Words: Keira Knox
The Avelons, who are quickly making a name for themselves in the burgeoning indie scene, have wowed crowds with sold-out performances, edgy indie rock hits, and nostalgic songs about beers, crazy nights, and bliss. Alongside favourites like Vistas, The Clause, Stanleys, and Tom A. Smith, they have also merited support roles. 2024 is looking to be a memorable year for the band as they performed to their biggest audiences ever at The Cluny and the Isle of Wight Festival. With jangly guitar riffs, emotional vocals, and anthemic, harmonised melodies, they continue to enthral as they push further into their ever-changing, angst filled, indie sound.
Let me introduce you to ‘The Gallows’, the first EP from Geordie indie rock band The Avelons. One of the singles featured, ‘Blondie’, made its explosive debut in November 2023. Now, the guys are back with a conceptual three-track EP that transports fans to a world of suspense, excitement, deception, greed, and revenge.
The band’s debut EP begins with ‘The Prequel.’ A tune full of suspense, adrenaline, and the thrilling feeling of being pursued. The opening few seconds of the track are filled with an irresistible energy courtesy of thunderous drum beats and explosive guitar riffs. It sounds like something you might hear in a gritty tavern in a quiet area of a big city (and I mean that in a good way); it’s a punk/indie rock hybrid. Their sources of inspiration are evident from the musical styles of the 90s but also incorporate their own distinctive flourishes
The EP then takes a turn to a loud, furious, and powerful ‘Blondie’. From that initial beat, ‘Blondie’ exudes ferocity. The powerful instrumentation, which is typified by an unrelenting drum beat and a throbbing bassline, sets the tone for an intense and thrilling musical voyage. The Avelons have not only written a song, but an anthem that compels the listener to give it their whole focus. The deeper, more edgy sound that The Avelons have adopted for this track is clearly influenced by bands like Foals, Wunderhorse, Royal Blood, and Nothing but Thieves.
At nearly seven minutes, ‘The Gallows’ is an engrossing piece that greets you with a dreamy, upbeat guitar sound that develops into a beautiful melody. Around the halfway mark, the guitars get frantic, but the dulcet voices continue to filter through. It’s the ideal conclusion to their trilogy of songs thanks to its cinematic flair. The track is powerful yet unusual as if it were taken straight out of, what the band describe as, 1990s “neo-psychedelic Britpop” and placed in the centre of contemporary indie rock.
Following the EP’s release the band are set to play a homecoming headline show at Newcastle’s, Think Tank on the 23rd of November.
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