It’s a bold thing, getting into the music industry. It’s a bolder thing still to get into the music industry as a metalcore act. Entering a genre under routine scrutiny for being awash with soundalikes and inferior content is always going to be tough, but at the very least, it allows these new kids on the block to prove their mettle (excuse the pun).
The Sun Never Set are London’s new metalcore contenders, and it’s plain to see that they mean business. They recently wrapped up a UK tour in support of The Blackout and their self-titled debut EP features some of the best artwork we’ve seen this year. But we’re not here for looks, we’re here to know what they sound like – put simply: they make one hell of a noise.
This raucous quintet waste no time in getting down to the nitty gritty, pummeling out a punishing statement of intent. ‘Artforms‘ takes all of 40 seconds to swell from a deceptively gentle rock track to a full-blown monster of a tune, via an intense introductory drum line, soaring-yet-sparse lead guitar and vicious vocals. A full minute in, and we begin to see shades of influences – a low and lurching guitar track that wouldn’t seem out of place on an Architects release and a general soundscape a la The Devil Wears Prada. But if your debut release sounds like two of metalcore’s greatest success stories, then you’re really on the right tracks.
The brilliantly named ‘One Drop of Blood And We’ll All See Red‘ is much of the same, building quickly from nothing to something epic, from a komodo dragon to Godzilla. But the track starts to highlight a slight issue – on numerous occasions, it features a gorgeous guitar-led melody, one that is both atmospheric and foreboding. The type of device TDWP have mastered across their releases. But the difference is that The Sun Never Set lack a clean vocal presence like Jeremy DePoyster, instead opting for Luke Tyson’s (incredibly impressive) raucous growls. All in all, it kind of annuls the musicianship and almost leaves those sections feeling flat.
‘Over Our Fallen Empire‘ makes a push for the title of ‘heaviest track on the EP’, with bone-crunching riffs and drumming that leaves you feeling like you’re taking every pellet of a shotgun blast. On that note, drummer Joey Bradshaw really does deserve huge props on this EP. Whilst listening to ‘The Sun Never Set’, you are constantly and acutely aware of the bountiful drums and cymbals, each blast so crisp that you will find yourself entranced. ‘Valiant‘ pays testament to that fact, and also continues to shine a light on guitar duo Pavel Maciulevic and Tom Pratt, with classic rock licks and perfectly weighted turns gifting the EP a real sense of atmosphere and a life of it’s own.
It all comes together best though on the mammoth closing track, ‘Wildcard‘. At 7 minutes and 7 seconds, it’s a mammoth in both running time and aural stature, a grandiose swansong (at least for the time being) that meshes together with such precision and such grand execution that you would be forgiven for thinking The Sun Never Set have been at this for years. ‘Wildcard’ really is a highlight for the band and one that forgives the lack of clean vocals, as Tyson’s venomous roaring carries the track kicking and screaming toward it’s close.
All in all, ‘The Sun Never Set‘ is a splendid spread and a very good sign of things to come. This is a band that is still learning, but they have thrown themselves headlong into an over-subscribed subgenre and have shown that actually, they just might have what it takes to pull through to the top of the heap in a few years from now.
