Album review – PROSPECT HILL “Impact”

If I had to pick just one word to describe Prospect Hill’s heavy rocking album “Impact”, it would be “strong”. There is strength in the lyrics, which have a depth and a poetry about them that makes you really want to take the time to listen, and there’s strength in the music, with confident, skilful performances from all the band-members, and a production that layers in just enough orchestral elements and atmosphere to lift the sound off the ground.

Prospect Hill mentions influences from bands like Deftones, Sevendust, and Godsmack, and there are echoes and hints of that throughout, but the band is, again, strong enough to have its own character, no matter what influences run beneath. The vibe on this album is profound and dark, honest and truthful, with the deep, expressive voice of singer Adam Fithian giving the band an extra shot of personality. And to quote Pulp Fiction: personality goes a long way.

The tunes on “Impact” are painted in varying shades of darkness and light. Heavy rocker “Townie” is a great start to the album and an excellent introduction to the rich sound of the band. The drum and guitar-powered “Life Goes On” is another standout, mingling a sense of regret and resentment, while the music drives on hard and relentlessly. It’s followed by one of the most impressive tracks on the album, “Superhero”, which has a slower, more thoughtful vibe to it, and it’s the kind of track that sounds like already should be a radio-hit.

“Say Uncle” is more of an instrumental interlude, which might sound like a waste of time, but I actually love it – it has a moody, dreamy feel to it that just grabbed me.

The breakout tune for this band might just be “Come Alive” a killer of a track with the band’s strengths coming together: the heavy pulse of the music just barrelling into you, gleams of orchestral sounds peeking out, and passionate lyrics about the pain of addiction (“your soul plays hide and seek now only hides and never speaks / please quit this game and unveil yourself and all your ways”). It’s a tune that is both hard-hitting and beautiful.

One of my favorite tracks here is the slower and introspective “Reflections” – I just love its delicate, vulnerable vibe, and “Breakdown” is a tune in the same vein, gentle but intense – keeping the strong, heavy rock feel, but with more than a bit of heart showing through. The final tracks: “Time” and “Reach” are further examples of the band’s fully-fledged, ready-to-soar sound.

“Impact” is a heavy rock album with strength and heft in every bar of music played, and every word that is sung. It’s a dark and rich work, lit up by the poetic glimmer of the lyrics, and the band’s solid musicianship, and yes, it’s definitely worth picking up.

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