Broncos Release a Massive LP
Packed With Anthemic Pulse and Alternative Drive
An absolutely thrashing new record from Broncos has arrived, and I've been waiting for this to drop for a bit now. I can tell you it was definitely worth the wait, as this record hits everything from thriving alternative rock to grunge and loads more throughout its course, as the songs come through with heavy-hitting punch and loads of hooks that still bear plenty of edginess and blister through and through.
A great example of this is how the record opens up with a track called "To The Grave," which is a total banger and actually does serve as an intro to the album itself.
This is a bit of a slow burn, as it starts off very ambient and vast with guitars that are distant and sort of haunting. This builds up into some heavy-handed riffs and fists-in-the-air vocals that are kind of anthemic, giving you an idea of what you might expect for the rest of the release.
"Lover" is what I would consider the first full track on the record, and it definitely showcases more of that powerhouse alternative rock soundscape with vocal harmonies that are more than memorable, along with super-heavy guitar tones that are layered up and feel thick and sort of bountiful.
You can hear different kinds of vocals coming in and out of this track, some of them more fierce than others, but I really dig how the energy comes through across the board.
I can also hear some of that brilliantly grunge influence shining through, especially with those guitars, but also how the drums just really hit hard. He's really smashing those crash cymbals and adding this super drive to the song, pushing everything through the roof and feeling explosive.
They waste no time getting straight to the point with this one, as it starts off heavy-handed.
Then, tracks like "Hold Me," which I would consider to be one of the most radio-friendly songs on the record, come through with this great, almost pop-punk overtone. You can hear these different sorts of influences coming in and out throughout the record. The entire album is laced with these heavy rock genres that come and go, but the whole thing is very consistent at the same time.
This track has some classic riffs in terms of, again, bringing the pop-punk influence to the table, but also has a much faster pace than the other songs on the record so far.
The track adds a unique bit of color to the alternative landscape, and it works.
"So Wrong" blends a lot of that pop-punk style with the alternative and even the grunge as well. I feel like this track in particular has a brilliant combination of all of those genres and feels like a staple of the record.
The vocals are sort of in your face, but they also have that depth to them as well. It's very melodically driving, but he comes up with these great hooks that just bounce around in your brain. It's enough to make you want to restart the song again and listen to it from the top.
"Saline" is, in my opinion, one of the heaviest on the record, just because of its experimentation and drive. The drumming on this track alone is enough to let you sit back in your seat and point your finger at the speaker the entire time.
This is a brilliant single that sort of reaches a little bit out of the normal range of what these guys do from what I've heard so far, but it works incredibly well. That drumming is just absolutely brilliant and adds such a sort of frantic liveliness to everything.
The guitars are also a bit more experimental here, dripping with different kinds of effects like chorus and reverb, delivering these soundscapes that are immersive.
It's songs like this one that showcase how the band isn't afraid to reach outside that box, experiment, and come up with something that's completely theirs.
"Gloom" is a track that does something similar but in a different manner. The guitar tone has a cool effect on it, the vocals are super belting out, and this one is one of the most hard-hitting of the bunch, for me. I love how powerful a song like this can be and how they can harness that kind of energy on record so well.
I've said this before about the band. They are amazing at being able to portray this kind of intensity on record.
Each of these songs has a bit of their own mood attached to it. I really like how that mood shifts and the soundscape sort of changes here and there. Sometimes it changes a lot, or sometimes just a bit. Either way, you're getting something almost completely fresh with each track while, once again, still staying cohesive and consistent throughout its course.
I definitely think this is an absolutely thriving record from the band and one that I'm happy is finally released.
The record closes with "A Song Under The Sun," and rightfully so, as it bursts out with alternative sonic tendencies and just feels gigantic the entire time.
I like how this record opens up with a softer intro that has a bit of a slow-burn growth into something explosive, but ends the record with something that just feels massive.
This is an album that should be listened to all the way through in one shot. Do not skip around, do not miss this record, because if you're someone who loves heavy rock, alternative, experimental drive, anthemic hooks, and just great heavy songwriting, you don't want to miss out on any of it.
This album surpassed my expectations. I guess I'll have to set them a little higher next time they release something.
Don't just take my word for it, dig into King Laugh right now.
Broncos - King Laugh (Spotify album link)
