Chasing The Sun

At the first song on Royal Bliss’ latest offering, Chasing The Sun, I felt like, “Oh crap, not another Nickleback”. As the album went on I got into a bit more. It was less Nickleback and more, just a band that likes rock music and plays it pretty radio rock friendly. Lots of nice hooks, your standard lyrical substance, a mixture of heartfelt and written for commercial use. By the end, I wouldn’t say I absolutely loved it, but I did get the sense that despite whatever safety net I felt these guys were using in selling their brand, they were definitely musicians who were making the music they wanted to make and with a certain level of passion. 

 

Chasing the Sun features a good mix of heavy rock tunes, soft ballads, and in-between songs, most of which fit quite nicely in the top 40, or would (or will). The album is absolutely accessible for any rock fan or even someone experimenting with rock. Vocals range from standard rock to even a certain degree of classic rock. I liked the little nuances of synths (or what sounded like synths) in a couple of the songs. It gave the tracks an added sense of depth. 

 

Lyrically it’s as you would expect from a rock band on this level. My favorite was probably Drink My Stupid Away and the first single Cry Sister which reminded me of the late 80’s from bands like Poison or Gene Loves Jezebel or even The Cult. While a lot of the album wasn’t too memorable to me I realized after my first go round with the album that it was a kick to listen to and future spins will more then likely remain a good time to be had. 

 

The band has been around since 1997 (if their Wiki page is correct) and this, being their 8th studio album, sounds as if the band has adapted to the times well. Unfortunately in this day and age where everyone is getting a shot (ironically this album was funded by Kickstarter) there are quite a few bands that come to mind when I look back on my time with Royal Bliss. I wish them luck in getting their music and passion out there on a higher stage and encourage you to check them out to see if they’re a good fit for you. Enjoy.