His Name Is Alive – Patterns Of Light

Silver Mountain Media Group / London London

His Name Is Alive - Patterns Of LightHot on the heels of Tecuciztecatl‘s rock operatics comes this new offering from Michigan’s finest, His Name is Alive. Another guitar-fuelled fandango, this time burning up on all that particle physics hysteria of a few years back when we all thought we’d be sucked into a dark matter vortex as science glimpses the momentarily flash of the God Particle. A perceived glow that could be centrifugally flung from the mind-boggling dexterity and pummelling drives on offer here.

A frenzied parade of wah-slashed goodness topped off with the angelic brilliance of Andrea Morici. A voice that predominates this album’s nine-track span, providing a silky foil to the vindaloo-like intensity of guitar burning either side like sun-caught corn. Oil’n’water dynamics leading to plenty of swirling rainbows that burrow, beam-breed in the fiery Ft. Lake blisters and skim around in half-heard injunctions, tangling in the occult energies of old, chorally folding the aggressive pull.

The percussive foundation stoking the furnace’s intensity, letting things go in gaudy rashes of fret, masticating the catchy kilter of “Energy Acceleration”, fuelling the poppy propane of “You Best Pray”. That motor-head zither of “Black Wings”, drone-gulping into a glowing ’70s pistachio before context-twisting away in ghostly reverbs. A mellow vibe that the gorgeous “Dragon Down” grabs wholeheartedly, skipping you right back to their 4AD days, dragging the dreamy demon down in a blurry sparkle of acoustika and plaintive voice. Leaving the delicate blush of the last track to steal your heart completely.

I’ve loved this band and its numerous proliferations for longer than I can remember and every release just seems to affirm more reasons to stick around.

-Michael Rodham-Heaps-

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