I was chatting with singer/guitarist Neill Fraser at a gig recently, and we agreed that the acoustic style gig they did with Dead Favours earlier in the year was fun, but we were both looking forward to having Villainy back on a rock stage. The quartet (which is completed by Dave Johnston (drums), James Dylan (bass), and Thomas Watts (guitar)) have deservedly made a huge name for themselves over the last ten years, and their brand of melodic energetic hook-driven rock has gained them plenty of fans, as well as awards. I am convinced their latest single is going to see them gaining even more success, as it is a real banger.
The first three times I played it I kept turning it up just that little bit more, as this is not something anyone wants to play quietly. A quick dose of feedback, then we are off with the bass and drums setting the platform for the guitars to switch and move. This does not really sound like a single song, as there are so many sections which they keep returning to, and there are times when it is just Neill singing with the bass. The harmonies come in and out, the bass is thick, the drums powering, the guitars riffing hard, yet there are quiet sections as well where we all get our breath back. The use of space and contrast is often overlooked in rock music, but here they have the mix just right so the loud makes the quiet even more smooth, which in turn makes the loud bombastic. I could say there are elements of Shihad, or that they have been listening to Dead Favours, but in the end this is pure Villainy, and it rocks, big time. This is simply immense.
Rating: 10/10
