Arised - My Son, Nothing Left, Run on Fumes

​Arised

My Son, Nothing Left, Run on Fumes
self-released; 2024

​​By ​Dino DiMuro
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Arised is a rock band from Norway with three newly released tracks: “My Son,” “Nothing Left,” and “Run on Fumes.”

The members have friendships that go back to the mid-1990s and recently added a new lead singer to lock in their new musical direction. The band describes their style as “instrumentals, melodic rock, ballads, and a few spiced-up cover versions of songs we enjoy.” The band does all its own writing, recording, producing, and publishing, releasing on their own Flathill Studios label.

The boys chose to start us off with a rock ballad titled “My Son.” Minor chord-picked electric guitars provide the intro, undergirded by a smooth blast of sustained lead. The vocals evoke pleasing memories of Greg Lake in King Crimson. After the extended intro, the song settles into slower tempo hard rock, with power chords supporting the vocals like a stone edifice. Though I have no idea what a Norwegian accent sounds like, I’m getting a sense that’s what I’m hearing in the main vocal lines. This track runs over five minutes, and it ain’t no three-chord wonder: I was constantly surprised by its many unexpected twists and turns. There’s a “composed” lead guitar section where the backing chords are almost symphonically constructed. The track ends where it began, with picked notes on the electric guitar (though the final fade is a tad abrupt).
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“Nothing Left” is a much faster metallic rocker, like a guitar army firing on all cylinders. The vocalist is a bit more upfront here, almost like the leader of a staged rock musical. It’s not speed metal; more like super energetic riff rock. More clever, accomplished lead soloing takes up the middle, unexpectedly moving up the scale toward the end. So wildly effervescent that I nearly got whiplash!
Our final track “Run on Fumes” starts with a guitar that’s as sharp as a straight razor cleaning out your ears through the headphones (and that’s on Spotify!). This track feels like the ’80s bands who were influenced by Cream and other power rockers, with assertive growly vocals, cranky guitars, and an aggressive rhythm section. And there’s not just a guitar solo but a sweet, note-perfect harmonic duet. The tempo kicks into overdrive for the final third, sliding into home with victory flags waving.
Three solid tracks waiting for appreciative ears. You know that’s you! Give them a listen!

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