Unquiet Nights Return With Guitar-Driven New Single Last Days of Rome
Formed in Belfast in 2010, Unquiet Nights have spent the past decade and a half carving out their own sound, mixing alternative and progressive rock with indie-rock hooks and some seriously impressive guitar work. A six-year spell based in Italy also helped shape the band's identity, giving them plenty of experiences to draw from.
With three albums under their belt, along with a successful run of singles that have picked up attention and radio airplay, the lads have built a solid catalogue of music. Now they're back with Last Days of Rome
, a standalone release that looks set to kick off another album project.
Last Days of Rome
Packs a Punch From the Start
There's no hanging around with this one. Last Days of Rome
’ bursts into life with soaring guitars, thrashing drums and a cracking signature riff that immediately grabs your attention. It's a big, guitar-driven opening, with the sort of energy that makes you want to turn the volume up another notch.
As the track gets going, layers of keyboards and synths fill out the sound, while the bass adds a melodic backbone beneath all that guitar work. There's a definite 80s rock feel running through it, although Unquiet Nights manage to give the whole thing a modern alternative rock edge.
What works particularly well is how the different instruments come together without getting in each other's way. The guitars do plenty of the heavy lifting, but the keyboards add another dimension, and the rhythm section keeps everything moving along nicely. It's a busy arrangement, but one that feels well put together.
An Italian Inspiration Behind the Lyrics
While the music is full of energy, the story behind Last Days of Rome
takes things in a more reflective direction. Frontman Luke Mathers found inspiration after seeing American sculptor William Wetmore Story's Angel of Grief in Rome, a striking memorial created in honour of the sculptor's late wife.
The sculpture got Mathers thinking about what lasts forever and what eventually disappears, ideas that became central to the song's lyrics. It's an interesting contrast to the driving guitars and drums, giving the track a bit more meaning than you might expect from its energetic opening.
Speaking about the single, Mathers explained how the music had actually been around for years before the lyrics finally came together:
The music itself for 'Last Days of Rome' is something we used to play for years in rehearsals, soundchecks and anywhere else without having written lyrics to it back then.
It's my favourite statue in the world, and made me think about the idea of what is eternal versus what is temporary.
It's easy to see why the band's time in Rome continues to influence their songwriting. Spending six years in a city with so much history was always going to leave its mark, and Last Days of Rome
feels like a natural way of bringing some of those memories into their music.
A New Chapter for Unquiet Nights
There's more to this release than just another single, too. Mathers has suggested that ‘Last Days of Rome
could be the starting point for a new album, with further songs drawing on the band's experiences in Italy. Given their fondness for concept albums, that's an interesting prospect.
Their third album, Seasons In Exile, followed a story across the record, and it sounds like the lads could be heading down a similar road again. If Last Days of Rome
is an indication of what's coming, there's certainly plenty to look forward to.
The single was recorded at the band's own Credential Sound studio before being completed at Manor Park Studio, where Neal Calderwood handled the mixing and mastering. The finished track gives the guitars plenty of room to shine, while keeping the keyboards, bass and drums firmly in the picture.
Final Verdict
‘Last Days of Rome
is a strong return from Unquiet Nights, bringing together big guitar riffs, punchy drums and a catchy 80s-inspired rock sound. There's plenty going on musically, but it's the story behind the lyrics that makes the single that bit more interesting.
The Belfast lads have delivered a track that feels both familiar and fresh, and if this is the first taste of a new album, it's a promising start. Fans of guitar-driven alternative rock should find plenty to enjoy here, and we're looking forward to hearing where Unquiet Nights take things next.
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