It’s Tuesday again so like every Tuesday, it’s a #TunesdayTuesday. This week, I think the most appropriate word to describe this post’s inception is “unexpected” or maybe even “unlikely”. In that same breath, I should also immediately make mention that A Skylit Drive turned into nothing short of a pleasant surprise.
If you know me, you know my music taste is beyond picky and I’m a tough critic no matter what. I can’t even lighten up on my friends’ bands music, though I’m polite enough to leave my opinion out of the mix since there’s truly nothing constructive about “Hey, I just don’t like anything you’re creating.” A Skylit Drive was a band that I had written off a long time ago. That being the case, they fell off my radar. In my pursuit for new music, I came across a 2014 album release from A Skylit Drive titled, Rise: Ascension.
Phenomenal.
If I’m being honest, I hit play expecting to be moving onto another band a few seconds later. I anticipated a full band of aggressive driving guitars, forced/misplaced screaming vocals, and a high pitched melodic vocal to pull the song back to Earth and deliver the hook. Nope. Acoustic album. A reimagining of their 2013 album, Rise. I hadn’t listened to the original to realize how well the band translated the album into an acoustic style until after I listened to Rise:Ascention in its entirety, but it didn’t matter yet. What mattered was A Skylit Drive earned their way back onto my radar.
A Skylit Drive – Rise: Ascension (Full Album)
There’s a realization going on in the hardcore/post hardcore/metal core/screamo/etc. scene and if I can put it into a concise statement, I think it goes something like this: “Screaming vocals will quickly categorize our music, quality music as a whole will set us apart within our genre.” It’s nothing beyond common sense but it seems very few bands catch onto that notion, certainly not in the way A Skylit Drive has demonstrated their evolution through it. Rise is a great album, but their ability to show their music can stand alone without the stylized gimmick of screaming to keep it afloat… for me, that makes them a solid band.
A Skylit Drive has had some recent member changes and that can be concerning to long-time fans. New members bring new styles and new sounds to a band that already has an established, cherished identity. It’s good not to leave them wondering too long what that might sound like. Earlier this month, Askylit Drive gave their fans a little taste of something new and what’s to come.
A Skylit Drive – “Within These Walls”
There you have it. Both ends of the spectrum that is A Skylit Drive. So what did you think of “Within These Walls” and the Rise: Ascension album? The band has been around for a while, were you already a fan or is this your first time digging into their music? Hit up the comments with your thoughts and any future #TunesdayTuesday suggestions and I’ll see you down there.
We may or may not agree on tastes and styles of music but I’ll always shoot you straight. There’s plenty more where that came from and maybe even some of my own music if follow me on facebook, twitter and instagram.
By: Eli Rebich
