Chapter And Verse – ‘Glow’

By Gem Rogers

A little under three years on from debut EP ‘The Wolves Back Home’ and fresh from a UK tour with US alt rockers Emarosa, London’s Chapter And Verse are more than ready to release second EP ‘Glow’. And here’s the really important thing – you should be ready, too.

In just five tracks, ‘Glow’ makes a statement that many bands can’t manage with ten. The EP opens with the atmospheric ‘The Casket’, building delicate swells of emotion before crashing in like a tidal wave of thundering drums and soaring harmonies. The four tracks that follow flow effortlessly together, yet are clearly distinct; from the gentle but insistent ‘Eleven Hours In Real Time’ to the thrashing, groove-infused ‘A Devil In Blue’, it’s an invigorating ride that demonstrates just what this band are capable of.

‘Glow’ isn’t just about beautiful instrumentation and melodies, either, with heartfelt lyrics delivered with all the gravity they deserve by vocalist Josh Carter. Sounding somewhat akin to what you might get if you were to mix the distinctive tone of Coheed & Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez with the soul and strength of Nothing But Thieves front man Conor Mason, his voice makes for truly addictive and enchanting listening; unleashing a raw power that cuts straight to the heart of the listener.

Full of anthemic identity and explosive energy, this is an assured and innovative collection of songs from a band who already know exactly who they are and aren’t afraid to express it. It’s a rare thing to listen to an EP in January and feel confident it’s one of the best things you’ll hear that year, but ‘Glow’ delivers exactly that. Chapter And Verse are without question one of the UK’s most exciting upcoming bands – sleep on this at your peril.

GEM ROGERS

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