Depending on what you read, Greta Van Fleet are either the saviours of classic rock, or Led Zep copyists. The first couple of releases I would say they were definitely copying Zeppelin, as the vocalist was altering his voice to sound like Robert Plant – hence the voice problems he was having. His normal style is naturally a cross between Geddy Lee and Plant himself. But with this album, they have consciously changed direction slightly and it feels totally natural – and for the first time, I’m really liking what I hear.
From what I can gather reading the lyrics, it’s a loose concept piece based around ancient civilizations and loose biblical references. They still have that classic late seventies sound, but with a killer modern production. The Zep references will never disappear, but now instead of copying them, they be an influence. There is no doubt that Joshua Kiszka has an amazing set of pipes, and he seems to be stretching himself more this time out. In fact, the whole band seem to be out to prove something as the whole album is killer – and is highly recommended by me! Highlights are (and there are many): Broken Bells, Age Of Machine, and The Barbarians – but these are just my picks, I’m sure there is enough variation here to appeal to everyone. Well done Greta Van Fleet for proving me wrong.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
