kevin Pearson at a creaky 26 years of age also on guitars. Their album, Age of Sedation is kicking around now.
They’re not quite genre-defying, but they do have quite a wide-ranging sound. Vocals are a mixture of throaty and dirty (more post-metal than death but it’s a fine line at times) and melodic. Guitars and bass are also a mixture – heavy and distorted, clean and widdly, and effects-laden. It all depends on the track. And where within the track. As I said, quite a mixture. The flurried solos are particularly cool, such as the one that jumps in around halfway through “Filth”.
Rhythmically, there’s a blend of the hardcore end of the scale playing off against something more staccato and stop/start. It makes me wonder how a live crowd would take it, and then I see the reviews of the Bloodstock show and realise that they’ve got that covered. Their press blurb mentions Lamb of God as an influence and I can get that – there’s definitely a bit of it in the mix, though they’re by no means a rip-off.
Age of Sedation is a good album. Solid, varied, accessible and surprisingly original. Given the ages of the band members, I’m even more impressed with the quality. Are they going to be the next big thing as the press predict? Well, that’s up to you. All I can say is that they’re good enough to deserve a chance.
Check out the video for “The Guillotine Blade” below and start stalking them on your choice of social media.
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