For the last five years or so, Altered Sky have been hard at work – they’ve constantly been on the road, sharing the stage with the likes of We Are the In Crowd, The Wonder Years, and Neck Deep, releasing various EPs, singles, and covers, and interacting fantastically with their fan-base (thanks to social media). So, when they announced that they’d finally be releasing their debut album ‘Without Wonderland’, produced by Romesh Dodangoda, it’s no wonder that their fan-base became delirious with joy. But, before they unleashed it upon the masses, they invited a haul of people, fans and industry professionals alike, down to The Venue, to listen first-hand to their hard work.
Tonight may be a small affair, but Altered Sky still give their absolute all as they would at any other show. Tracks such as ‘This War Is Mine’ is an absolute ground-stomper, complete with gritty riffs and astounding vocals from frontwoman Ana Nowosielska, who sounds just as brilliant live as she does on record. Combinations of fluffy, melodic hooks and catchy choruses come together to created bouncy tracks in the form of ‘Stupid In the Dark’ and ‘Live For It All’. Then there’s ‘Waves’, which is a huge single – slick riffs come together with strong drumwork and soaring vocals, creating an ideal radio single. They rein it all in though, to bring the thoughtful and quiet ‘Imagine Adventure’ – a beautiful and stripped back track, one that is emotional. Altered Sky blaze through the entire album, bringing a fast and blistering energy to the room and, by the time they leave the stage, the room is feeling a lot hotter.
However, when you step back and really take it all in, you can’t help but feel that Altered Sky’s music is a little behind the times, as it’s reminiscent of Paramore’s work from around 2005 and it just falls flat. It’s a shame as they’re an incredibly enthusiastic band who has worked ridiculously hard to get to where they are today. The sky may be the limit, but Altered Sky seem to be struggling to get off the ground itself.
JESS TAGLIANI