There has been quite a bit of buzz surrounding Glass Cloud over the past few months, and for good reason. This Hampton, Virginia-based progressive metalcore band is chock-full of talent. Glass Cloud features Jerry Roush, formerly of Sky Eats Airplane and Of Mice & Men, on vocals, Josh Travis, the mastermind behind the progressive metal powerhouse known as The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, on guitar, and Chad Hasty and Travis Sykes, both Berklee College of Music graduates, on drums and bass, respectively. The stellar line-up alone should be enough to get anyone excited about Glass Cloud and their debut album, The Royal Thousand.
Since Glass Cloud is a relatively new band, I had not heard of them until several months ago. I listened to one of their new singles, “White Flag,” on YouTube and enjoyed what I heard. It was a good track and I was interested in the band after hearing it, but it didn’t cause me to become extremely excited for their upcoming album. When I first heard The Royal Thousand all the way through for the first time, however, I was thoroughly impressed.
The Royal Thousand is, quite simply, incredible. It’s a very well-written piece of music and a breath of fresh air in a currently stale metal scene. It manages to be dynamic, heavy, and melodic all at the same time. I have yet to encounter a dull moment throughout The Royal Thousand‘s reasonable duration and repeat listens are a common occurrence. I wouldn’t be surprised if this album lands a spot on many year-end lists when 2012 draws to a close.
While all of the musicians in Glass Cloud are very talented, Josh Travis and Jerry Roush really shine on The Royal Thousand. If you’ve ever listened to The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza (particularly Danza III), you know that Travis is an outstanding guitarist and songwriter. The riffs that Travis has created for The Royal Thousand bring some of that signature Danza heaviness into the mix, but they’re different enough to avoid being construed as riffs ripped straight from any Danza material and have their own distinct feel. Jerry Roush’s ferocious screams and angelic cleans compliment Travis’s guitarwork nicely.
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: The Royal Thousand is absolutely outstanding. It is a very fresh and interesting album and it is demonstrative of the high level of collective talent that Glass Cloud possesses. I have a feeling that The Royal Thousand is just a small taste of even greater things to come from Glass Cloud.
10/10
Links: Facebook – MerchNOW
