Rockfreaks.net

The Jury And The Saints

The Jury And The Saints

Written by: PP on 24/02/2015 22:31:37

Here's a band from just about as far away from Denmark as you can possibly get on this planet: The Jury And The Saints from Auckland, New Zealand. They've been touring the European continent recently and are gearing up for a UK tour, so promotion for their sophomore album, the self-titled "The Jury And The Saints", is well on its way. You should be paying attention if you've ever considered yourself a fan of the triple A group of punk bands, Anti-Flag, AFI or Alkaline Trio, because this band has a lot to offer to exactly that segment of music fans.

Basically, the band's punk-fuelled, explosive alternative rock expression sounds like it has been directly influenced by Anti-Flag's "For Blood And Empire", AFI circa-"The Terror State", and by Alkaline Trio during their "Agony & Irony" era. Elements from all three albums are certainly found in profound quantity throughout the songs on offer here. Opener "Start Moving" kicks off with a bouncy, melodic rhythm with raw clean vocals and an expansive soundscape precisely like AFI material did during their transition from hardcore punk into post-hardcore, when they were still somewhere between those two phases as a band. "Fever" the continues on the punk-rooted alternative rock approach, but features plenty of gang shouts and gruffer yells, with particularly the chorus taking your mind directly to classic Anti-Flag material. Later on, "Knocking On The Devils Door" basically echoes the darker and more mature songwriting Alkaline Trio showcased briefly on "Crimson" with plenty of "Agony & Irony" influence visible as well. Essentially, The Jury And The Saints sit somewhere exactly in between the trio of these styles, channeling influence from all to arrive at their own interpretation of the classic mid-2000s anthemic punk rock sound.

At the same time, they have the songs to stand up for it. "Focus" is huge, "Monday Morning" is basically an alternative rocker for the larger audiences with its slower tempo and Fightstar-esque crescendo soundscape. The cleans are rock solid, yet the band isn't afraid to break away into classic punk gang shouts or break the vocals into raw yells when the song calls for it. There are even tracks that practically toy with pop rock, such as "City Lights". But make no mistake, "The Jury And The Saints" is primarily a punk rock album. The underlying vibe is exactly the same, rebellious fight the power atmosphere as you pick up from listening to Anti-Flag records or classic AFI material. But at the same time, they balance that approach carefully with more melodic and anthemic songwriting. Solid album overall, though not quite matching up to the classics mentioned in this review.

Download: Start Moving, Fever, Knocking On The Devils Door
For the fans of: Anti-Flag, AFI, Alkaline Trio
Listen: Facebook

Release date 27.02.2015
SPV