VISITING HOURS by Sons Of The Force
Sons Of The Force play rock at the intersection of several genres. Their sound is a blend of blues and jazz, punk and psychedelic rock, and that's what sparks interest in their work. The album 'Visiting Hours' is not just a journey, but a tour through the band's halls of fame. There are 8 tracks on the album and each song is like a separate painting and a place where amazing, unique scenes unfold.
Say what you like, but for me Sons Of The Force is definitely the discovery of this year. If you want to know how modern rock’n’roll blues should sound, how cool it can be, you just have to listen Sons Of The Force. Their debut album ‘Visiting Hours’ is an absolute masterpiece, musically complex and lyrically refined. Rock’n’blues is a complex genre – it’s simple, accessible and entertaining, and the band fully follows this philosophy. I’m not afraid to call this album exemplary in the rock and blues genre, because everything is just right here!
The opening track ‘Mirrored Dreams’ sets a haunting clean rock tone. Unstoppable guitars, sonorous drums and vocals with elements of classic rock sound like the best rock scenes without a doubt. Sons Of The Force know how quality rock should sound, and they put all their skill and professionalism into it. Right from the first track you can hear ingenious guitar riffs. Lead guitar Scott Elder lays down the rules that he will stick to throughout the album: impeccable melody combined with the most difficult solos will literally blow up every track on ‘Visiting Hours’.
A wave of classic rock sound with a divine guitar solo is immediately replaced by the blues song ‘Little Sister.’ The musicians go all out, elevating Miguel Hungria’s bass guitar to a level with other instruments, adding synthesizers, and Darrick Hartman’s vocals have notes of blues, classic rock vocals, and Americana. Definitely my favorite song!
The album takes a breather on the pop-rock track ‘Principle of the Thing,’ then takes over with the unstoppable ‘Drunken Master,’ drowning out the entire room. In this track, Ken Asher’s drumming and Darrick Hartman’s vocals are complex and unique, and Scott Elder’s guitar riffs are flawless. The piece intrigued me with its rhythmic pattern, complexity, and the beauty of the vocal line. The band easily float in complex structures. This track is like a western movie. It is so rich musically and emotionally! It seems that Sons Of The Force breathe not oxygen, but rock music.
The highlight of the album, in my opinion, is in the two tracks ‘Fregile Child’ and ‘The Philosopher.’ Both songs, each 7 minutes long, blend into one ballad, one story. In ‘Fregile Child’, each musician shows himself not only as a professional of his instrument, but also as a romantic. The solos sound refined and set the mood for a mysterious, slightly disturbing wave. ‘The Philosopher’ finally destroys the hope for the dawn. The melancholic, touching and romantic jazz ballad ‘The Philosopher’ is the pearl of the album. Darrick Hartman’s voice breaks under the slow singing of the guitars and the pulse of the drums… Together this creates a very strong emotional impact.
The final track ‘Visiting Hours’ seemed to bring me back to the band’s cozy Americana sound. In this track, the musicians combine speech and vocals to create the effect of total immersion in their musical world. My ‘Visiting Hours’ space trip ends on a positive note, leaving me with a sweet feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment. Sons Of The Force makes personal and strong music, every note is played by live instruments, no jambo mambo plug-ins, no sonic extremism – truly a serving of good blues rock.
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