Review Summary: While less heavy on emotions, it is heavier in the riffs
A bit over two years have passed since
Grace Street came out, and Big Wreck have already presented their next opus,
But for the Sun. Its predecessor differed somewhat from other releases by the band, especially those from the second stage of their history. On
Grace Street the trademark hard rock was present in a reduced capacity, and a stronger emphasis was placed on expanding the spectrum of moods and styles employed. Among other things, this had to do with the fact that the album was recorded during a tough period in the life of Big Wreck’s main ideologist, Ian Thornley, and this was reflected in the LP.
With
But for the Sun the story is less eventful. After the more emotional
Grace Street, the band decided to make an album for their own enjoyment. And it is noticeable from the first seconds of the opening track
Voices, when a signature guitar riff kicks in. The musicians are relaxed again, not concerned with personal turmoil. They just play what they want. In fact, it is enough to listen to one of the three singles – the unstoppable
Locomotive, the earth-shattering
Too Far Gone, and the playful
One More Chance – and you will be able to understand the direction chosen for the album.
Gone is the melancholy and romanticism that featured on
Grace Street. Instead, heavy but not aggressive riffs and overdriven hard rock took over yet again, bringing the new album closer to
Albatross, with occasional dives even further back, to the times of
The Pleasure and the Greed.
Just like on those releases,
But for the Sun maintains a singular flow supported by rumbling guitar parts typical of Big Wreck. One heavy train is followed by another, giving almost no time for a breather. Monolithic guitars on
Too Far Gone pound like jackhammers, giving us one of the heaviest tracks in the band’s discography. And that closing section on
Found My Place! Just when you think the song is almost done, we are thrown under this deafening bombardment. Luckily, there are occasional pauses, such as, say,
Give Us a Smile – though even on this track heavy riffs still rear their head, kicking in on the choruses – and
Alibi, which is probably the most lightweight and poppy cut on the record, especially against the backdrop of such massive pounding.
Even though Big Wreck rain down such heavy artillery on their audience, the musicianship and talent of the band provide plenty of hooks. Thanks to them, the album, slightly over one hour in duration, stays in high gear. With one exception:
Help Is on the Way, which, it can be assumed, was planned as a kind of timeout, feels somewhat protracted due to its pace and duration. Instead, it inadvertently throws off the flow of the album, so the following three tracks struggle to regain it and end everything on a high note. Luckily, they manage to achieve that more or less.
Yes, such thundering riffs may exhaust those listening to the album, but do not think this fact turns you away. On the contrary, after a short break you will most likely want to throw yourself into the musical whirlpool of
But for the Sun. So, if
Grace Street was not to your liking due to its detour from the established sound, this record may restore your faith in the band.
