Out 30 May
For a country known for its heavy rock scene, very few German exports manage to make it to our British shores, The Satellite Year are one of the lucky few.
Allowing themselves to blend into our somewhat more polite rock scene, the six piece band from Saarbruecken are not 'obviously German' like industrial giants Rammstein and have already gained attention in the UK for their 2008 EP This is Voltaire and their 2009 single Could You Try To Speak In A Higher Register.
Their album Mission: Polar Lights follows a very simple formula but the band manage to deliver their brand of electro-rock songs with impact, with each track on the 13 track album sounding distinctive rather than the album blending into one as they do in a lot of contemporary rock.
The band sing in English with only a small hint of an accent and the lyrics are, for the most part, free of awkward translation, making the music easily accessible for a British audience.
From dreamy pop tracks such as ‘C’ is for Competition to teeny anthems like Girls Go Movie, influences on the album are broad and some probably unfamiliar.
The tinkling keys of the synth complement the overall sound of the album rather than drawing the attention away from the main focus, traditional rock, while bringing The Satellite Year’s on trend for the current UK chart.
The drums, at times, sound overly processed which dampens the overall effect of the album, while the vocal interplay works well throughout, allowing various members of the band to share the spotlight.
The frontman delivers his lyrics in a high key throughout but occasionally we hear signs of a deeper range, which would have been welcomed if it had been made more prominent on a few tracks, adding a further dynamic to an otherwise solid album.
While The Satellite Year are doing what they do well, they aren’t breaking any new ground but fans of the likes of Madina Lake and Boys Like Girls will welcome the tourists with open arms if not a nice cup of tea.
Verdict: 3/5
FemaleFirst Antonia Charlesworth