by Steve Joyce
Terrifying Angels is the seventh album by UK progressive alternative rock band Pure Reason Revolution, continuing a remarkably prolific streak: it’s their fourth opus since reforming in 2020. The first thing that strikes you is the album artwork. Stark, gothic and frightening, it’s evocative of the Weeping Angels, the nightmare-inducing living statues that traumatise ‘Doctor Who’ viewers. Terrifying Angels, indeed!
The disturbing imagery sets the mood for the frequently startling and often menacing music you’re about to hear. Tonally, it’s a dramatic shift from PRR’s previous album, 2024’s “Coming up to Consciousness” – a musically lush album of shorter songs and catharsis – whereas Terrifying Angels is more aggressive, visceral and angular. It has two songs of ‘epic’ length and five shorter songs across its 50 minute runtime.
Main songwriter Jon Courtney, with creative contributions from others including founding bandmate Greg Jong, alt-rock legend Paul Mullen and Courtney’s mentee Kenny Fitzgerald, has infused the album with attention-grabbing melodic hooks and arrangements that make the listener savour what they’ve just heard and eagerly anticipate what’s coming next. It’s an action-packed record!
Courtney handles lead vocals and much of the instrumentation with virtuosity, elegance and aplomb while Annike Shireen’s voice adds grace and ethereal ambience, with hers and Courtney’s harmonies being a standout feature of the album. Drummer Ravi Kesavaram propels the music with groove, dexterity and frequently astonishing power.
There are several impressive guest appearances, including Jong’s guitar, Fitzgerald’s piano and bass by genre luminaries Kristoffer Gildenlöw and Mariusz Duda. The writing and musical collaborations augment Courtney’s prodigious talent and deliver a vibrant, fascinating and exhilarating record. Courtney also handles most of the production duties, with mixing by Bruce Soord. The album sounds as splendid as discerning music fans have come to expect.
Album opener and lead single “Spin Like Fire” detonates into life with hi-octane prog metal riffage and rocket-powered drumming. The song is a perfect way to grab the listener’s attention. There’s a sense of urgent intensity here: tempo and instrumentation changes come thick and fast, and the memorable choruses provide an early opportunity for Courtney’s and Shireen’s gorgeous harmony vocals to shine. There’s a pulverising metal breakdown in the third minute, infused with spooky electronica, and a thrilling climax.
In contrast, “Black Arrow Acrobats” begins with a relatively mellow vibe, reminiscent of the previous album. This does not last for long! The song is an eight minute masterclass in shifting emotion and contrasting dynamics. It boasts the album’s most radio friendly chorus, an anguished Courtney vocal earworm (‘I’m tired of you, break all of this with your love’) and effective use of spectral electronica textures to intensify the song’s stirring prog metal passages. This is, apparently, Courtney’s favourite song on the album and for a while, I was tempted to agree…but even better is to come.
“Haywire Heart” is a stomping sub-three-minute hard rocker which channels the best of QOTSA at their rowdiest. A stripped back middle section and ethereal Shireen vocals provide the calm before an awesome storm of guitar riffs and another phenomenal ending. When this band rocks, they rock hard! The riffs are so glorious, though, I’d have enjoyed hearing them continue for longer – just occasionally, more is more!
The first movement of album centrepiece “Terrifying Angels”, a twelve minute epic, is atmospheric, mesmerising and with headphones on and eyes closed, you’ll feel you’re in a room with Messrs. Wright, Mason, Waters and Gilmour. Listen out for the single guitar note before the opening “And who makes Heaven?” lyric – it infuses this reviewer with a flush of tingled spine. Across its subsequent movements, the richness and potency of the writing, a collaboration between Courtney, Jong, Augustine Rampolla and Paul Damian Hogan, never lets up for an instant. The sound design, a notable strength of the whole album, is especially outstanding on this track. The full range of musical expression is experienced, from thrilling prog metal to ominous electronica, sublime guitar and keyboard solos, and haunting vocals. This is my favourite track on the album, and one of the best epics I’ve heard all year.
“Rumination Ruin” is bookended by riotous onslaughts of blistering energy, but don’t miss its short, dreamy middle section with a tasteful bass contribution by Gildenlöw. “Below Radiance” features exquisite piano playing by Fitzgerald, almost resembling a Chopin prelude. There’s a sinister sparseness to the electronica instrumentation, and the song builds dramatically in its final minute. It’s a good track but at just three and a half minutes, I like to imagine how great it would be to hear its strong musical themes developed into something more substantial.
The band’s longest ever song “Hold Your Wrath” closes the album. At almost fifteen minutes, the song explores a myriad of feelings and directions through multiple interlocking movements. There’s some mighty fine music here, but it’s the only song on the album where I felt a slight sense of drift; perhaps the arrangement could have been tightened up a little. That said, the track features, amongst many other highlights, a fabulous tom-heavy groove, radiant harmony vocals and prog metal passages evocative of “In Absentia” era Porcupine Tree. The ‘Light invincible’ section is an absolutely transcendent piece of music. I also love the lyrics on this song, which epitomises Courtney’s dark and expressive imagination.
Terrifying Angels is a brilliant album. Every song bulges with exciting musical ideas. It’s definitely one of those records that reveals more layers with every listen. Is it perfect? Almost! There are moments where I’d prefer the vocals to be more ‘front-and-centre’; some strong musical ideas leave you wanting more; and the album closer’s arrangement maybe could be tighter. These are minor quibbles. Make no mistake, this album is a highly enjoyable and rewarding listen. At turns eerie, majestic, beautiful and savage, Terrifying Angels is more than a collection of songs – it’s an experience in sonic adventure.
Released on September 25th. 2026 on InsideOutMusic
Order now here: https://purereasonrevolution.lnk.to/TerrifyingAngels-Album
The full track-listing is below:
1. Spin Like Fire 03:31
2. Black-Arrow Acrobats 08:38
3. Haywire Heart 02:42
4. Terrifying Angels 12:26
5. Rumination Ruin 04:25
6. Below Radiance 03:34
7. Hold Your Wrath 14:45
Band members:
Jon Courtney – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, programming
Annike Shireen – vocals
Ravi Kesavaram – drums
Guest appearances:
Greg Jong – guitar
Kristoffer Gildenlöw – bass
Mariusz Duda – bass
Nate Smith – drums
Paul Mullen – guitar, bass, keyboards
Paul Damian Hogan – keyboards
Augustine Rampolla – bass
Kenneth Fitzgerald – piano
Produced and recorded by Jon Courtney
Mixed by Bruce Soord
Mastered by John Webber
