Fightstar have always employed an ‘epic’ sound throughout their releases to some extent i.e. Floods, 99 and if you still doubt it check out their album covers.

So when the opening track, ‘Calling All Stations’ begins with layered strings it’s no surprise. Charlie Simpsons vocal range is put on display as the soaring lines come into play in the chorus.

War Machine falls back into the epic sound with strings, chorus guitar effects and sweeping vocals. At the same time the track highlights the heavier sound we’ve come to expect from Fightstar with chugging riff and low growls from Simpson.

Colours Bleed To Red has an almost Biffy Clyro guitar sound as it opens but soon pulls away into Fightstars’ unique sound. Some nice solo guitar work swapping around with a heavier, metal riff near the end and a breakdown worthy of a Killswitch Engage closes it down.

On the whole the album is a clear progression for Fightstar, an evolution in their music and for those who love their heavier B-Sides, keep an eye out for ‘Chemical Blood’ and ‘Damocles’. It would be wrong to call this their experimental album but it’s incorporating new elements well at times and oddly at others, most notably on ‘Whisper’ which opens with a harmonica and pop piano line.

So in summary it’s a good album that expands the band’s range of songs from oddly popish to balls to the wall metal and is no doubt an album fans will still be listening too in 10 years time.