Sonic Divide – Sonic Divide (2014)

[spoiler]Another act that represents the scene is Sonic Divide, an Adelaide-based six-piece whose self-titled debut album offers an interesting sonic compromise between the contemporary radio friendliness and guitar-fueled rock hooks.

“So In Love” begins the album on a high note; it’s a modern-day melodic rock piece with the clearly pronounced rhythm emphasis, “wall of sound” vocal harmony and crunchy riffs. Especially convincing is the vocal performance of the lead singer Wayne Holden, his voice somewhat reminiscent of the soaring, sensual singing manner of Kane Roberts. “Driven” is the number two, a dramatized piano-based power ballad building up to a grandiose guitar solo. A mellow pop-rock song “I Wonder” somewhat pales in comparison with its predecessors, although there’s a certain quality of neat radio-friendliness to it. The ballad-esque track “When The Morning Comes” follows, gravitating towards aesthetics eagerly utilized by many modern-day rock bands, Bon Jovi for example. “Too Much” is another highlight of the album, a keyboard-laden melodic rock anthem embroidered with a soaring, dynamic guitar sound and completed with the perfectly crafted, multi-layered vocals. The track reveals that even though Sonic Divide is a modern-day band who looks forward rather than dwells upon the past sound-wise, some of their influences are deeply rooted in the ‘80s.

There’s also much of the ‘80s-infused flavors in slightly Leppard-esque layered vocal parts of the next track “Shattered Fortress” as well as in the ear-piercing synthesizers “Stepping Stone” is laden with – albeit the latter’s notable also because of its slightly funk-ish groove. Music-wise, its follow-up “The Healing” returns on the path that’s been trod by the band throughout the majority of the album, gravitating towards pop in its structure and melody but drawing much from the rock tradition as well with a brilliant guitar solo. “Horizon” is the final track on the album, delivering distorted guitar sound against the radio-friendly, melodic pop rock groove.

Although Sonic Divide cite “Muse, U2, Simple Minds and Dream Theater” as the artists they’re fond of, their self-titled debut album testifies these particular inspirations are hardly noticeable in their own sound. What Sonic Divide delivers instead is a handful of neat, polished hooks, melodies skillfully balancing between the ‘80s-infused melodic rock and modern-day pop rock, some impressive guitar playing and great vocals. And while it’s perhaps their more ‘80s-oriented incarnation that is more convincing, also the tracks clearly embedded in the modern-day rock sound are hardly dull. The album shows the Adelaide-based band has much potential – thus the suggestion we should keep them on our radar is simply loud and clear.

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