EP REVIEW: Pale Strangers – The Pale Strangers

’… it’s frankly astounding that a sound so massive can be produced by just two individuals…’

Author’s Note: Pale Strangers, whoever did the artwork for this EP and the singles surrounding it, take whatever you are paying them, and triple it. This is some *chef’s kiss* peak music artwork – Ry 🙂

The journey to this point for Pale Strangers has been something of a rollercoaster. Formerly known as Rival Bones, the power rock duo had slowly begun to gain something of a name for themselves on the local Meseryside and north-west England circuit. 2018 saw the release of their superb EP ‘StrangeFruit‘, packed with solid hard rocking bangers such as ‘Beautiful/Dangerous‘ and ‘Scars‘, promising a bright future for the pair.

However, in 2020, drummer Chris Thomason amicably departed the outfit after major changes in his personal life. What would follow was three years of silence; vocalist and guitarist James Whitehouse had sought to continue the band, but it was unclear what form that would take. Fast-forwards to 2023 however, and the pair unexpectedly reunited to play a collection of shows under the Rival Bones moniker, before announcing their name change to Pale Strangers, and the release of their debut EP under this title.

The core identity of this duo has remained the same; it’s all about big riffs, big vocals, big percussion, and big energy. However, whilst their material under Rival Bones had a clearer focus on the blues rock and garage rock sounds that were popular in the 2010’s, their evolution into Pale Strangers has seen the pair delve further into stoner rock and desert rock influences. As a result, ‘The Pale Strangers‘ is the most expansive, ambitious, and powerful release from the pair yet that not only rewards long-term followers of these musicians, but acts as a superb welcome to newcomers.

‘Deep Waters‘ commences with moody, stripped-back verses that catapult forwards into immense, catchy choruses, maintaining those pop sensibilities that have always formed the backbone of their songwriting, but now with a brooding edge. ‘Ghosts are Gone’, on the other hand, is pure, arena sized hard rock, packing immense choruses and a central guitar riff that is simply blood-pumping; it’s frankly astounding that a sound so massive can be produced by just two individuals.

‘Dopamine‘, however, is by far the star of the show here. Whitehouse’s vocal melodies sound more resonant and compelling than ever before, whilst the instrumental bridge is a pure shot of musical adrenaline, as Thomason lays down a scorching guitar riff that wouldn’t have gone amiss in an early Muse track. Easily, ‘Dopamine‘ races to the front of the band’s discography, becoming simply the must-listen-to track for anyone interested in what this band has to offer.

Whilst their legacy is important, what Pale Strangers have offered here is not only a great collection of rock anthems, but an important refresh for their careers and identities. ‘The Pale Strangers‘ is the band stepping out from the shadow of their past, and decisively declaring who they are, and where they are headed, with an energy and determination that cannot be denied. Rival Bones are dead, long live the Pale Strangers.

RATING: 80/100 – Very Good

For Fans Of: Queens Of The Stone Age, Royal Blood, Death From Above 1979, Clutch, Muse

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify // Twitter