11 years ago a friend sent me a song called “Keep On Swinging” from a band called Rival Sons. He told me they were special and I would probably like the song a lot. He was not wrong. Right from the first listen, this song made my body move and captivated me. I was hooked. I had to know more about them. So, I purchased their first three albums and listened to them over and over.
Fast forward to today. Rival Sons have continued to grow and expand as a band. They are one of the bands carrying the Rock and Roll torch into the future. With each album, Rival Sons have moved forward, crafting their sound, and forging their unique identity. Every album is a personal reflection of the band as they continue to cultivate their influences to create a sound that represents who the band is. Their last album, 2019’s Feral Roots was a huge leap forward for them and they continue to take chances and push limits with each record. Their 7th studio album, Darkfighter, will releases this Friday, June 2nd. Four songs have been released to stream in advance; “Nobody Wants To Die,” “Rapture,” “Bird In The Hand,” and “Guillotine.” One half of the story and a great taste of the album. I was excited to hear these songs with the rest of the record so as to get the full understanding and feel of it. Darkfighter is deep, powerful, destructive, introspective, dark, hopeful, cathartic, scary, honest, and beautiful. Eight dark stories tied together, each with a glimmer of hope. The songs are filled with vivid imagery and rich, layered music that pull us into the story.
The album opens with the powerful “Mirrors.” The music intro into Jay’s singing throws us into the darkness right away with “Take my eyes and wash them for good, help them to see the things that they should.” This sounds like a call for help before heading into the darkness. It is followed by their first single, “Nobody Wants To Die.” This song is a Rock and Roll banger. It’s big and meaty with a story to tell – see for yourself in the video. In “Bird In The Hand” Jay sings “Let’s go down to the river, where the water runs still and deep. Scatter the ashes of the mess I used to be.” It feels like a cathartic moment as when we shed our own skin to be better. Did we make the right decision? The last song on side one is “Bright Light.” We get a glimmer of hope here, even though the song opens with Jay singing, “I listen for my future in the wind, and it told me I was about to lose my way.” Scott’s guitar walks us into the lyrics setting the mood perfectly. The hope is found in the chorus, “Bright is the light I see, that ship will come my way, out to rescue me.” We get lost on the way to the light.
Side two opens with the big story of “Rapture.” A beautiful light that hopefully helps us emerge from the darkness. “I do believe I’m becoming what I meant to be.” But, then, the darkness returns with what may be some confusion, self doubt, and anger in “Guillotine.” Then we have the sound of heartbreak and defeat with a glimmer of hope/light in “Horses Breath.” The album wraps up taking a turn and leaving us hanging as he enters “Darkside.” The final lyrics being “There are no promises to keep anymore, now that you’ve gone to the dark side. Now that you’ve gone to the darkside (3x).” We do not know how far the madness goes as they leave us hanging. We need to know how it ends. Rival Sons will complete the story later this year, when they answer Darkfighter with Lightbringer.
Jay’s vocals blend perfectly with the music of the band to deliver imagery, emotion, and mood. At times when listening to Darkfighter, it felt as if the band were playing songs, about me and my life, to me. The rhythm section of Mike Miley (drums) and Dave Beste (bass) is on fire throughout the entire record. They are so locked in to each other and the rest of the band. Dave Beste’s grooves are smooth and resonant throughout the album. Mike Miley is crushing it behind the drums with a combination of finesse and power. He does a stellar job pulling everyone together. Todd’s keys are beautiful throughout the entire album as they fill the space with extra spice, flavor, and groove. Scott’s guitar as always speaks to you loud and clear. He takes you on a most intense and pleasurable sonic ride, enhancing the emotional highs and lows. Jay’s vocals as always, just stellar. We must give props to their producer, Dave Cobb. Jay and Scott have both referred to Dave Cobb as their secret weapon. He understands the band, as he has worked with them on every record. He continues to perform magic in the studio. Rival Sons are a band of hope, and they have delivered a beautiful album. Please give Darkfighter a listen.