Hailing from Stoke-on-Trent, Sworn to Oath have been making waves in the underground metal scene since their formation in 2009. They’ve finally released their first album. And what a fantastic album it is.
Pillars commands attention from the very first second. Outcast is two minutes of glorious, visceral metal. It sets the tone for this album; relentless. Next is Forever Hurting, with its groove-laden riffs, visceral screams and vocals that sound reminiscent of Killswitch Engage at times.
Let the Rain Pour is the killer track on the album. The hook of the chorus is, and it’s no overstatement, gigantic. It elevates this song to anthem status. Crosses is another stand-out song. It starts as uncompromisingly brutal before ascending into a soaring chorus. But it’s not typical heavy-verse-melodic-chorus fare. The transitions between screaming and singing in this song are seamless and it’s anything but formulaic.
On top of making a fantastically heavy album, they’ve managed to make Pillars ebb and flow. There’s not just light and shade in the album overall, but also within pretty much every song. Their impressive work ethic is evident throughout. You can hear in the vocals, the riffs chugging at breakneck speed and the unrelenting drums that they’ve really gone into this all guns blazing.
There’s no filler, no lulls, and it’s so well-crafted and nuanced that it’s hard to believe it’s a début. Part of the reason it’s exciting to listen to Pillars is because it indicates such a promising future for this band. In Pillars, Sworn to Oath have created an exceptional debut album, with songs that will no doubt be well received when they play them on their tour this June.
Sworn To Oath’s Pillars is released June 2nd 2014 on Transcend Music. You can follow the band on Twitter at @sworntooath.
