Formed just before almost the entire world went into a pandemic related lockdown, Orchid Symmetry have released a steady stream of digital singles and a couple of EPs since 2020. The best of the singles, 2022’s ‘Monsters and Demons’ eschewed most of the band’s heavier tendencies in favour of an ominous sounding riff that reworked alternative sounds from the 60s for a contemporary hard rock crowd. Parts of the melody sounded if they were distantly related to ‘House of The Rising Sun’, whilst other elements conveyed the all round moodiness of The Doors and the strange paranoia at the heart of Love’s ‘Forever Changes’. Despite taking various older elements and throwing them into a blender, a very natural vocal and occasionally abrasive guitar tone provided a more contemporary sound and also a very strong link with prior Orchid Symmetry tunes.

The band’s current single features one of their punchiest – and by association, most direct – arrangements to date. ‘Like The Sun’ opens with a thunderous, almost punky drum part. The heavy rhythm is then used brilliantly to underscore a chunky riff shared by bass and guitar that falls somewhere between garage rock and post rock, before the band change gears again to introduce a very moody verse that has a hint of early Muse colouring a more grandiose tone. The quieter moments – much like the quietLOUDquiet fashion for alternative rock in the early 90s – have a great impact on the chorus, since the brief lull ensures the main hook attacks in a brilliantly crashy fashion. When approaching everything at full pelt, the marriage between Damian Wilde’s guitar work and Chris Hill’s drums advertises the kind of unity that’s guaranteed to bring an immense sound to future live performances, whilst the bass work supplied by Will Spears shifts effortlessly between the number’s two musical extremes. On this track, Orchid Symmetry are a power trio in every sense.

‘Like The Sun’ comes in with a pleasing aggression, pulls the listener back and forth via riffs and hooks that manage to sound classic while bringing a contemporary edge, and subsequently stops dead with an alarming sharpness. Playing like three minute musical drive by, it’s very much the kind of track that’ll introduce the British band to new fans, while providing the perfect advertisement for their upcoming EP release.

The ‘Orchid Symmetry’ EP is set for release on September 5th. In the meantime, you can watch the new video for ‘Like The Sun’ below.