UNSIGNED SPOTLIGHT – Sons of Thunder – Fear Can’t Hold us Back


Band: Sons of Thunder
Album: Fear Can’t Hold Us Back
Genre: Hardcore/Metal

Tracks:
1. And They Said The Roman Empire Couldn’t Fall
2. This Is a Blood Battle
3. No Beast, Just a Harlot
4. The Sky is Falling

Myspace has become a gathering ground for kids with too much free time on their hands and some recording equipment. Thanks to the popularity of the music aspect of Myspace and the free marketing advantages it holds, I find myself constantly being asked to befriend some band that has either 13 x’s in their name or whose profile pic shows them all dressed in black with illegible scribbles across the bottom [I think that’s suppose to be their name]. However, on a rare occasion, you’re destined to find a band that truly stands out in the midst of noise and straightened hair and I recently struck pure gold in the form of Sons of Thunder [who took it upon themselves to contact the site and not just add us]. These Denver City natives bring ferocious riffing and screams along with a message of spirituality that sets them on a path to be something bigger than just another Myspace sensation.

Sons of Thunder recently completed their brand new ep, Fear Can’t Hold Us Back, and after only a few listens, I knew I had to tell you all about this band. From the first notes of, “And They Said…,” you are pulled in by a quick building and then pummeling medley of guitar wails and blast beats. The song is crafted well with a lot of emphasis on the cohesiveness of each instrument/member of the band. At one point the guitars will draw you in, but then the pounding drums and throat searing vocals will pull you in a completely different direction. It’s the perfect way to greet the listener and the next track, “This is a Blood Battle,” only keeps up the intensity. From the drum based intro, to the fast paced guitar work, this track breathes fan favorite. At no other point on this ep does the band sound more perfectly tuned than on this track.

The back half of the ep is nothing to be overlooked either. “No Beast, Just A Harlot,” is heavily guitar led, but the double bass makes itself more than known. The vocals on this track seem to take the front seat as they almost conduct the brutality found in the music. Chad Rubio, the vocalist switches seamlessly from screeching high notes, to guttural growls and even manages to do a bit of singing all in the course of 4 minutes and he does it all with great skill. The final track, “The Sky is Falling,” is the shortest song on the album, but that only means the energy level is raised to a new high. It’s fast, engaging, and leaves you ont he floor hoping to catch your breath before someone hits repeat.

Now, don’t get me wrong, There are some flaws to Sons of Thunder. At times their sound does travel into all too familiar metal territory, but without these moments the band would never sell. You have to give people a taste of something familiar before you cna present them with your own thing in music and this band does it amazingly well. For only being a solid unit for a year, Sons of Thunder has accomplished a lot not only in terms of getting their name out there [they’ve played with some large bands], but they’ve managed to make music that stands out in a genre where so many fail to do so. Check these guys out today and catch them this summer when they go out on tour. Gas prices are high – Support real musicians!

**Written By James Shotwell**
GRADE: 8/10

James Shotwell
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