18th November 2022

Review: “It Lives” by Blight Town

A sweet sixteen celebration is in order for the residents of Blight Town and the Nottingham Progressive Post-Hardcore quintet continue their ascension to nirvana with the release of their sophomore EP “It Lives“. As with their self titled debut they have returned to the tried, tested and proven in Myroslav Borys (Last Hounds, Confessions Of A Traitor) at Jigsaw Audio to produce, mix and master this quartet of new jams after a busy summer which saw them play Tech-Fest and Mangata Festival having shared stages with Wars, Black Coast and Dead On Arrival in the build up.

As with the first record, influences from CHON, Unprocessed and Napoleon flow from the very start with the choice of rich and vibrant guitar tone and technical playing style that Blight Town present in “Hawaii Six-0“. A quintessential love story it’s sonically warm an bright texture speaks volumes of where the and are at, the bouncing bass line giving it a nice weight and gravity, the clean vocals making it ideal Sunday morning hangover music, relaxing in the warmth of its thoughtful rays. “Al Gore Rhythm” then bursts into life with an adrenaline rush of Counterparts inspiration, galloping drums fading as the uncleans gently ease off and the band dial in the melodies while keeping things technical and vibrant. That little bit of extra aggression goes a long way, giving this one an edge and setting it apart from the pack before “Feel Better” brings serious funk swagger. Good time grooves ideal for clement weather and a Long Island Ice Tea, this one has all the bounce and verve you could ever want and then some, the only surprise being that the band fade out while developing a new part that feels like it’s just getting going and could easily run on for a while longer. That brings us to “Swerve“, the longest cut at 255 seconds offers an interesting lyrical flow switching from the first to third person and back seamlessly as if providing self reassurance in an attempt to stay calm when things aren’t going according to plan. That works surprisingly well alongside a sing-a-long chorus that grabs you hook, line and sinker. Blight Town are beginning to age like a fine wine, their sound refined in the fire with the quality of their musicianship shinning through for everyone to see [8/10]

Track Listing