Guild Theory is a British alt rock duo with a vibrant vision. And the execution is flush with sophisticated techniques, dedicated to building progressive rock frameworks that astound the mind. Composed of Matt Smith (vocals and lyrics, synths) and Rob Lewis (music, multi-instrumentation), Guild Theory has just released their debut album, Streaks of Light Burn the Sky. Evoking sublime sensibilities and dreamy consciousness, the album is one of its kind.
“Cackled Smile” opens the album with glistening basslines. Their omnipresent fuzz spreads the gloomy jungle of riffs and beats. The melancholy of the vocals are mantric, inducing a seamless hypnosis. “Free From You” moves away from its predecessor’s palette. Sprinkled with gossamer lines of luminescence and buoyant melodies, its brand of gloom is more exhilarating. The vocals are immersed in its mood, forming within the whirlpool of despondence.
“Rust” follows with a sweeping melody pattern. The monotonal progression is pensive as it pervades the mind. Its gray mystique profoundly elevates the psyche and reveals a grand conscience. “Switch” forms on the heels of a bouncing beat motif. Among gleaming dots of melodies, disembodied vocal slivers sail through with a ghostly slumber. “Overgrown” forms like a stormy sky. The swirling vocals are parted by sizzling riffs, layered with resonant roar of the bass lines. And the emotions mushroom with the sordid tragedy of martyrdom and sacrifice.
“A Hundred Ways to Forget” rings with dystopian themes. Dark ethereal frames open the track, accessorized by morbid lines of synths that claw at our imagination and curiosity. “The Haunt” presents like a beam of light. Using orchestral structures, the artists feed it with wondrous shoegaze. The illuminating tones are elevated by translucent vocals. It journeys the listener across time and space to worlds that exist in the depths of the human mind. “Teenage Years” follows with gunning riffs and webs of silver bass lines. The vocal tone conveys the angst, chaos, and horrors of the theme.
“Outlaws” marks the beginning of the end. It opens the final arc of the album with psychedelic rock formations. With large vocal strokes and immensely complex riff structures, the listener can’t help but dissolve into the patterned consciousness propagated in the song. “No Time to Sit and Think” opens with golden lines of piano melodies. The idiosyncratic vocals spread through the soundscape, enveloping it in a dazed bloom. Shimmering riff fabrics leave silver mirages in the backdrop that disappear when you seek it out.
“Dark Machina” is a hard rock anthem. Driven by intense riffs and surmounting beats, it takes the listener on a retro space odyssey. Layered with hypnotic and surreal slates of rock, it is a high ride. “Captors” conclude the album with whispering backdrops and hauntingly enchanting vocals. Its slow rhythm is undulating, its fabric breathing with the emotion and sentiments written into it.
The album is available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music!
You can listen to Streaks of Light Burn the Sky by Guild Theory here –
