While a few flare up out of nowhere, for others, it is a slow burn toward the top. Two very different ways to reach a destination; some may argue that a steadier trajectory is the better road traveled, where experience and growth go hand in hand.
In the case of the Los Angeles-based band True North, it has been a long road that began nearly a decade ago when they first began releasing music. A journey filled with twists and turns, listening to their 2016 debut EP The Sky, the Lie, and Who We Are Before We Die, moving into 2018’s Dream/Awake EP, and 2020’s Piece of You EP, it is easy to see this has been a work in progress. Never complacent in their prior work, the band’s music has progressively expanded while maintaining a foundation of emotionally driven, heavier Alternative Rock oozing with melodic intuition.
Consistent in their focus, True North gained more traction as time passed, and in 2022, they released their impressive debut full-length album, Out Loud, to much acclaim. A record that featured contributions from Underoath’s Aaron Gillespie and Sleeping with Sirens’ Kellin Quinn, it was a building block toward much-deserved broader exposure for the band. Moving forward into 2023, they released more music before putting out the single “Those Were The Days” (featuring Emarosa’s Bradley Walden) in 2024, striking more intrigue about what they might be up to next. Consistently trickling out new songs through the rest of 2024, a proper sophomore album was at last assembled in 2025 under the title Either Way, The Sun’s Exploding.
Released on May 30, 2025, through Out of Line Music, the new album features thirteen songs, more than half of which were released in 2024 and early 2025. Once again featuring Lead Guitarist/Producer Joel Ferber, Lead Vocalist Tim Beken (who has spent time filling in for The Amity Affliction), Drummer Michael Cisterna, Guitarist/Vocalist Sean Hansen, and Bassist Morgan Kibler, this second album from True North could be their most honed-in to date.
As stated, consisting of thirteen songs that last under forty minutes, what you get is a balanced mix of emotionally heavy music. Designed in an order that seems intentional, the album flows seamlessly from start to finish with plenty of intrigue to be had. This in mind, tracks like “I Dragged Us In,” “Burn,” “Somewhere New,” and “Disappear” all stand tall outside the framework of the record. This is while “10:26” is a fantastic diversion from the rest of the album, with a vivid scene painted in each passing word.
Overall, True North has refined a sound that should please their long-time followers and also attract new fans who adore darkly melodic alternative rock akin to the early 2000s sound perfected by the likes of Thursday. That is why Cryptic Rock highly recommends True North, giving their new album Either Way, The Sun’s Exploding 4 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment