Release Date: September 22nd 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD
Another Dimension - Tracklisting
1.Alien Hunter
2.Automaton
3.You Won't Go Alone
4.Quicksilver Trail
5.Revenant pt.2
6.The Voyage
7.Hell, Fire, Fury
8.Until I Wake
9.Deep Inside The Mountain
Members
Rory Lee - Lead Vocals/Bass
Danny Lee - Guitar/Vocals
Pete Garrow - Drums/Vocals
Review:
Another Dimension is the new album from Scottish Prog/Doom/Stoner Rock visionaries Solar Sons and with this being their fifth album in seven years, the band have become more conceptual and progressive with this album. Delving straight into the Prog Metal arena with a subtle NWOBHM sound dictating the finest points of the album, Solar Sons even draw upon bands such as OPETH, Jethro Tull and Mastodon for an album with a wickedly deceiving sound.
Opening song Alien Hunter lays down the conceptual Sci-fi themes of the album with tales of Exploration with an Iron Maiden creative mentality appearing with some of the vocals and grooves Solar Sons have created for this song alone. The song then drifts into Prog Rock stylish surroundings with an eerie focus on melodies based on music played by OPETH and Mastodon. Solar Sons are HEAVY without the need of playing truly out-there HEAVY MUSIC. The lyrics are quite surreal for a strong opening track that shows the audience what to expect from the album.
Second song Automaton opens with a trippy Prog Stoner groove that is quite recognisable in places but soon changes into Solar Sons trademark style of Funk Driven sounds. Solar Sons once again relies on that OTT style of music that’s served them brilliantly well time and time again. The song is inspired by the musical teachings of Mike Patton with elements of Mr Bungle and Faith No More but still being Solar Sons through and through. One of the weirdest, hypnotic and superbly melodic tracks on the album.
Third song You Won’t Go Alone sees Solar Sons start playing a more stripped back track that blends Acoustic Rock, Alt Rock and Doom & Gloom solitary guitars with a Seventies Hard Rock methodical approach. The song could be considered “Soft Rock” at the early stages but soon moves into a more bombastic and direct style of classic Heavy Metal with a strong Stoner Rock/Metal undercurrent. Expect the song to move into other areas of Rock/Metal with a kick-ass Funk based groove being one of the best parts of the track.
Fourth song Quicksilver Trail is another interpretation of modern day Heavy Metal with Prog-ish tendencies with the lyrics lifted straight from the more fantastical side of Rock/Metal which could be considered Power Metal in places. However, the music saves the day especially with the Eddie Van Halen inspired guitar solos towards the later stages of the song.
The first four songs shows you the many ways that Solar Sons will entertain the listener with their neverending style of different musical directions with the music take a more Jazz inspired flavour on the excellent fifth track Revenant Pt 2 which showcases lyrics on today’s modern world haunted by painful addiction, big companies and global consumerism.
Solar Sons keep their brilliantly inventive ways going on the other standout tracks of The Voyage, “Hell, Fire, Fury” and Deep Inside The Mountain. As the band take a more experimental stand with their music with once again the music styling and teachings of Mike Patton being the most definitive influence with their music.
Solar Sons did promise something unexpected and different with Another Dimension compared to their previous albums and didn’t they deliver on that promise. This is an album perhaps better suited for longtime fans of the band than for the casual newcomer. Another Dimension is a progressively complex release from one of Scotland’s best Heavy Rock/Heavy Metal bands who never make the same album twice. This allows Another Dimension to be an outlandish, daring and brutally honest release that will challenge you from start to finish.
Excellent and HIghly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Solar Sons for the promo.
Another Dimension will be available to buy on CD/DD from September 22nd 2023.
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