The Age Of Truth - Resolute (Album Review)

Release Date: July 23rd 2021. Record Label: Contessa Music. Format: CD/DD

Resolute - Tracklisting

1.Palace of Rain

2.Horsewhip 

3.A Promise of Nothing

4.Seven Words

5.Eye One

6.Salome 

7.Return to the Ships

Members

Kevin McNamara- vocals

Michael DiDonato - guitars

Scott Frassetto - drums and percussion

William Miller - bass

Review

The Age Of Truth are one of these Stoner Rock bands who seem to be one step ahead of the competition with their music coming from many different genres but bringing a Psychedelic and Spaced Out overflow that allows the band to bring a “mass-appeal” to their overall sound. The band turned heads back in 2017 with their acclaimed debut album Threshold and it’s one that still resonates with myself this day. It was a free-flowing style of Progressive ideas and Themes with The Age Of Truth playing every element of Hard Rock/Metal but still within the compounds of Stoner Rock/Metal.

4 Years later and are back with their second full length album - Resolute. The band have continued the dark imagery and messages of their debut but with more emphasis on Progression, Groove and Melody with the band going even with their Space Rock and Psychedelic Rock influences. The Age Of Truth cover a lot of ground with this album and the lyrical content has moved up another level from Threshold. I felt I was hearing the lovechild of Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Mastodon with a little bit of CAVE-IN spaced out heaviness. Though, Resolute is still The Age Of Truth in control of their own creative futures and they excel on all levels.

The excellent two opening songs - Palace Of Rain and Horsewhip - have a “free-will” vibe to them especially with the superb lyrics and easy-going hard rock based grooves. The Age Of Truth do revel further more with their Progressive Rock attitude and it makes the listener feel more comfortable and they will easily admire the Grunge, Doom, Sludge and Blues Rock switches the band operate for the majority of this album.

Third song - A Promise Of Nothing - delivers some of the bleakest and uplifting parts of the record and even I started to recognize a “NOLA” vibrant energy amongst the faster grooves the band adapted for this song . The Post-Stoner movement of the song is highly energetic and a “Funkier” style of music show that The Age Of Truth are most definitely a “forward-thinking” band but they still manage to keep things fun and eerily addictive and where the hell did that fantastic quiet “Doom and Gloom” passage come from. Perhaps the standout song on the album.

The Age Of Truth continue with more “top-heavy” sonic exploration on the album with the Grunge/Stoner Rock part of the album perhaps coming off the strongest on songs such as: Eye One, Salome and Return To The Ships which will perhaps become the best parts of the album for people to listen to. As these are the longest tracks on the album, The Age of Truth has more creative freedom and time to explore their sound in a rich, creative and powerful way.

The Age Of Truth needed to deliver big with their 2nd album because Threshold was such a “monster” within the Stoner Rock/Metal scene and I’m pleased to say they’ve managed to deliver such a different, brilliantly thrilling and highly original record with Resolute. 

Boosted by first-rate production values. Resolute has seen The Age Of Truth deliver another Album Of The Year Contender. Need I say anything more….

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Age OF Truth and Sheltered Life PR for the promo.

Resolute will be available to buy on CD/DD  via Contessa Music from July 23rd 2021

Links:

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The Age Of Truth - Threshold (Album Review)

Release date: Nov 01st 2017. Label: Kozmik Artifactz. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Threshold – Tracklisting

1.Host (Demon In Me) 07:42

2.Come Back A God 04:36

3.Supernatural Salesman 04:58

4.Holding Hands Like Thieves 04:49

5.Caroline 08:11

6.Oceanbones 05:42

7.Hígado de Hierro (interlude) 01:31

8.Threshold 06:24

9.Honeypot (Bonus Track) 06:35

Members

Kevin McNamara - Vocals

Michael DiDonato - Guitars

William Miller - Bass Guitar / Vocals
Scott Frassetto - Drums

Review

The Age of Truth's new album Threshold has been critically acclaimed recently by fans and critics alike. Some people have named this as one of the best albums of last year. With that in mind I had to seriously give this album another listen and give my own thoughts on the album. What strikes me first is how bold and adventurous the album is.

As the band create an album full of dark lyrics and moody atmospherics. The music veers from Grunge, Sludge, Stoner, Alternative Rock and Doom Metal. I can see why the comparisons to Soundgarden and Alice In Chains have been used recently. It's a good comparison and shows you what to expect on certain parts of the album.

Opening track - Host (Demon In Me) - is a sludgy and grunge based song with the doomier aspects offering a alternative sound. The vocals from Kevin are a major highlight. He has a classic style of delivery that feels timeless when matched against the heavy sounds. Early-era Soundgarden can be heard towards the end of the song and this song sets up the scene for the whole journey of the album. It can be very progressive at times. 

The artwork of the album is based upon the death of Dr Frank Olson which you can read all about here. Though the album isn't necessarily a concept album linked to that event. It does contain familiar themes and that gives The Age Of Truth a more rebellious streak to their music.

Second track - Come Back A God - is a more Doom/Stoner driven affair with the grunge vibes perhaps only being heard by the superb vocals. The music doesn't really change tone or direction as The Age of Truth opt for a simpler delivery though the band make this work. There's a few cool guitar solos to keep the "Stoner Rock" crowd happy.

Third track - Supernatural Salesman - is a funky upbeat number with a subtle Grunge/Desert Rock kind of sound but the mood becomes doomier. It's the vocals that are impressing me the most on their album but The Age Of Truth still create top-notch music to immerse your soul with. This song has a gloomy outlook despite the slight upbeat mood of the music. As the lyrics contain some dark moments. A very clever song indeed and perhaps one of my favourite songs on the album.

Fourth track - Holding Hands Like Thieves - starts off with a slow-paced psychedelic riff and subtle vocals from Kevin yet again. The song soon explodes into loud rock territory with heavy sludgy and stoner rock vibes. The grunge aspect is there for everyone to feel and hear as the band offer another intelligent and well-meaning song. It may have echoes of Soundgarden but at least The Age Of Truth start adding different sounds to standout from the crowd.

With the first four songs out of the way, The Age Of Truth carry on this splendid and heavy melodic journey with the band keeping the whole flow of the album flowing naturally. Songs such as Caroline, Oceanbones and Threshold all have their individual strengths with the music not drifting from the earlier songs Sludge/Doom/Grunge/Stoner hybrid sound. Threshold is another of the albums standout tracks.

Threshold is a total joy to listen to. It's brilliantly heavy and flowing with rich musical ideas that will mean you'll be listening to this album for days. Overall, Threshold is a beautifully made and bold album.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Age Of Truth and Leanne at Mettle Media for the promo.

Links:

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