Grace Solero – Metamorphosis

By RingMaster Review on August 27, 2022 • ( 0 )

Since coming across GRACE SOLERO through the Hundred Years Apart album a year short of a decade ago, we have come accustomed to a certain adventure in sound, character and invention with the London-based alt-rock / metal artist across her subsequent songs and releases. The unveiling of Metamorphosis has presented another moment to explore and keenly contemplate her eagerly individual songwriting and enterprise, and chance again to embrace inimitable creative drama.

The years and records since New Moon, her2011 released debut album, has seen Solero as artist and band consistently grow and evolve a rock and metal infused sound with greater invention and imagination. One-of-a-kind is an apt description of Solero’s music and emotion fuelled songwriting and equally a voice which brings real capricious drama and heart to ears by the song.

With lead guitarist/vocalist Dan Beaulaurier, bassist Bjorn Zetterlund, and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Dave Guy alongside Solero, the Jon Clayton (The Monochrome Set, Vic Godard And Subway Sect) recorded and engineered Metamorphosis taps into the emotional turbulence and trap of life, reflections undoubtedly escalated by the past couple of years which lyrically and emotionally explore change and emotional freedom. Solero herself describes the record as searching a “yearning to change, from unhealthy passion to mystical love, from emotional apocalypse to taking risks, from melancholy to healing and being reborn.“

It is an encounter which is like a journey through rich musing, a landscape of connected contemplations but equally each song stands alone as a powerful spark and incitement as proven by the opening Lucid Dream. It gently spreads its melodic awakening before stretching muscle and intensity, a rhythmic insistence joining Solero’s instinctive and ever eventful vocals. As proven across the album, there is an unconditioned power to word and emotion, an honesty and rawness which soaks the release and breeds a mercurial breath and canvas for each song, the first as powerful in its lulls as the earnest eruptions.

The following album title track wires the senses with tight guitar threads before bursting with contagion loaded predation and urgency. It too is a mix of trespass and calms, dark and light embroiled in its theatre and an imagination cast drama matched by Solero’s ever gripping tones while Love And Addiction gripped by tension and volatility almost stalks the listener as its thoughts and emotions seep from every creative pore. There is rich intimacy to songs too and no better borne and vocalised than within the band’s new single, its proposal and musing a fire of the heart.

Similarly, there is an embrace of nostalgic hues in sound and flavours yet GRACE SOLERO create music as rich in the invention of the now, next up Awake agreeing with its pyre of sonic exploration and emotive declaration and successor, Orange Sky, an eagerly prowling and imaginatively seductive confrontation across an evolving soundscape. The latter soon headed our favourites list, continually beguiling and surprising before Time Waits For No One calmly but insistently strolled along keen attention with a melodic sway and resourceful swagger, it too gripping ears with its tempestuous breath and lively enterprise.

In turn, Till You Return beguiled within seconds too, its anxiety and tension wrapped in the lures of Jon Clayton’s cello as again shades of light and shadows entwined and weaved an evocative wrap to the emotive rumination of Solero.

The release is completed by the easily catchy and airy Ocean Star and finally Shaman. The first has an emotive flame to its heart and thoughts, each a torch within its more joyfully animated proposal while the latter casts a theatre of craft, imagination and adventure all of its own. Taking best song honours, the track slowly but forcibly builds its dilemma and tapestry of invention, Solero like a siren in the midst of the post punk hinged, melodic rock bred captivation.

It is a superb ending to a striking and greedily enjoyable release, Metamorphosis surely the wake-up call and spark for all the attention and plaudits it and Grace Solero warrants.

Metamorphosis is out now via Wohone Records; available @ https://gracesolero.bandcamp.com/album/metamorphosis