Few bands are as much fun as Night. Building on the core tenets of vest metal, their 80s inspired sound rocks hard and rides free. They capture the imagination and haul listeners into the past. With big choruses, punchy guitars, and classic metal cheese, their latest offering, High Tides – Distant Skies, reigns supreme. In many ways, Night are clearly aping their classic metal forefathers. Thing is, they know it—and that's part of the fun! Night are another amazing addition to the burgeoning pantheon of Swedish hard rock. They will get heads banging and butts shaking. This band nicely reflects the power of the 80s. This comes both with their tongue in cheek songwriting and the way the band simply feels classic. Night play Saxon-worshipping hard rock the way it was meant to be played. It's a blast.
Night are a pleasure to listen as well because of how earnestly they lean into 80s rock tropes. They've deftly borrowed songwriting elements from sources ranging from Judas Priest to Night Ranger. The music generally leans on the more bubblegum side of the 80s metal equation. Still – they typically avoid getting too deep into glam metal tropes. While one might think that a band who tread more on this middle ground would be boring, it's in fact a rare treat. This is a band who simply loves to rock and are going to do it any way they please. It just so happens that it pleases them to play punchy lightweight riffs with flashy melodic guitar solos.
The thing that really makes these songs work though is that basically anyone of them would not be out of place in an 80s movie. There is a sense of the 'Classic' that really allows Night to shine. Perhaps the best example of this is the track 'Lost In A Dream' which honestly feels like their take on the Jefferson Starship essential, "Jane." Of course, this is immediately followed up by more Judas Priest worship with "Give Me To The Night." Every track is reflective of any number of legendary songs. Rather than seem derivative that actually makes Night more fun. The fusion of familiar ideas with modern interpretations is a lot of fun. Yes, the concepts are well-loved—but they are loved for a reason. When a band is able to thoughtfully build on them with the advantage of hindsight, listeners are really in for something special.
High Tides And Night Skies will get your fists pumping. These are songs that understand the classic magic of rock and roll. They revel in anthemic bliss and draw in the listener. They act as a time portal back to an era of loud guitars and big hair. While yes it can feel cheesy this shines for two reasons. First and foremost is the quality of the songwriting. Without excellent structures, this band would be nothing. On top of that though is the 'classic' vibe that snakes throughout the record. It makes for an album that is memorable from the first, and always a fun listen. So turn it on, tune in and rock out!
