If any up-and-coming band can kick Royal Blood off their throne, it’s the Cambridge-hailing three-piece LAY / BYE with the polished hooks, fiery intensity, and unflinching resonance in their debut single, ACTIVE!
The debut holds no prisoners when holding the worst archetypes of the human experience to account; the flaying lyrics pick up more volition through the catchy delivery that forces you right into the electrifying nucleus of the single that stands as a testament to the trio’s ability to vindicate the masses.
After a Velvet Revolver-esque intro, the buzzsaw riffs and snarling basslines rip through the dynamic modern hard rock atmosphere honed by Robin Schmidt, known for his work with Nothing But Thieves, the 1975 and Sam Fender. The juxtaposition between the scathing energy within the rhythm section and the pop-pinched vocal hooks creates a dynamic strong enough to carry a rock revolution on its back.
The explosively expressive release is a sure sign of big things to come for LAY / BYE; their ability to fuse integrity with infectious earworm appeal is superlative.
Jump on the ACTIVE! hype by streaming the single on Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast