EP Review: Darlia – Petals
2 min read
There is potential for a grunge rock revival, as the children of grunge music fans are coming of age and forming bands of their own. At only twenty years of age, Darlia’s lead singer and songwriter, Nathan Day was barely alive to experience the era, however if such a revival were to take place, their new EP suggests the band would be at its forefront.
Petals is the brand new EP from the up-and-coming Blackpool rockers. The eight track mini-album shows Darlia have taken the quiet-loud dynamic of 90s grunge and alternative rock as the main inspiration for their song writing, leading to an album that is perfectly consistent but not entirely original in its sound.
The Stars Are Aligned kicks off the EP with a brooding distorted guitar, which quickly builds to an intense intro. Day’s vocals are delivered in a gravelly whine, which has understandably drawn comparisons to Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. Bass driven and featuring some impressive guitar work, The Stars Are Aligned is a promising opening track and suggests a powerful album to come.
The following track, I’ve Never Been To Ohio, is one of the album’s standouts. The verses’ swirling guitar and distorted vocals give this track a distinct 90s feel, but quickly fall away to make room for the engaging heavy rock chorus. Day’s vocals again play on that quiet-loud dynamic, switching from deep and distorted to an in your face raspy-roar that is sure to get stuck in your head.
Another highlight is Dear Diary, which stands out as one of the most original and melodic tracks. It is followed by the unexpectedly stripped back Say Your Prayers. Here Darlia lower the pace with a gently strummed guitar making a feature of the considered layering of vocal harmonies. This merges neatly with the album’s concluding two acoustic tracks, which further showcase Day’s vocals.
For such a young band Petals is an impressive achievement that clearly demonstrates the trio’s musical abilities. However, at this early stage of their careers it is difficult to identify the band’s own original sound through the overbearing effect of their influences. It is only early days though, so it will be exciting to hear where Darlia choose to go next for their full-length debut.
