Album Review: Are We Better Off? // Of Allies

Of Allies have gained a huge following through plenty of streams on Spotify and Deezer. They have also won the support of Radio One, who have compared them to Deftones and Biffy Clyro. The band will release their new album ‘Are We Better Off?’ on Friday 13th November, and it will be interesting to see if they can bring something new to the table.

There are some moments on the album that set Of Allies apart. For example, the driving one-two of ‘Blossoms and ‘Beyond the Wave.’ The former track brings together big production and heavy dynamics. It pushes them ahead of the game because the melodic chorus of the latter song is refreshing.

The production is also the album’s downfall because some songs sound identical to each other and hard to tell apart. It’s clear when listening to the album that Of Allies are ambitious because their songs sound like they could be in stadiums.

Rich, the band’s singer, mentioned in an interview that he never learnt how to sing. But on ‘The Hierophant’, his vocals are stunning, easily the best on the album. The riffs are crunchy and powerful, showing they were created with heart and passion.

‘Are We Better Off’ is a good album. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or stand out because there are a lot of rock bands who are doing the exact same sound. Some of the guitar riffs and vocal melodies are brilliant to listen to, showing that it will appeal to fans of Deftones.

Words by Ermis Madikopoulos