Slickly produced by Will Putney (Knocked Loose, Every Time I Die, Counterparts), This Bright and Beautiful World balances Greyhaven’s usual blistering heaviness with some lighter, soaring punk melodies while lyrically exploring some of the darker elements of every day life in an open, poetic fashion.
‘All Candy’, for example, is about depression. Driven by the bass and melody lines, Brent Mills’ vocals sound smooth and jazzy over the top. It’s got groove. It’s Greyhaven at their most ‘pop’ but the edge of darkness amongst the echoey guitars and the odd minor note still prevails.
‘And It’s Still Too Loud’ tackles self-destructive behaviour. Musically, it’s a song of peaks and troughs. Fast-paced and metal infused at times; slower and more melodic at others, the vocal-line and guitars a highlight.
Overall, the record invites the listener to embrace emotions such as frustration, sadness and rejection as part of the vast, beautiful landscape of life – to see the good in the bad, the light in the dark – and to accept those darker elements as just part of who we are. ‘This Bright and Beautiful World’ therefore emerges with a hopeful undertone towards the end of what vocalist and lyricist Brent Mills has described as a deeply personal record.
Long term fans of the band can look forward to everything they might expect from a Greyhaven album with much more too. It’s still heavy and brutal in places, but it also balances screams with clean vocals, and hardcore breaks with groove and melody (‘More and More Hands’). There’s an emerging maturity and growth with this album though. The band are finding their stride. They feel more comfortable than ever, and musically complex tracks such as ‘Foreign Anchor’ really show off the band’s guitar work and tightness.
‘Fed To The Lights’ provides some much needed respite and shows the band’s more delicate side while still holding a certain level of dramatic intensity. This slower number has a dramatic build and powerful vocal delivery.
A similar vibe is seen on final track ‘Ornaments From The Well’ which has an even softer beginning. A powerful, soaring end to the album, it’s a beautiful example of the band’s versatility. Greyhaven are clearly a band going from strength to strength, continuing to make their mark on the industry and with each fresh release, proving they have so much left to share.