“Trial By Fire” by Tyler Elden combines washy, reverb-y decadence with rhythmic, staccato hits to make one of the most atmospherically gratifying songs you’ll ever hear. With his quasi-Smashing Pumpkins, quasi-Coldplay sound, Tyler serves up a poetic and somewhat angsty set of lyrics. If you ever find yourself pining for that slower, psychedelic rock vibe in your day-to-day listening, you couldn’t go wrong with some Tyler Elden.
The song begins with two electric guitars–one thumbing through a gentle riff in the forefront, and the other piercing through layers of reverb and distortion in the distance. The intro has this subtle blanket of phaser covering it, adding a ton of textural interest. “Attempting to stand tall in a meaningless world,” the singer suddenly croons, the drums accenting certain syllables. The instrumentation appears on a need-be basis, adding tiny flourishes here and there (although the drums and bass remain rather steady). A mountain of growth occurs when a jumble of hits propels us into the chorus. The sound immediately widens. Guitars strum constantly, distorted and powerful. The lead vocal has this deep, pitched double. The drums utilize a lot more kick. It’s the kind of chorus that washes over you in this dreamily hypnotic way.
If you like the sound of this, prepare yourself for even more greatness, with some well-thought-out variations. This track pours out an immense amount of emotional gratification, as well as brilliant musicality. It’s nothing less than a genius re-vamping of a beloved vintage genre, peppered with modernity and creativity. So, be sure to check out Tyler Elden! You don’t want to miss out on this incredibly talented artist.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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