“When Lightning Strikes” is the latest release by SPIES, a powerful Austrian duo based in Vienna. It’s their first piece of work released this year, arriving as an appropriate continuation of “Playing With Matches,” a critically acclaimed full-length album released in 2023. Still, their new composition carries many innovations in songwriting, composing, arranging, and producing, showcasing a natural progression of an already incredible band. Soundwise, SPIES deliver their signature moves but is unquestionably elevated to the max. They expertly combine many different but complementary music genres to illustrate luxuriant sonic imagery. Perhaps alternative rock comes to mind first, but you’ll undoubtedly notice how some of the finest properties borrowed from indie rock, skater rock, and even some pop punk found their way into this sonic equation. They use all these additional elements as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, decorations, and other details to elevate their music to new heights while remaining loyal to the primary sonic direction. Therefore, these experimentations with many different but complementary styles resulted in a catchy, memorable, engaging track that will not only appeal to alternative, indie, and pop punk fans but also those looking for cleverly assembled and flawlessly performed music.
From the onset, it becomes apparent that SPIES poured heart and soul into their latest piece of work. “When Lightning Strikes” shines with all the qualities you ever needed from a modern rock song but also gives nods to that irresistible, hypnotic, addictive late nineties and early noughties indie rock nostalgia we all love and adore. They continuously levitate between all these qualities, creating such a magnificent sonic display worth repeating over and over again. “When Lightning Strikes” arrives with a perfect structure, garnered with many profoundly detailed segments, brilliant ideas, and outstanding orchestrations. Each vocal, sonic, and rhythmic maneuver has its place in this sonic equation, making this song a pleasant listening experience. Still, Maggie’s passionate, sincere, confident, emotional, powerful vocal performance steals the show here, as she commands attention and guides the listening apparatus through the expansive sonic universe from scratch to finish with such precision and finesse. Her impressive vocal range seamlessly balances between low, mid, and high notes, emphasizing everything they intended to achieve with this song. These vocal harmonies unquestionably contribute to the emotional depth while spicing up all those segments and instrumentations. You’ll notice how multiple vocal layers give “When Lightning Strikes” that recognizable anthemic vibes, usually hearable in modern indie and pop-punk songs. It’s such a nice move that uplifts this number to a new level.
In the meantime, Dan’s exceptional guitar works shape a perfect backdrop for all those vocals to shine upon. You’ll immediately hear all those interplays between rhythm and lead guitar, arriving from all possible sides and indulging the listening apparatus to the max. There are generously distorted chord progressions and riffs lurking from one side while the other resonates with catchy themes, melodies, harmonies, and other sonic delicacies. These thoughtfully assembled guitar works create a lush ambiance that remains constant from beginning to end. Each strum of a chord, harmony, melody, and theme is carefully prepared to bring some of the finest alternative, indie, and pop punk qualities to the table, and Dan ultimately succeeded in his intentions. These arrangements showcase SPIES’ passion and dedication to the craft. Of course, “When Lightning Strikes” wouldn’t sound so powerful without the equally impressive rhythm section. You’ll notice how all those intricate, vividly hearable, warm-sounding bass lines rumble beneath guitar layers, providing more than necessary heaviness, clarity, and depth while binding everything together with rhythmic patterns. These low-ends are deep, rich, and heavy, and they contribute more power to this track. In the meantime, the excellent drumming performance based upon tastefully assembled, expertly performed, well-accentuated, energetic beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics keeps everything in line while dictating groove and tempo. These rhythmic sequences are the core of the song that uplifts everything. SPIES thought about everything while writing, composing, arranging, and producing their track, so if the guitars act as a perfect backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon then the bass and drums serve as a backbone, holding everything together.
“When Lightning Strikes” is a modern alternative rock masterpiece, a song that rewards repeated listens. With its modern and retro qualities, it’s one of those tracks that immediately resonates with the audience. SPIES not only poured heart and soul into it, but also all their experience, knowledge, and ideas, proving they’re highly skilled and talented songwriters and musicians who know how to deliver a magnificent alternative rock experience. You should place “When Lightning Strikes” on your music radar as soon as possible. The single is available on all streaming platforms. Don’t miss it!
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