Single Review: Beautiful Creature

Here we have the latest single from Wellington-based melodic hard rock quartet This Silent Divide, entitled Beautiful Creature. I really enjoyed their Tall Stories EP, and they played a great gig at Dead Witch towards the end of last year, and this would have been recorded at about the same time. However, since then bassist Peter Stitt has left to be replaced by Jonatan Jaworski, while the rest of the line-up is still Shaun Jones (vocals, guitar), Kieran Williams (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Sunil Jolly (drums).

This Silent Divide have an anthemic approach to their music, and they often remind me of the mighty Dead Favours or Nickelback in that the vocals are melodic and clear, front and centre, while the harmonies bring in the listener and then the chunky guitars ensure we understand this is a rock band first and foremost.

The solo over the top is more of a new melody as opposed to a shred, taking us to the bridge and then we get a nice build to a climactic chorus. Lyrically this is a commentary on people’s desire to write-off and punish flawed individuals who lash out when pushed past their limits. Musically there is plenty of space between the different layers which allow us to hear the delicate cymbals which add a touch of class to the crunch, and it is nuances like this which lift this above the norm. As with Lucinda, they have again produced a neatly polished single packed with hooks and energy which is going to turn into a monster when played live. I can’t wait to hear that.