They took their sweet time, because a bit more than four years have elapsed since the release of their debut EP, but the wait is finally over: Angel At My Table are releasing their first full length, called Light, this Saturday! But rest assured that the wait was well worth it, since the Luxembourgish quintet manages to convince on, almost, every level!
Back in 2010 when AAMT first started, they were often compared to Paramore, which was in a way a compliment but was also connected to a certain skepticism toward their longevity. With their second EP, that doubt was lifted a bit but with the eleven tracks on their first album, they have definitely proven that they are not just-another-pop-punk band. To people who followed their evolution, like me, this has become apparent over the course of the last few months since the female-fronted band has toured extensively in many countries across the world…and Light will cement that success even further.
The evolution in the instrumental department is quite remarkable: the guitars are more technical, the drums and bass lock in together perfectly and deliver a driving performance. Everything just sounds so much more mature and thought through that it’s hard to believe that the band’s first footsteps were but four years ago. A fact that can be observed in the new version of City Romance, off the eponymous debut EP, which is brought back in a rejuvenated state.
The vocals during these thirty-five minutes are on the usual high level but I feel like the front woman is surer than ever of her skills and manages to deliver a truly compelling performance. Lyrically, it also feels by far more grown-up, especially on songs like the opener Broken, where, if I interpret it correctly, she brings across a really inspirational message to many women out there.
The production is top notch and allows the songs to unfold perfectly in your ear canal, and remain stuck there for a while. My absolute favorite example for that is the song Gravity, which is, in my personal opinion, the best song the guys and gal have come up with so far. My only minor gripe is the song order, since the ending feels a bit anti-climatic, but I can in all honestly not deduct any points for that.
To sum things up, I must say that I’m more than impressed by what Angel At My Table have concocted and I can only recommend every fan of the genre to check out Light! I am convinced that this is but the beginning of a long and promising journey and if you want to be part of it you should move your behind to den Atelier this Saturday, May 17th, where the band will hold their release show! For more information, you can visit their Facebook page and be sure to watch the video below!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDEFm7kO4jE]