This is the forth album from UK metal band Sons of Alpha Centauri.
I’ve very much enjoyed seeing the development and progression of Sons of Alpha Centauri over the years, and you never quite know what you’re going to get from them. From stoner rock to collaborative experiments, to 90s-influenced alternative metal, what do we get this time?
Well, this time it’s Pull, a companion piece to 2021’s Push. With the singer of Far and drummer of Will Haven now cemented in place, (at least for the moment, who knows where this band will roam in the future?), Pull continues the style that Sons of Alpha Centauri played so well on its predecessor.
Pull takes the music that we encountered on Push and gives it more of an ethereal quality, expanding on the atmospheric and emotive content. This has resulted in not only a slightly longer running time than Push, (39 minutes vs 35 minutes), but has allowed the band to explore the depths of their music further than before.
Sons of Alpha Centauri’s 90s influenced alternative metal/post-hardcore brew is a tasty and satisfying one. The band clearly know what they’re doing with the style, and have the talent and skills to effectively realise their vision. The songs are catchy and memorable, but also display a longevity that’s easily apparent the more that you listen to them and get to know their hooks – sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant.
What can I say about these songs? If you were around in the 90s – or just know the era well – then Pull will feel like you’ve stepped back in time. There’s a curiously vibrant feel to it though, making it worth more than just a hit of nostalgia. There is absolutely a nostalgic component to it – it would be foolish to say otherwise – but there is also definitely more than just a retro trip going on here. The band play their music with heart and passion, and their love for their art brings the music into 2024 with zealous ability. In this way Pull is timeless, despite obviously being a product of a time gone by.
The quality of the songwriting alone means that Pull cannot be easily dismissed, but add to this a crisp, lively production, and a slew of good performances, (notably from the singer’s iconic voice, which is the music’s primary focal point), and you have a hugely compelling record that Sons of Alpha Centauri should be proud of. I should also say that even with the fantastic vocals of the band’s singer being so prominent, the rest of the music doesn’t hide behind his voice. In fact, the guitars in particular deserve almost as much credit for the emotional impact of the songs, as pretty much every riff and melody is steeped in feeling.
So, Pull takes the foundations laid out by Push and builds on them. It’s simply a superior record, one that will surely garner Sons of Alpha Centauri much praise, and deservedly so.
If this sort of thing scratches your musical itches, then you won’t want to miss this.
Wonderbox Metal 