Rival Sons' 'Lightbringer' - Album Review

Whilst getting two albums from a band in the same calendar year used to be quite common back in the 1970s, generally it takes much longer for a band to make a new record today. We all want to hear more from our favourites, but in truth I would generally rather a band take their time and put out a quality product than rush something out to meet an arbitrary deadline. The pandemic did spur some bands on, and there were some acts who used the downtime to write and did end up releasing two albums pretty quickly - but being so prolific was even a relative rarity during a time when most bands would have had a lot of time on their hands. As such, then, I am not sure that most fans of the California-based rockers Rival Sons would have expected to hear two new albums from the band this year - but when Darkfighter (which I reviewed here) was released back in June it was announced that a companion piece to the album would be released in due course. I was not expecting that follow up to come so soon, though, but last month Rival Sons released their eighth studio album Lightbringer - which very much feels like the other half to the coin to Darkfighter. My understanding is that the two albums came from the same writing and recording sessions, and rather than put out a really long album (I think the two albums would just about fit on one CD) or an arty double album the band opted to create two distinct albums with different moods. The cynic in me thinks this could have been done to sell twice the amount of albums, but I actually prefer this practice as opposed to releasing one overly-long album. Coheed and Cambria did something similar with The Afterman albums a few years ago, and releasing the two parts separately actually gave me a chance to digest one before moving onto the sequel. I have been able to have a similar experience with Darkfighter and Lightbringer as a result - and I feel like I would not have spent as much time with each song as I have done if the band had released one monster-length album instead. Some may complain that the albums are both short, with Lightbringer in particular being just over 30 minutes in length, but I much prefer having two shorter albums than one longer one - and how often have albums, particularly in more recent years, felt bogged down by their own weight and bloat? It is a common complaint that I hear, so I think that Rival Sons did the right thing by presenting the two albums separately - particularly as Lightbringer generally feels a bit brighter and more upbeat than the murkier Darkfighter. Given that the two albums were recorded at the same time, though, there are plenty of sonic similarities - and the fact that long-time producer Dave Cobb helmed the sessions means that the band's retro blues rock sound is very much intact. One notable difference, though, is that since the release of Darkfighter the band's long-time touring keyboard player Todd Ögren, who also made some pretty significant contributions to their recent albums, now appears to no longer be in the picture. The credits and photos included with Darkfighter made it looks as if he was now a full-time band member, but he has not been touring with them in Europe recently. He is credited on Lightbringer, but in tiny font at the very end of all of the credits - so I wonder if there has been something of a falling out there.

Despite there being only six songs here, the album kicks off with a lengthy one - the longest in their catalogue up to this point I believe. Funnily enough, the song is called Darkfighter - which links this album back to the previous one nicely. Despite the length it is generally classic Rival Sons in sound. It is not exactly a progressive rock epic, but the band have stretched out a little more than usual. A simple acoustic guitar melody opens the song up, over which frontman Jay Buchanan soon starts to sing. Darkfighter (the album) was often characterised by songs building from humble beginnings, and Darkfighter (the song) expands on that quite a bit. Much of this album is a bit more riffy, but its opening track revels in the atmospheric approach of the previous album. The delicate guitars of Scott Holiday swirl and Buchanan early on, with brief bursts of slide adding colour, whilst the latter sounds suitably emotional throughout - with the occasional harmony adding depth. The first couple of minutes essentially see them operating in this acoustic-based manner, but once the chorus kicks in the rest of the band join the fray - and Holiday launches into a bluesy riff, over which Michael Miley's drums lay down a solid groove. This is the album's first explosion of hard rock, but it is relatively short lived as once the chorus comes to a close the spotlight is shifted over to Holiday for a lengthy solo section. The first part of his long solo is more acoustic in nature, with plenty of jazzy motifs and flamenco flourishes, but it soon morphs into something more typical - with bluesy shredded leads and plenty of his trademark fuzz. A fairly lengthy Hammond organ solo follows, with the missing-in-action Ögren laying into his instrument with fire - whilst the band add a tight groove around him. Buchanan is absent for a while, then, but once he starts to sing again the song returns to its more acoustic-based beginnings - albeit with a bit more groove and the occasional hard rock stab. I really like how the song builds, and the acoustic guitar playing throughout is excellent - whilst another rendition of the foot-stomping chorus showcases the band at their hard rocking best as the song comes to a close. Mercy is much more contained, and the riffy track feels made for the stage. The more involved arrangement of the previous song is absent here and is instead replaced with a strutting guitar and drum groove which drives the whole song. It feels like an updated version of Pressure & Time's title track, with a simple interlocking groove basically keeping everything ticking - with a massive chorus thrown in for good measure. The chorus is less groove-based, and it instead feels more anthemic overall - with Buchanan's voice screaming out of the speakers as the slab-like guitar chords and pounding bass of Dave Beste round out the sound. Due to the big chorus hooks and muscular riffing throughout I can see the song becoming a real live favourite going forward. It is an easy song to latch onto, with the swaggering grooves made to be heard live, and there is also a pretty fast-paced Holiday solo thrown in for extra explosiveness, too.

