GRETA VAN FLEET SOARS
The Battle At Garden's Gate Is Superb
Rock phenomenon Greta Van Fleet consists of four very young band members, three of whom are brothers, and its highly anticipated second album is almost here.
The group, often compared to Led Zeppelin, formed in the early 2010s when they were still in high school. Guitarist Jake Kiszka stated that he carefully studied Jimmy Page, among other legendary guitarists, when developing his musical style. He also said that Josh Kiszka has also credited Robert Plant as an inspiration.
The young artists dropped their first official single, “Highway Tune,” in 2017. That same year, both their first and second EPs, Black Smoke Rising and From the Fires, were also released. The talented rockers had already built a dedicated fanbase in their home state of Michigan by this time, but the whole world would soon fall in love with their old-school sound and wild talent.
The following year, Greta Van Fleet rose to near superstardom as an opening act for another Michigan native, Bob Seger. They also made their TV debut on The Tonight Show, Starring Jimmy Fallon, and played at Elton John’s annual Academy Awards Party. All of it before releasing a first album.
Greta Van Fleet’s debut album finally came in October 2018, and Anthem of the Peaceful Army lived up to the hype. It debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. And that same year, the band received four Grammy Award nominations and took home the Best Rock Album award for From the Fires.
After more than a two-year wait, Greta Van Fleet’s sophomore album will drop in April 2021. The Battle at Garden’s Gate will, according to the band, have a more worldly and evolved sound than their previous work. The change comes from their desire to incorporate lessons learned from traveling and a desire to break free from the (positive and negative) comparisons between them and Led Zeppelin.
So far, four tracks have dropped from The Battle at Garden’s Gate. While they still have plenty of the rock features that made us fall in love with Greta Van Fleet, it certainly seems as though the album will have a new and unique sound. The tracks are more orchestral and dramatic, even cinematic at times. Lyrically, the songs are sometimes dark and introspective. We’re fascinated to hear what the album will sound like in full.
The Battle at Garden’s Gate is scheduled to come out on April 16, 2021.
