On My Playlist: Top 5 Set For The Sky songs

It has been a long time since a live local band struck a chord in my heart and Set For The Sky did just that when I saw them live for the first time.
Their energetic live shows are worth any price of admission and the blend of alternative hard rock is enough to keep you singing and headbanging in one song. This is the best of both worlds from the Capetonians who have a flair for the unusual. The band as a whole stand out and that is a good thing. Their award winning debut album The Machine is a must listen and focuses on society’s many controlling factors and the need to break free. Set For The Sky consists of James Roberts (vocals), Alex von Gossler (drums), Trent Richardson (guitar) and Jeandré Viljoen (bass).
Honourable mentions
‘Broadcast the Outcast’, ‘Circle of Dreams’
Here are my top 5 songs:
5. Almost Sympathy
Alex von Gossler should get a lot of points for his drum work on this track, especially in the intro where his bass and snare combo sets this song in motion. Richards then shouts ‘who do you think you are?’ at the top of his voice to get the listener instantly hooked. One of the best lyrics of this song is ‘it’s not the dog in the fight, it’s the fight in the dog’ before a hard hitting riff takes the song into the pre-chorus and chorus which juxtaposes with the harder elements. Trent Richardson’s riffs also deserve praise as they keep the song flowing fantastically – they stand out but do not dominate the song and fit perfectly, not always an easy thing to do. Viljoen is solid on the bass and complements the teamwork on this song. Set For The Sky manages to highlights each band member’s skills in a song, which is really positive thing.

4. Fire Fire
The energetic guitar-based intro fires this song into action (no pun intended) before Roberts’s vocals, with his fast-paced lyrics in the verses, hit your eardrums with intense ferocity. One of the highlights of the song is the pre-chorus where Roberts screams ‘let’s go’, followed by a short, chugging breakdown riff that changes the pace of the song brilliantly. The gang vocals in the chorus also really suit the song well and add an extra dimension to an already great song.

3. Left Behind
The intro to this song just screams epic as Von Gossler builds the song up together with pre-programed elements before the verse kicks in as Roberts and Von Gossler combine their vocals and drums, giving a clean and basic sound. This really works when the chorus kicks in as Richardson and Viljoen join in the chorus of ‘No!, we can’t stop this from happening, our feet are frozen and our lungs are burning’. Roberts’s emotional vocals amplify the lyrics to a tee. There is desperation and uncertainty in his voice as well as a sense of courage as he sings ‘this is a threat, there will be no warning, we will take you down like the monster you are,’ in true defiance. This is probably the best chorus this band has written to date and its singalong qualities also work well live. Hats off to the men from Set For The Sky.

2. The Secret Season
Electronic elements are the backbone of this familiar song from Set For The Sky, who broke into the scene with this energetic and loud track. The unique vocal style of Roberts really shines through in this song, especially in the chorus, as he really hits some difficult notes. I really like this song for its creativity and variety of electronic elements that give a dancing feel to the song. You should jump up and down to this track that hits the crescendo with a cool breakdown to end the song on a high note.

1. Live Like You’re on Fire
This is the hardest and loudest Set For The Sky song, which will get the mosh pits moving with numerous hardcore screams and breakdown sections.
Von Gossler’s quick, upbeat rolls on the drums also add to the dimension of the song. The second verse where Roberts and guest vocalist, Luke Edwards, simultaneously scream the lyrics as the song reaches fever pitch Z is one of my highlights. The song is all about living life to the fullest and getting out of a negative space in life. A fantastic song, where the ferocious instrumental nature of the song explodes in the bridge with another brutal breakdown. The melodic chorus is also one of my favourite elements. This is international quality from the men from the Mother City.