Rob Howdle’s ‘Cry Of The Clans’ is simply a stunner of a single. Taken from his upcoming EP ‘It’s About Time’, the song takes listeners on a seven minute long journey, blending traditional celtic music alongside hard rock and metal. Typically, these genres wouldn’t be expected to work well together however Howdle’s expert craftsmanship flawlessly combines them all.
The song starts off gently with the vocals drawing listeners in and paired alongside the instruments, it gives the song a mystical and ethereal vibe. As the song goes on, it begins to find its feet before eventually taking on a whole new level. The vocals get heavier and the guitars and drums fill your ears with a delightful and thrilling structure of chaos.
By having a break from the vocals, with just the guitars, bass and drums carrying the song, it makes the vocals even more gripping and powerful when they eventually come back in. With the bass breaking up the harshness of the song by providing a layer of subtle warmth, it hooks you in and gets you excited to see what’s coming next from Howdle.
A blend of tradition and modernity, ‘Cry Of The Clans’ is an exceptional song which is setto be one of the highlights of the year in the Scottish music scene and leaves you eager to unearth ‘It’s About Time’.