Ö÷²¥´óÐã

Lighthouse:
Def: They serve to warn mariners of dangerous shallows and perilous rocky coasts, and they help guide vessels safely into and out of harbors. The messages of these long-trusted aids to navigation are simple: either STAY AWAY, DANGER, BEWARE! or COME THIS WAY!

Light can be a guide or a warning. A guide to the way out, offering hope and a passage to safety, or a flash in dangerous colours to make you stay away, soundtracked by threatening squawks. ‘Beach Light’ starts like the latter; panicking the listener with a wall of guitar-laden sirens, immediately dashing any threat that this might be a false alarm by singer Ewan’s first words to us “I’m dealing with a host of issues”. Axis Of… do not come in peace - they’re here to rally the troops, shine a light in your face and tell you to carry on, but no one mentions keeping calm. Fans of the N.Irish band’s previous two albums will know this. As the world retreated indoors, spending years working on ring light tans and indoor life, we had no reason to think Axis Of… might be the signal of light at the end of a long tunnel. However as we tentatively step outside again, hope again, embrace again, ‘Beach Light’ provides a fitting soundtrack. More forceful than their previous punk punts, and a refreshing honesty that may not be what we want to hear right now, but it’s what we need. Axis Of… aren’t here to comfort you, ‘Beach Light’ is a battle cry.

“Take a long deep breath...”