When The Storms Would Come is the long awaited debut full-length from Australian duo Timothy Carroll and Oscar Dawson, AKA Holy Holy. In the lead up to its release, the band have played some huge supports, sold out their own headline shows and built a devoted fan base from the ground up. As a result of all this development, When The Storms Would Come arrives sounding fully formed, cohesive and complete. Vaster and wilder than anything the group have recorded previously, the album is a darkly hued haze of guitar hooks, cavernous vocals and stadium-sized drums. All of this is filtered through a dramatic 1980s lens, with hints of Dire Straits and Bruce Springsteen creeping in.
Opener Sentimental and Monday sets the tone for the rest of the album, introducing Carroll’s controlled and tender vocals with Dawson’s lush guitar work floating alongside. Throughout the album Dawson proves to be an inventive and talented guitar player, providing an integral part of the Holy Holy sound. Lead single You Cannot Call For Love Like A Dog is pushed to the next level by the visceral shred-fest that brings the track to a close, while Outside Of The Heart Of It demonstrates Dawson’s ear for melodic ear worms. Elsewhere, the group return to their more psychedelic roots with A Heroine acting as a polished summation of their first EP. History presents a slow burning groove that’s accentuated by Carroll’s gritty, slurred vocal take.
The second half of the album moves into a more meditative zone, with Wanderer beginning as a sparse slow-jam before bursting forth into an anthemic chorus. Even in their quieter moments, Holy Holy know how to infuse their compositions with drama and tension. Holy Gin follows suit as modulated vocals swirl through washes of synth before an explosion of duelling guitars and pounding drums. It’s a testament to the inspired production that these tracks can sit comfortably beside heavier tunes and still sound thoroughly natural.
When The Storms Would Come is a dramatic album filled with hooks, exciting textures and ideas. Debut albums don’t get much stronger than this, and Holy Holy are set to go from strength to strength as they further both their career and their sound.
BY JAMES DI FABRIZIO