Redemption slows the pace again somewhat and provides a moment of calm after the opening two tracks which hit harder for different reasons. The ballad, which is characterised by its mix of strummed acoustic guitar chords and spacey guitar leads from Holiday, is very laid back - and this allows it to stand out following the big riffing and grooves of the previous song. Despite the slow pace, the song feels more hopeful than the murkier slower pieces on the previous album. Buchanan sounds more full-bodied vocally and the strummed acoustic guitars give the song a bit of a campfire feel - with the simple drums and occasional guitar leads adding a bit more of a 'produced' sound. The verses are pretty stripped back, with the acoustic guitars and vocals dominating and the other instruments sitting more in the background, but the chorus feels a bit more 'full' - with the drums becoming more driving and the bass taking on more of a role. Given the amount of bluesy guitar playing from Holiday throughout, it is a bit of a surprise that the song does not explode into a big guitar solo. One is teased, but he never really gets going - and another chorus is soon along to ensure the song remains a bit more grounded. Sweet Life ups the tempo again and the track is another feel-good hard rocker. Miley's drum grooves are so important to Rival Sons' sound, and his drumming is given plenty of attention here. Parts of the verses are essentially just drum-led, whilst the stabbing Hammond of Ögren adds the occasional classic rock twist. The guitars and bass add knotty riffs and leads where required, but generally this is a real hoedown with Buchanan's bluesy voice sitting against Miley's strong percussive drive. The chorus is more explosive, with the band really rocking out to help Buchanan's staccato vocal melodies to really pop. It is one of those choruses that latches on after only a couple of listens - and it is likely to become another live favourite as a result. Holiday does get a chance to solo this time, too, and his slide work burns up the fretboard in a fitting manner given the song's hard rock credentials. Before the Fire, which long-time fans will know is the title of the band's debut album from 2009, is another slower piece, but it does not feel as much of an obvious ballad as Redemption does. It is a bit more involved arrangement-wise, and this is obvious from the off due to the strange acoustic guitar melodies and retro synth sounds employed. There is a bit of an Eastern-tinged Led Zeppelin vibe to the song, which is more obvious once the main riff kicks in - and it creeps along with a subtle grandness. Buchanan sounds excellent throughout the track, and his expansive delivery sits nicely atop the strummed guitar backing and the string arrangements which help to add that Eastern touch. The chorus feels a little heavier, with more of an expansive backing, but the piece never feels all that heavy - despite the dense arrangement and the amount going on. Holiday's guitar solo is a slow, plaintive one, too, which adds to that overall vibe - but his slide work is once again excellent.

The album then comes to a close with what is likely my favourite song of the whole two-album project: Mosaic. I recently saw the band on the first night of their European tour at the Roundhouse in London - where they played Mosaic live for the first time. This album was not out at that point, so I doubt that anyone in attendance had heard the song before - but it received such a huge reaction when it came to a close and it is the song I was looking forward to hearing the most on this album. It is the sort of song that makes the whole project feel complete. Some of the darkness of the previous album returns here, but it still feels upbeat and more hard rocking in places - with Buchanan again proving why he is one of the best modern hard rock singers. Like a few of the songs found throughout both of these albums, Mosaic opens slowly, with lots of acoustic guitar melodies and a simple drum beat backing Buchanan's delicate delivery - but like all good songs it grows in stature, and a later pre-chorus only hints at what is to come. The chorus is one of the catchiest and most epic in the band's catalogue in my opinion and it really explodes from what has come before. Buchanan really soars, and the band have rarely sounded so assured. Once the fanbase has got a proper hold of the song I can really see it becoming a focal point of the band's sets - or possibly a future closing number. It is one of those songs that perfectly sets a tone and sticks with it - and everything that is good about Rival Sons can be wrapped up within what is a relatively straight forward arrangement that says so much. I only wish that Holiday's solo was a bit lengthier. He does solo for a brief period, but he could have really let rip here - and stretched out for another minute or so to really make this a career-defining piece. As things stand, though, it is still my favourite on the album - and one of my favourite songs that the band have written to date. It concludes this latest studio project perfectly and there was probably little else left to give after writing it. Overall, then, Lightbringer is an excellent album. All of the six songs here are enjoyable, and its short length means that it is an album that can really be digested without a significant amount of work. There is still a lot going on here despite the length, too, and it is great to have the two albums to enjoy together now - as there are connections to be drawn between the two which will no doubt flesh out my enjoyment of both further. Rival Sons continue to go from strength to strength and they are considered one of the best modern hard rock bands for a reason.

The album was released on 20th October 2023 via Low Country Sound/Atlantic Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Sweet Life.