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BYGONE
Bygone

Svart (2025)
Rating: 6.5/10

With their debut full-length album, Boston, Massachusetts-based rockers Bygone straddle a fine line between a stoner type of cosmic groove and vintage hard rock but without ever being in a hurry. I missed out on the band’s 2022 demo so was looking forward to this seven song affair. However, after quite a few spins I’m a tad underwhelmed by this record, finding its rather languid approach heavy on the heart. The album also feels a bit long in spite of running short of 43 minutes, as among the tracks there’s a trio of seven-minute whoppers and one at six-minutes.

Musically, it all just sounds and feels a bit uneventful; casually strolling with no identity or purpose. The whole retro look works to some extent as ‘Lightspeed Nights’ cruises with nonchalance by channelling bands such as UFO and Thin Lizzy. However, the spark isn’t there; the vocals are somewhat understated and the vibe in general is informal, like a band searching for cool but hitting lukewarm.

As the album unravels Bygone finds a comfort zone between Thin Lizzy, early 80s New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and the stoned and galactic, although Uriah Heep also springs to mind on ‘Take Me Home’. The flashes of Hammond organ keep me intrigued, but again the attention starts to wane due to track length and that laid back energy.

‘Into The Gleam’ is the shortest track on offer at under four-minutes and it’s also the best song of the experience. Here, the band finds their inner oomph by supplying a cool 70s riff and nice shuffling percussion. It could also be said that some of the tracks lean towards a doomy ethos via Manilla Road although on a decidedly less weightier scale. It’s all solid enough, boasting a throwback charm but without the mystical crackle I anticipated. A few other cuts caught my attention, like ‘The Last Horses Of Avalon’ with its Black Sabbath-esque traipsing, although the resonations here are mild, mere murmurs of throwback rock with good intentions but little lasting impression.

Neil Arnold

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