The Narrow - Travellers

The Narrow's Hanu de Jong's nuanced but powerful blue vocals carry long melodic lines through tight arrangements of drums, base and guitar.

Hard rap interludes duel with metal power on tracks like "Lonely Lonely (Sunday morning)", with its classic opening of pretty acoustic guitar and ska-style vocals that explode into an early, ear-splitting, growling chorus.

Travellers is tastefully produced jointly by Emile De Jong and the band. It's full of clever juxtapositions, between stadium drum bursts and sudden dead silences, between ballad verses and a thrashing choruses. Interesting but organic contrasts within songs push the boundaries of what is safe in rock.

The eerie, low key electronics on "My ride" fit perfectly even though this song is virtually a genre shift removed (from Rock 'n Roll to Drum 'n Bass) from the track before. An alternative to the obligatory "Look, we're actually sensitive!" ballad perhaps? Following it, the fast spiralling waltz of "This is the way" is a perfect counterpoint.

Somehow, the Narrow make intelligent metal that takes all the right musical risks. Well, mostly - sticking the monotonous "Run with it" in the track four spot may have been a bad call. It belongs at the end with the remixes.

But all in all, The Narrow have made a world class, inspiring rock album. You don't need to be a metal head banger to be blown away.

- Jean Barker

WHAT OTHER CRITICS SAID

Their sound is powerful yet melodic, but the what really makes this band stand out is their ability to produce heavy music without trying to sound hardcore and screaming at every opportunity!
- Adele for ZaZone

Lead singer Hanu de Jong demonstrates a remarkable vocal rage akin to Arno Carstens, hitting haunting high notes and growling base notes with equal ease.
- Cape Town Today

'Travellers' brings the latest release by 'The Narrow', unleashing an album that smacks of nothing less than absolute world class perfection.
- Marq Vas