The enormity of six-piece band THUMPER's sound returns for a new single ‘There Will Be Blood’, demanding our attention just in time for the release of their second studio album.
Successfully following up a debut album is a feat that sits on the Mount Rushmore of the music industry’s long-established cliches - many bands flourish on their debut but struggle, both creatively and commercially, to follow up . ‘There Will Be Blood’ diverges texturally from THUMPER’s previous efforts, as it opens with the delicate flutter of a piano, showing a maturing band comfortable with taking their time to showcase their ability as an ensemble.
It is no surprise THUMPER returns to their wall of sound approach, which received a great reception throughout their debut album. Lead singer Oisin Leahy Furlong’s lyrics clearly define how integral the music is to each band member, singing of how “it’s baked into the sound', setting the tone not just for this new single, but also for the next stage of the band’s development.
Emerging from Dublin’s admittedly small but growing music scene, THUMPER seem all too aware of the pressure to evolve their sound and this seeps through in the writing and recording of their new single. The insatiable drive of both drummers propels the song along, providing the perfect underpinning for the dramatic rise and fall of overdriven guitars punctuating their recording. Throughout the track, the instrumentation sits in stark contrast with what we have just heard, a simple melodic line from an acoustic guitar can be quickly forgotten when the full band almost immediately kick into top gear and begin to push the decibels.
‘There Will Be Blood’ balances on the edge of the unknown. For THUMPER, “opportunity’s knocking” and there will be success should their impending album release rise to the same standard as this latest single. For fans of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard or Sonic Youth, Thumper’s newest offering is laced with inflections of post-punk and noise rock to present a remarkable five-minute exploration of what it means to be a band establishing their own individual and collective identities.
THUMPER will be taking this single, and their upcoming album, on tour this spring across the UK and Ireland.
Joseph Madden
Image: ‘There Will Be Blood’ Official Single Cover
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