Tonight Alive – “Underworld” [Album Review]

Aussie rockers Tonight Alive were one of those bands who you just knew that, at some point, were going to outgrow their roots. They did that on their Limitless album which, unsurprisingly, divided opinion amongst a fanbase mainly down to the shift to a more synth-driven pop sound. Well, three years since the release of Limitless and the band are back with Underworld, an album which sees vocalist Jenna Mcdougall open up her emotions on this honest, emotional return to form.

Musically, Underworld also sees the band head back more towards the edgier sound of their earlier material. “Disappear” sees the Aussie quartet team up with PVRIS vocalist Lynn Gunn for a track that is packed with emotion and heralds a shift away from synth-pop and back towards a more alternative sound. Songs like “The Other” and “Crack My Heart” are massive slabs of emotionally-charged alt-rock both of which, not only epitomise the Tonight Alive sound in 2018, but show precisely where the strengths of this band lie.

Elsewhere, “Burning On” is another mix of alt-rock and soaring melodies while “For You”, “Last Light” and “Looking For Heaven” see the Aussie band steer themselves into gentle waters, the latter being, quite frankly, a jaw-dropping four minutes. The album ends with Mcdougall teaming up with Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor for “My Underworld” another powerful and truly beautiful piece of work and a brilliant way to end the album.

Limitless was an album which saw Tonight Alive explore wider avenues with mixed results. However, Underworld is an absolutely stunning return to form where Tonight Alive display every quality which made them such a special band in the first place.

Underworld Track Listing: