{"id":88214,"date":"2019-08-29T13:00:48","date_gmt":"2019-08-29T12:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/?p=88214"},"modified":"2023-04-07T14:25:37","modified_gmt":"2023-04-07T13:25:37","slug":"review-avagrace-the-witching-hours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/review-avagrace-the-witching-hours\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: AvaGrace \u2013 The Witching Hours"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-88216\" src=\"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Avagrace-The-Witching-Hours-Cover-compressor-300x268.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"268\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Avagrace-The-Witching-Hours-Cover-compressor-300x268.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Avagrace-The-Witching-Hours-Cover-compressor-768x686.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Avagrace-The-Witching-Hours-Cover-compressor-1000x893.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Avagrace-The-Witching-Hours-Cover-compressor-465x415.jpeg 465w, https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Avagrace-The-Witching-Hours-Cover-compressor-560x500.jpeg 560w, https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Avagrace-The-Witching-Hours-Cover-compressor-600x536.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Avagrace-The-Witching-Hours-Cover-compressor.jpeg 1654w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Alt-rockers <strong>AvaGrace<\/strong> cut their teeth with a string of impressive EPs. 2016&#8217;s \u2018<em>Earth, Wind and Liars<\/em>\u2019 drove hard, showcasing Chris Horton\u2019s confident and beautiful vocals, while experimental screaming sounded natural. The Kent quintet have now returned with their debut full-length \u2018<em>The Witching Hours<\/em>\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>The results are satisfying. Despite a chance to build on their potential, they have stuck to the largely hook-filled rock sound. Although it does dip its toes into metal, making it feel weighty while being accessible. Again, Horton\u2019s vocals provide the real draw here. He has a unique voice and soars on songs such as, \u2018<em>Misguided<\/em>\u2019 and the uplifting choruses of the title track. There are delicate moments too. The way he adds little flourishes on \u2018<em>Ghost<\/em>\u2019 wrings just a little more emotion out of his lyrics.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"AvaGrace - The Witching Hours\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3PeZjC2iUnE?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>When the band bare their teeth on songs like \u2018<em>Rain,<\/em>\u2019 it can be really effective. \u00a0Similarly, the yells on \u2018<em>Close To The Edge<\/em>\u2019 work well. The smooth and fearsome nature of \u2018<em>All In Motion Pt.2<\/em>\u2019 complements the comparisons to Saosin\u2019s self-titled era.<\/p>\n<p>However, the production is quite rough in places and it sits awkwardly against the lofty sound. Rowdy gang vocals also take something away. \u2018<em>Close To The Edge<\/em>\u2019 feels messy and awkward, especially taken alongside the album\u2019s crisper rock edge. \u00a0Also, at times, songs such as \u2018<em>Failing Friends<\/em>\u2019 and \u2018<em>Consumer Consumed<\/em>\u2019 are a bit strained. Similarly, \u2018<em>Ghost<\/em>\u2019 feels a little smothered, but you can\u2019t deny the solid overall songwriting.<\/p>\n<p>The inclusion of \u2018<em>Letters To Home<\/em>\u2019 from their 2013 EP allows direct comparison with their newer material. With its hugely powerful vocal and atmospheric opening, it\u2019s easily one of the strongest songs here. So, while it fits comfortably amongst the newer material, you expect more.<\/p>\n<p>An enjoyable, but slightly muted debut, \u2018<em>The Witching Hours<\/em>\u2019 draws on all the experience <strong>Avagrace<\/strong> have amassed. It firmly restates who they are and contains solid songcraft but is a little too rough and ready for its own good.<\/p>\n<p>3\/5<\/p>\n<p>\u2018<em>The Witching Hours<\/em>\u2019 by <strong>AvaGrace<\/strong> is released on 30th August.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AvaGrace<\/strong> links: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.avagrace.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Website<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/avagraceuk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a> |<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/avagrace_uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/avagrace_band\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/avagraceband.bandcamp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bandcamp<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Words by Ian Kenworthy (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WhisperingSand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@WhisperingSand<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;\u2018The Witching Hours\u2019 draws on all the experience Avagrace have amassed&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":88216,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[5879,7962,15621,17456],"class_list":["post-88214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-album-reviews","tag-album-reviews","tag-avagrace","tag-ian-kenworthy","tag-the-witching-hours"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - 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