Sometimes you need a while to fully take in an album and Intervals’ latest album A Voice Within is one such release. Nine tracks of absolutely breathtaking music, it’s impossible to take everything in on one listen alone and it’s an album that you’ll want to keep on revisiting time and time again. Previously an instrumental band, this is their first release with their new vocalist Mike and his voice blends so perfectly with the band that you’d never have guessed he wasn’t a part of the band from the start.
The album begins with a strong opener Ephemeral but it’s second track Moment Marauder where things really get moving. The track swiftly builds up into some absolutely stunning vocals and before you know it, the song is stuck in your head. It’s just got one of those catchy tunes and vocal lines that are destined to have you humming along to it for days on end and there are great softer parts that juxtapose nicely with the fuller sections. This track just has everything.
Another great inclusion is longer track The Self Surrendered. Sometimes longer tracks run the risk of dragging or not maintaining your interest for the full duration but this one is different; taking you on a musical journey with massive sing-along sections and stunning instrumentation. There are lots of ideas explored and the soft almost-whispered vocals in the middle are a particular highlight.
Atlas Hour is a beautiful slice of melody, a seven-minute epic that has slightly heavier riffs merging with softer, more laid-back vocals and it’s a good mix. The only problem is that it almost feels like it’s rounding the album up, so whilst it was nice to have two more awesome tracks following it, the track would probably have been better positioned as the closer.
It really is refreshing to hear an album brimming with so much potential and talent, and it’s difficult to pigeonhole just one song as a highlight because they’re all just so good! With a release as fantastic as this, it’s practically a given that this band is going to be a household name by the time this year is over.
9/10
Thank you for this post. This is the perfect review and I had been looking for such a thing for a long time.