Pressure are a melodic and eclectic hard rock band hailing from Stockholm Sweden, fronted by vocalist Olof Jönsson and also featuring Simon Forsell (guitars, drums, backing vocals), Ignacio Arrúa (Bass), Emil Salling (Guitar) and most recently joined by Olli Violet on additional vocals. Forsell and Salling lead the charge with a distinct twin guitar attack that is rounded out by Jönsson’s committed and passioniate vocals, and with the addition of Violet on new single “Am I Too Old”, the sound takes a huge leap forward.
The name Pressure comes from the existential pressures and dreads imposed upon us by every day life, and the passionate and melancholy new single sounds just as weary as it does powerful. Referring to themselves on their SoundCloud page as “storytelling metal” is all too apropos. The story begins with a quiet, cinematic atmosphere that quickly morphs into that signature duel guitar attack, but instead of punching, they plead. It’s a stellar combination of vulnerability and classic rock power. The vocal harmonies echo power metal, even hint at Bon Jovi at times, but it’s the cinematic bent towards story-telling that truly sets Pressure apart from the pack. There’s plenty of classic rock crunch. It’s a bright and punchy mix that feels like melting snow in painfully bright sunshine. There’s beauty, tragedy, and some emotionally driven intensity throughout the song’s peaks and valleys. The complexity and layering of vocal harmonies are specifically impressive here, and do much to promise great things from this still fairly-fresh vocal combo.
“Am I Too Old” officially drops in all places where music is streamed on October 15th! Pre-save the song RIGHT HERE. In the meantime, you can check out the band’s back catalog on their Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud pages.
