The first album by Envy of None – the first new post-Rush music from guitarist Alex Lifeson – very much conveyed the attitude of a musician moving on. The fan reaction, on the other hand, proved that many of his followers were incapable of doing so. Many of them were hoping for something prog based, or at least something hugely guitar oriented in the vein of his vastly underrated Victor project. What they got was an album full of hooky songs that sounded like the missing link between ‘Blood For Poppies’ era Garbage and Chvrches.

Taken on its own terms, the music’s broad, melodic sound – coupled with great vocals from Maiah Wynne – provided something hugely enjoyable. Although the songs occasionally took a little while to sink in, it was an album that had more than enough potential to find its way under the skin of those willing to keep an open ear.

Three years on, the band’s second full length release, ‘Stygyan Waves’ shares a lot of DNA with the first record, but it’s easy to hear everyone reaching for rockier musical climes. Capturing the band’s quirkier side, ‘Raindrops’ creates an instant standout, firstly by attracting the ear with a bleeping, disjointed melody highlighting the electronica influences within the Envy sound, then by applying the band’s broad rock-pop approach to a mid tempo reggae rhythm. As everything builds around Andy Curran’s bass, the steady groove is overlaid by blankets of reverb, which makes Maiah’s voice sound even more other worldly than before. Lifeson occasionally drops in with some tasteful lead guitar, which, much like his work on the first album, seems more concerned with tones and textures than giving his fans the full “rock experience”, but in terms of experiencing Envy of None as a cohesive unit, this track is superb. Opening with a mechanical loop that sounds like a throwback to the sole Transister record and bits of Garbage ‘Version 2.0’, ‘Clouds’ makes no secret of this band’s chief musical interests, and its busy style is perfect for Maiah’s hushed vocal style. Perhaps a little more so than before, though, there’s a bigger concession to a melodic punch when slightly fuzzy guitars can be heard alongside some great rhythms, and Lifeson adds some superb melodic lines during a big rock-pop chorus, sounding like something modelled around a more commercial, much lighter Evanescence. Those who felt Alex took too much of a backseat on the debut – surely a conscious decision to ensure this wasn’t just accepted as “the Alex Lifeson Band” – should find some consolation here, since the already great track actually features a rockier coda where his guitar actually rises to the fore. As before, there’s nothing Rush-like about the sounds that emerge, but it wouldn’t be a great leap to imagine these riffs as a distant relation to parts of his Victor project from the 90s.

Working around a strong tabla rhythm and chunky bass, ‘Under The Stars’ immediately shares something very distinctive. Maiah’s breathy voice often feels like a contrast to the music, and occasionally gets lost beneath a sizeable musical backdrop. This is particularly the case when a guitar dominated chorus appears and Lifeson attacks with a fat tone that’s quite removed from Envy’s earlier work. Some of the music may sound a lot tougher, but the flowing vocal and shimmering sounds that appear during the latter part of the track immediately make it a classic EON piece, before ‘Thrill of The Chase’ changes the mood again with a stomping rhythm, chopping guitar lines and a few buzzing new wave inspired melodies. On the quieter parts of the track, Lifeson pulls out sharp edged tones that have hints of ‘Grace Under Pressure’ era Rush, but a filtered pop vocal, soaring melodies and a pumping bassline that’s purely about rhythm rather than complexity ensure this is a very different beast. Everything here comes together to create some fine melodic rock with a contemporary twist, but it’s especially great to hear Lifeson and Curran working together to create a very 80s sounding coda, whilst the addition of live drums lends the kind of punch that the first album – wonderful as it was – sometimes lacked.

You’ll find some much darker material here, too, not least of all the opening number ‘Not Dead Yet’ which yields a massive massive bass chug against a heavy drum rhythm, which presented as opening gambit, conveys a very different sound for Envy of None. Even when the chug allows for a poppier chorus with Maiah’s voice taking more of a dominant role, the steady tempo and punchy sound couldn’t be any more different from the debut. A couple of listens actually brings the best out of a track that’s rather moody, and as with some of the other songs, Lifeson’s guitar textures during the latter part of the performance add an almost cinematic flavour. Some of Alex’s more ardent fans might hear a link between this and a couple of the noisier Victor tunes once again, to the point where it wouldn’t be a great leap of the imagination to cast Edwin in the vocalist’s role here. There’s also a solid sound at the heart of ‘The Story’, a number contrasting fuzz bass grooves with a light, pop-ish chorus. The opposition of Billie Eilish inflected mumbles and an almost grungy backdrop is striking, and although the arrival of busy keys on a lighter pre-chorus is keen to remind everyone of a more traditional Envy sound, a mix of alternative rock, synth infused sounds and a pop vocal on the chorus brings together this second album’s chief interests in a flawless musical blend.

Elsewhere, ‘New Trip’ fuses mechanical beats with a more organic sound, creating rock-pop that flaunts perfect production values. The warm bass sound and an unexpected influence from Americana sounds within Lifeson’s guitar flourishes create yet another different sonic palette for Envy of None (Lifeson certainly wasn’t teasing when he said the band approached these sessions with more confidence and a willingness to experiment), but Wynne’s ethereal vocal creates a familiar lynchpin, allowing the song to be a potential hit with fans from first listen, and the title cut brings a fantastic listen to a close with a mix of 80s goth and world music melodies, set over a busy – almost baggy inspired – drum part and a wall of rocky guitars. Again, Lifeson can be heard pushing harder here than at any point on the debut, and yet he’s still working in a way that makes him just one small part of a bigger picture, showing how Envy of None are, first and foremost, a collaborative unit.

Those who disliked the debut are unlikely to be won over by any of the material here. It’s not by any means a carbon copy of the first record since it’s sometimes harder around the edges and the live drums lend a more traditional rock feel, but, again, it definitely doesn’t play safely in Lifeson terms or pander to the Rush fanboys in any way. As before, it’s fantastic that Alex can follow a musical muse whilst clearly feeling has nothing to prove. Those who “get” Envy of None are in for a genuine treat. And maybe – just maybe – this record will pull in a few listeners who missed the band the first time around. In adult pop-rock/light retro alternative terms, ‘Stygyan Waves’ is almost perfect – a record that captures a band moving forward but, much like the debut, deserves repeated listening and certainly rewards the listener who is willing to put in the time.

Buy the album here.

February/March 2025