RISE are back with “Hard To Leave You” and I can’t tell you how long I’ve been waiting for another release from this Liverpool band. The wait was worth it. The band doesn’t waste any time here. The song kicks in with great energy from the opening seconds and keeps moving without giving you much time to sit back. There are a lot of details packed into it, with the guitars, keyboards, drums and bass all having their place. That is something I’ve always liked about RISE. They have their own way of putting rock and melody together.
The vocal melodies are strong, but it’s the chorus that got me. It stuck in my head and, honestly, I’m still replaying it while writing this review. That says enough. There is also a short guitar solo near the last minute that adds a nice touch without taking over the song. The song deals with the difficult point where a relationship may be ending, or maybe not. I like that the song leaves that question open rather than giving us an answer.
RISE is one of my favorite indie bands and they know what they’re doing. There’s real passion behind their music. This is exactly the kind of release I was hoping they would bring back with them. It has power, melody and that energy I’ve been missing.
