“Falling stars surround me in a field, and I’m picking them like pretty daffodils.”
Progressive post-hardcore unit Galleons are set to make their highly anticipated return with the impending release of their latest album, Violent Delights. The record is the fourth full-length project in the Australian and Russian group’s impressive discography, serving as a follow-up to Galleons’ 2021 self-titled effort. Armed with their own distinct blend of post-hardcore that toes the line between nostalgic-leaning and genre-defying, the transcontinental quartet has worked hard over the course of their nine years together to carve their own space into the ever-growing and popular swancore sphere.
Opener “You Who Swallowed a Falling Star” is a direct callback (lyrical reprisals included) to early discography cut “He Who Swallowed a Falling Star”. The predecessor track’s search for meaning amidst heartbreak and loss is contrasted by the latter’s decidedly more hopeful slant. Swift synth work gets the ball rolling, melding seamlessly into some dynamic guitar work and making way for Tom Byrne’s clean and Sergey Rodionov’s screaming vocals in a captivating opening stretch. Byrne’s soaring vocals in the song’s outro is an early demonstration of his expansive vocal range, ending the track with flourish and setting the stage for the rest of the record.
Carrying on from there, “Kiss the Sky”, “Vagabond”, “Kismet”, and “Blue Lagoon” are a welcome stretch of unreleased tracks early in the album’s runtime, with each song working to pull its own weight. Whether it’s Byrne’s consistently grand vocal performances and earworm choruses, a well-placed, impactful run from Rodionov, or particularly fun and dancy instrumental work from the duo of Evgeny Starshinov and Maxim Shepelev, each track offers something of interest to keep the listener engaged.
“Vagabond” and “Kismet”, in particular, are tracks that feel reminiscent of earlier eras of Dance Gavin Dance with Rodionov channeling some big Jon Mess energy. Some criticism would be that his range is limited, and that there are quite a few moments where his vocals lack bite and clarity—but where Rodionov shines is his percussive delivery that does well to balance out Byrne’s mellifluous vocals and the various soundscapes explored across the record.
“Violent Delights” has a catchy, anthemic quality befitting a title track, though its upfront lyrical references to Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet tread into cheesy territory by being too on the nose. Lyrics like ”Shakespeare’s a prophet” and “when our history ends tragically like Romeo and Juliet” feel shoehorned in for some unnecessary semblance of thematic cohesion when a subtler approach would have been more appreciated, especially after already incorporating “violent delights have violent ends” into the song’s chorus. The more bass-forward “Cashmere” keeps things moving and re-employs some subtle synth work to create a backdrop for impressive falsetto vocals from Byrne. With its soulful, R&B flair, “Yakisoba Dare” sounds like a track that would slot nicely into Galleons’ contemporaries in Wolf & Bear’s latest record.
Singles “Deadman Wonderland” and “Dungeon Dweller” see high profile features from Ryo Kinoshita (Knosis, formerly Crystal Lake) and Craig Owens (DRUGS, formerly Chiodos), respectively. “Deadman Wonderland” begins with a dramatic piano that paves the way for an opening chorus from Byrne and a verse delivered with Kinoshita’s signature aggression in a track whose title references the anime/manga of the same name. In another literary reference, “Dungeon Dweller” examines the unrequited love between the title character of ThePhantom of the Opera and Christine Daaé, the novel/musical’s chanteuse protagonist, with Owens’ distinctive voice bolstering the back half of the track.
Violent Delights’ opening track isn’t the only self-referential moment within the record’s runtime, with the third entry in Galleons’ “The Downtown Dinosaur Gang” saga earning a spot late in the tracklisting. Another direct lyrical reprisal (from 2015’s “The Downtown Dinosaur Gang Pt. 1”) will be sure to please longtime fans of the group. It is a testament to the work that Galleons have put in over the course of their time together that they are able to create their own contained universe and narratives with meta references for the fanbase to pick up on and enjoy, similar to genre pioneers Dance Gavin Dance use their “Strawberry” and “The Robot with Human Hair” tracks.
No Shakespearian tragedy would be complete without an introspective soliloquy, and this record is no exception. The album’s monologuing moment comes in the form of the aptly-titled “Lament”, whose five and a half minute runtime utilizes more somber instrumentation to build towards the most moving vocal performances across the record from both Byrne and Rodionov. Single and final track “Crybaby” (another anime-inspired track, this time Devilman Crybaby) sees a feature from none other than Andrew Wells (Eidola, Dance Gavin Dance), whose own powerful and moving performances help close the record out on a strong note.
Violent Delights pulls its title from one of Romeo and Juliet’s most famous lines—”these violent delights have violent ends”. In its original context, the line acts as a warning to the play’s titular couple, drawing comparisons between a love that burns too bright and too fast, and a honey that grows sickeningly-sweet with overindulgence. Fittingly, the record grapples with the tumultuous nature of love in various different forms, from wistful yearning and utmost devotion, to feelings of obsession, insecurity, and heartbreak. While the literary influence throughout the record is clear, painting Violent Delights as a full-on Shakespeare tribute would be inaccurate and too limiting for what proves to be Galleons’ most complete and fully-realized project to date.
8/10
Violent Delights is set to release tomorrow Friday February 9th via Famined Records, with pre-orders and merch for the record available here.