Band: Son of Sam
Album: Into the Night
Label: Horror High Llc.
Before delving right into this review, I should confess that I as much as I love horrorpunk, I'm not as familiar with the classics as my enthusiasm might suggest. I say this simply because many people view Son of Sam as a horrorpunk "supergroup," seeing how it consists of former members of the genre's pioneers, Samhain and Danzig. That being said, after a little digging I can definitely see the influences: Ian Thorne's gruff crooning vocals are easily comparable to Danzig, as is the simple yet unrelenting guitar. Combined with some early misfits era speed and subject matter, some may be tempted to label Son of Sam's latest iteration as common and predictable. Yet somehow the band pulls these overused elements together and creates a refreshingly classic sound. Their previous release, Songs from Earth, featured AFI's Davey Havok as lead vocalist. The result was disjointed and chaotic. Consequently, with the removal of Havok and introduction of Thorne, my enthusiasm for Into the Night doesn't surprise me.
Part of what helps the album succeed includes the subtle inter and intra track variety. The slower tracks, like "Twisted Soul" and "Dark Life," offer thick, rich melodies with expansive choruses and grand vocals. These tracks tend to evoke dark, ominous imagery similar to the sense of an impending doom. Meanwhile, the more intense tracks, like "The Bleeding" and Into the Night, gather greater influence from speedy punk bands like the misfits (and to find a more contemporary comparison, Blitzkid), creating more frantic, panicked arrangements. Each song holds its audience's attention with a variety of well placed backing vocals (including a healthy dosage of anthemic "wooaahhs"), fast paced guitar solos, and a slew of subtlties that only reveal themselves to the listener upon repeat listenings. For example, in "Sons of New" there are various strategically placed "demonic" vocals layered under Thrope's croon, enhancing certain moments of choral intensity.
With the introduction of Thorne's vocals, and by tightening their sound through various tempos and musical subtleties, the band creates an "atmospheric" experience that grabs and keeps my attention in a way Son of Sam's first record never could.
