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- 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 , 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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