Review: Young Guns - Bones

 When shining High Wycombe quintet Young Guns first introduced to themselves to the world properly with 2009's Mirrors EP and 2010's All Our Kings Are Dead, they proved themselves to be a band with the capability to play rapid hard rock with a glossy hook-filled edge and a certain anthemic quality fitting in with the punk-like velocity, which is quite a rare feat musically. Sophomore effort Bones sees the group take this bold anthemic and hooky element to greater levels and ultimately creating a set of strong rock anthems. The type that could light up any stadium, without sounding like they've sold out.

 Maybe 2010's experience of playing sold-out arenas when supporting Bon Jovi has some kind of effect on the group and has encouraged them to become greater rock monsters. If this is the case, I'd say that they've done it pretty well, because an influence from Bon Jovi could go horribly wrong. I should explain now that my title of being a "rock fan" could be at risk because I absolutely can't stand Bon Jovi. To me their music just drags on and on to the extent that it becomes painful and I can think of little other social situation to be in as painful as being in a crowd gleefully chanting along to Livin' On a Prayer. It's an experience that drags along to the extent that I feel like I've lost at least five years of my life afterwards. What makes Young Guns so enjoyable is their ability to keep these these stadium rock anthems sounding fresh and gripping. They do this by injecting a post-hardcore velocity and energy into tracks like I Was Born, I Have Lived, I Will Surely Die and Brother In Arms which adds crunching jagged riffs to the giant hooks and stadium friendly grandness.

 That being said, Young Guns clearly display an ability to create massive hard rock anthems without the need for any kind of genre crossing here, as ballads like Bones and You Are Not are packed with emotion and hard rock perfection, as the vocals of frontman Gustav Wood have a sense of warmth and wisdom that makes tracks like these more awe-inspiring.

 We also have a chance to hear the group's efforts in revealing the true intricacies of their music and the layered textures from wailing background guitars and industrial synthesizers found in tracks like A Hymn for All I've Lost and Everything Ends, which reveal an extra creative and extra detailed work gone into album and production work of Dan Weller con only be complimented. This detailed soundscaping nature of Young Gun's music is heard best in brooding closer, Broadfields a ballad of missing the comforts of home and the hardships of loss and growth.

 So, more mature but still as energetic and hook-filled before, with the addition of more fist-pumping choruses designed to rock stadiums across the world, Young Guns display an ability to make prime, expert hard rock with a greater anthemic nature, while maintaining old post-hardcore mentalities and keeping riffs heavy and biting and emotions tight. If Young Guns are trying to become the biggest rock band in the world, the this collection of blazing and wise songs is very likely to take them one step closer.

Young Guns' Bones is out now via Live Forever Records. The band will tour the UK in March with Enter Shikari and Tek One.