Like so many other independent alt-rock and metal bands over the last decade, Colours of One have favoured the EP format as the medium of choice by which to showcase material as they’ve built themselves a following, and over the last six years, they’ve had their share of trials and tribulations, losing two members, occupying different geographical spaces, and studio break-ins among their ordeals. They’ve been going considerably longer, though, having unleashed their debut EP back in 2009. This must make the delivery of their debut album all the sweeter for the Welsh quartet. Credit to them, too, for the fact that ‘Vessels’ is a proper album rather than a cobbled-together selection of highlights from previous EPs, with not even a single track from their 2021 ‘Apparitions’ release making it into here. ‘Vessels’ is a set of songs designed to hang together as a release, and it succeeds – although that doesn’t mean ‘Vessels’ is without variety.
The cite, among others, Jimmy Eat World and Smashing Pumpkins, so probably the last thing I expected to hear in the middle of the buoyant, catchy college-rock melodies of the album’s third song, ‘Eden,’, was a busting guitar break in the vein of Dinosaur Jr’s J Mascis. But then, they’re good at surprises: ‘Nail in the Cause’ is proper 80s stadium rock, while single cut ‘Bones of Hope’ brings together elements of Biffy Clyro and U2.
It's accomplished, and they not only have some solid songs, but an album that feels like it’s going places.
