PVRIS - WHITE NOISE (2014) REVIEW

PVRIS - WHITE NOISE (2014) REVIEW

PVRIS were quite literally thrown into the world of music back in 2014, using this hurricane of a debut as a weapon. The band have created an iconic introduction through the full-length that most definitely changed their lives.

Launching into the music industry like a meteor, this debut starts with an explosive, isolated drum beat to initiate ‘Smoke’, acting as a heartbeat to portray the birth of a fierce first album. PVRIS utilized this track as an opener for their live shows, an asset to their set through it’s powerful instigation of ‘This isn’t violence, this is just a war in my head’. Each carefully placed component of this track compliments each other, from the repetition of the guitars from start to finish, to Lynn’s crisp but raspy vocals.

Following impressive ‘Smoke’, ‘St Patrick’ was a crucial part in PVRIS’ timeline, the music video was regularly shown on the TV channel ‘Kerrang!’ - extremely important for the success of ‘White Noise’. Catchy and recognisable, the opening bassline invites the listener into the world of PVRIS - more than just a song on this full-length. ‘You give me something to talk about, something to talk about’ heard in the distance at first, then quickly gets louder with a single drum beat, detonating the track magnificently. This track takes you to another place, filled with an otherworldly capacity - making this addition to PVRIS’ discography timeless. Even though this track is primarily a fun and upbeat song, the lyrics ‘I think you’re a saint and I think you’re an angel’ paired with ‘A glimpse of bliss, a little taste of heaven’ share the same metrical magic. Harmonising over herself in lyrics ‘You’re a miracle’, Lyndsey excels her vocal range and hurls the track to new heights.

The third track ‘My House’ emits electricity from the first note, sharing the same spirit, this track being a regular encore for a typical PVRIS set and holds an important value to their live shows. Roaring ‘Haven’t you heard? I’m not yours anymore’, releasing an intense sensation through sharp, revengeful lyrics paired with trembling bass. Crowd participation is the main reason why ‘My House’ has a huge live reaction, the beats and enormous vibrations from the bass drum kicks off the crowd clapping in time with the bridge and last chorus to amplify the energy in the room.

‘Holy’ holds a different meaning and like every track on the album, contrasting to the previous track - holding a prevalent theme inside lyrics ‘You’re a poor, unfortunate soul’. Religious hypocrisy is the focus of this track, filled to the brim with sassy lyrics like ‘You’re just a ghost at most, a set of empty bones’ and a vigorous beat throughout to match. Title track ‘White Noise’ flaunts Lyndsey’s vocal range and again brings a new flavour to the album, portraying sides of a relationship through ‘Come the night you dim the lights and close the blinds, but I still see them running down your spine’. ‘Eyelids’ also follows the melancholic, sorrowful mood with ‘When I’m dreaming, I feel you leaving’, portraying how a relationship can feel.

‘Fire’ scolds with it’s lyrical excellence from start to finish, equipped with a criminal bassline and blazing drum beats to form an impeccable sound. Being a scorching addition to the full-length, lyrics from this track are so quickly transcended into a one sided battle with words, and PVRIS will always win. It’s an angry song, portrayed perfectly through ‘You can’t cheat death when you’re digging your own grave’ and also ‘You are a walking, talking corpse at best and I swear I couldn’t wait to get you off my chest’.

Charged energy cascades through the intro of ‘Mirrors’, feeding into ‘Darling, don’t be so shy - I’ll see you at midnight’. This track, again dissimilar to the previous tracks (as you could say for any of them) holds an iconic milestone for PVRIS, Lyndsey repeatedly hitting ‘I know you’re dead inside but you make me feel alive’ every night on tour.

Now onto ‘Ghosts’, which in my opinion, is a painfully underrated track on the debut - pushing, pulling and throwing you head first into ‘Why can’t you stay?’, continuously erupting with shaking beats and beautiful harmonies. Effortlessly displaying ‘I’m sorry I keep pushing’ with simple piano then, like a sudden tornado, the track starts up once more to finish perfectly with Lyndsey’s flawless vocal.

‘Let Them In’ is carried by Lynn’s ethereal but ferocious vocal, growling ‘I wanna feel something’, then illuminated by charming drums and complex guitar. This track felt surreal to see/hear live, to experience something so explosive as the whole band dynamic gelling together makes you so incredibly thankful to be alive for something so monumental.

There’s absolutely no criticism for this album, noting the fact it’s a debut but even so, zero flaws nonetheless - for their initial release it’s absolutely terrifying and will be hard to follow. ‘White Noise’ was shared with the world in 2014 (7 years ago) but still feels like new, PVRIS are a rare, timeless band and their legacy will live on through ‘White Noise’.