Outwave – The Storm

By RingMaster Review on November 20, 2020 • ( 0 )

Making a play on much broader attention, Italian rockers Outwave recently unveiled debut album, The Storm, and fair to say in its short presence so far it is arousing keen praise and support. It is no real surprise such the reception so far listening to its nine song strong body of alternative and melodic rock and easy to anticipate greater attention coming the way of the Padua hailing outfit.

Formed in 2015, Outwave have earned a potent reputation locally and further afield across their homeland with their live shows and songs revelling in the band’s merging of familiar essences and wholly fresh rock endeavour. The quartet of Luca Ceccato (vocals and guitar) Leonardo De Sisti (bass guitar), Giovanni Masiero (drums) and Alessandro Andrian (guitar) draw on an array of flavours for their sound, classic and heavy rock textures uniting with alternative and indie spun essences with hungry enterprise. There are times when expectations are enjoyable fed and other times that surprise rules the temptation on offer, rich enticement which fuels The Storm from start to finish.

Crystallized opens up the release, its gentle guitar spun coaxing intrigue rich and only added to by Ceccato’s potent tones. The calm subsequently becomes livelier and more emotively agitated, rhythms building the tension before it all breaks in a magnetically tempestuous roar, one manipulatively anthemic and rousing. It is a great start to the album; the open individual craft of the band united in a raucous outpouring as melodically aflame as it is sonically explosive.

The following In The Spotlight similarly comes with a compelling introduction, an earthy guitar and bass riff gripping bait with the caress of keys coming from behind. Again vocals quickly share the heart of the encounter, which in turn is soon erupting in another compelling explosion of sound. As its predecessor, the track is a mighty and contagious slab of rock ‘n’ roll, soulful and earnest with a great fusion of physical trespass and incendiary melodic confrontation to its presence.

The Storm embraces themes of inner journeys and the turbulence it can incite, the first two songs epitomising and relishing that turmoil while Song Of The Sea straight after centres on the calmer reflections it can also inspire. Even so it too has a fire in its belly which lines the melodic enterprise of the guitar and the emotive breath of the vocals, an ever present trait to the album which just as masterfully drives its title track and its troubled contemplations. The more classic rock side of the band’s sound shapes the volatile ballad and its increasingly adventurous twists and turns which, as within all songs, is only lit up by more temperate but no less enticing keys.

After the magnet call of Leave, another enthralling proposal, increasingly devoured, the first of two tracks featuring vocalist/songwriter Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd, Billy Idol, Steve Hackett) entices ears. Autumn Trees is an intimate slice of balladry bearing the disturbed heart of song and protagonist aligned to the melancholic radiance of the piano a song subsequently aflame with the emotive intensity of voice and guitar. The second involving McBroom is Resurrection, an affirmation of hope and spirit within a combustible atmosphere of emotion and melodic intensity. Both tracks enthralled as they brought new creative shades to the release something which The Road That I Will Cross, sandwiched between them echoed in its dirtier and feistier rock uproar. It also epitomised the great unity of familiar and unique sound and enterprise which persistently had ears eager across The Storm.

The album departs as impressively as it began, the superb Festive Air instantly captivating with its acoustically enticing start and even more so through increasing electrified rock passion and energy but having to share favourite track honours with its successor, Moving Tangle, which equally had ears greedily feeding on its addictive exploits and invigorating breath. Each track highlights the most potent aspects of Outwave, of their imagination and their rousing sound.

The Storm is a striking and impressive debut from Outwave, one which also carries a suggestive potential of even bigger and bolder adventures to come; we for one eagerly wait.

The Storm is available now through Seahorse Recordings.