When listening to Atlanta hard rockers Royal Thunder, it can, at times, be tempting to focus your attention solely on vocalist Mlny Parsonz. After all, it’s Parsonz who was, for a time, part of a cult; it’s Parsonz whose breakup with the band’s guitarist, Josh Weaver, has driven the both the tone of and narrative around their new, sophomore album, Crooked Doors. And let’s be perfectly clear: Parsonz turns in standout work on the album. At the same time, ignoring the full picture here would be a great disservice to the band; this is every bit a collective triumph, and an altogether terrific exploration of endurance in the face of sadness.
Even with its wearying thematic backdrop, though, Crooked Doors isn’t really a traditionally heavy album. Weaver and new guitarist Will Fiore simply howl through their guitar lines with crystal clarity throughout, yet rarely crack even moderate distortion levels, by today’s standards. And sure, you’ll hear occasional similarities to the band’s contemporaries—the haunting intro and outro of “Forgive Me, Karma” recall Mastodon’s recent output, while “The Line” wouldn’t feel terribly out of place on a Baroness record—but then come the change-ups. There’s the slide-guitar swagger of “Glow,” the grungy, pulsating, rhythm section masterclass of “Forget You,” the subdued, two-part closer, “The Bear,”—Royal Thunder keeps finding new, metallically unorthodox ways to rip your heart out.
Admittedly, some of these end up working better than others. While the band’s emphasis on mood and vibe is admirable, it occasionally supersedes a sense of cohesion, leaving songs feeling like they’re wandering about aimlessly. The Mastodon nod on “Karma” is a neat touch, but it’s also a bit long for its own good on both ends of the song. Similarly, while songs like “Wake Up” or “Ear on the Fool” have their moments—question Evan Diprima’s drum work on the latter at your peril—neither really feels like it’s been fully realized on the record.
Fortunately, Parsonz serves up more than enough high points to offset the missteps. Her performance is the very definition of powerful, and feels like one that’ll linger with you months, or even years from now. Calling out the similarities to Heart’s Ann Wilson doesn’t nearly do justice here; Parsonz shrieks, croons, and even whispers her way through this thing with a rare kind of adeptness in each style. But her versatility truly comes to a head on the standout late-album track, “One Day.” It’s an achingly pretty ballad with a chorus that’s perhaps best described as a hard rock “Kiss From a Rose,” (seriously, listen to the thing) and Parsonz simply soars through it. It’s a song you’ll want to listen to on repeat, over and over again, if only to relish her outstanding work.
By the time the final notes of “The Bear II” fade into silence, you’ll have a hard time shifting your focus back to the album’s ancillary details. You’ll realize that what matters here isn’t romance, or a breakup, but rather the tremendous music those things helped to create. You’ll realize how little Parsonz’ religious back story matters when she can flat-out sing the way she does. And most of all, you’ll realize just how excellent a repeat-listener Crooked Doors makes—and how terrific an album it is in general.
Keep it heavy,
-Dan
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