A Massive Blend of Grunge and Dance Rock from Arco Arena
A new album drop from Arco Arena hits with a strong sense of groove, thriving alternative guitars, loads of soulful vocals, anthemic approaches, and a heavy-handed performance.
This is an album that doesn't hold a lot back in the way of giving you this thriving blend of heavy rock and a funk undertone. These songs are insanely danceable, colorful but still edgy, and most of them pack a hell of a punch.
The record is called Ties, and it kicks right off with a song called "As We Live and Breathe", which is an amazing track to actually intro the record with because it's giving you this robust sense of pop, right from the get-go. That beat comes in, and your body starts moving almost automatically.
This is absolutely a dance rock record, but there are layers to it. There are all kinds of spacious underbellies, vast and impactful guitar work, and vivacious vocals that deliver loads of character.
Once the beat kicks in full swing, you have two guitars, one doing a heavy set of chords and another one that is playing clean-toned licks that flow with the rhythm of the track so that you have something that hits hard, but also has a seamlessness to it.
The vocals kick in with that great sort of aggressive tonality. They're fun, but they're really in your face. He's got that sort of classic stadium-rock-style approach that does indeed boast loads of soul, and it's impactful.
What's cool about a lot of the songs on the record is that the vocals absolutely match the energy of the rest of the band.
Everyone is completely on the same page and feeding off of each other properly.
As the record unfolds, you start getting songs that bend their genres, but nothing too crazy. For example, "Trendsetter" brings together some of that more current feel with classic grunge styles. The riffs are super heavy, and this is a closed-fisted banger, but you still have the colorful aspects as well, sprinkled in throughout its course.
This is one of the things that they're amazing at. They can sort of overlap genres of rock in such a great fashion. Everything is sonically driving, sometimes to the maximum. Again, some of these tracks are really heavy in terms of their riffs, guitar tone, and overall aggressive drumming.
It's tracks like this that you start really hearing some of their other influences. The more you listen through the album, the more you understand that there are tons of influences that the band hold close to their heart, and are able to really utilize those throughout this 10-song LP.
This is one of the reasons that I suggest listening to the entire record, all in one shot. It's quite a big experience, and the whole thing has massive overdrive to it, but still holds on to these catchy, hooky elements.
"Thirsty Eye" is a perfect example of exactly that. It's got that classic grungy heaviness, but the phrasing and rhythm are sort of repetitive and really catchy. This is one of the songs that bounces around in your brain for hours after it has ended.
There are a few more of those as well, but this is one of my favorites on the entire album, honestly.
It sounds like this gives me a little bout of nostalgia because I grew up listening to a lot of catchy, radio-friendly style grunge that blends indie, alternative, and more.
This is one of the reasons I also love the album's closer and title track, "Ties".
This final track on the record is an example of a lot of their styles rolled into one track.
You have this vast undertone, super hard-hitting heaviness when they want to go there, but it's also incredibly danceable, has deep-pocketed grooves left and right, and the vocals are just belting and powerful.
A lot about the singer comes through in an animated form. He's got that boisterous voice, but it also is based very heavily on melody and passion.
He's absolutely grooving with the band, and everyone is totally on the same page.
As I mentioned earlier, the record is 10 tracks, and it's about 45 minutes long. It's well worth your time, especially if you want to hear something that's well produced, has energy that really feels through the roof at times, and blends rock genres in all the right ways.
You'll headbang, dance, and have tons of fun listening to this record.
So, it's time to stop reading and start listening.
Just dive in from that first track. Turn it nice and loud.
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Arco Arena - 'Ties' (Spotify album link)
