Hailing from Amarillo, Texas, The Light Superior is picking up steam with their debut album “Dayspring.” I enjoy etymology, and so I had to look up this album title. Dayspring is an archaic term for dawn or early morning often used in older English translations of the Bible. There is an optimism to the word as to either the beginning of something new and bright looking into the day or the ending of something harrowing or frightful looking away from the night. I get a little sense of both on this quick album.
TLS was established in 2018 and has shared the stage with bands like We Came As Romans, Of Mice & Men, and The Browning early on in their career, growing a fanbase for their energetic live shows. However, it took until 2022, when they signed to Rottweiler Records, for their first release, a four-song EP called “I AM.” Since that initial release, the lineup shook up a bit to the current formation of Michael Grice on mic, Matt Grice on guitars and backing vocals, Chris Torres on guitar and Giovanni Alvarez-Jimenez on drums. Let’s take “Dayspring” for a spin.
This is modern metalcore, as heralded in the promo sheet, that does a good job of differentiating their sound enough to be unique. Synths, strings, and pianos play alongside the choppy guitars, off-kilter drums, and the dual vocal approach of harsh and clean. Similar to Prevailer that I reviewed earlier, it has a rather short run time that doesn’t quite make the half-hour mark. However, towards the end I can’t help but feel optimistic and hopeful as night turns to day during this “Dayspring.”
The most noticeable element of this album is the additional instruments that create more emotional nuance beyond unbridled aggression. The strings and synths in “Genesis” set an eerie stage for the drums and guitars to come crashing through, but the strings stay on creating a beauty vs. beast juxtaposition. Throughout the album little accents help to create interest when my brain is tempted to checkout. This element is most noticeable in the closing song which brings along Drive Thru Society’s string section to reimagine the album’s third track “Dark Moon” as a sweet ballad. Similarly, the gratuitous guitar solo in “Dayspring” by album’s producer and formative Phinehas lead guitarist Glenn Gizzi is quite the treat.
The rest of the instruments operate in a standard metalcore fashion. On their own, they are good, but don’t attain to the luminaries. Both “Dayspring” in its aggressive guitar work and vocals and “Revelation” in its circle pit anthemics show them at their best in this regard. I like when they stretch the rubrics in the use of lead guitars adding melody like in “Dayspring” and more harmonic character in “Solid Ground.” They know the genre well by never staying too long in one pattern, never settling for staleness.
The harsh vocals pump blood while the cleans create that emotional contrast. Similar to the instruments, they do their parts well, but there is room for growth. The harsh vocals I think are most consistent with a dry timbre. The clean vocals start the album in a subdued, almost in careworn apathy, character in “Ghost” and “Dark Moon,” but then become more passionate and heartfelt in the compelling performance in “Solid Ground.” My favorite vocal element though is the spoken word admonition in “Revelation” that recalls Moses talking to the Israelites to choose life. And may all who listen choose that life in abundance!
TLS provides us modern metalcore that hasn’t fully attained their unique identity, but different enough to be recognized. The short runtime saves them from some pitfalls and investment, which makes this feel like a transitory album. That sounds odd for a debut but given the recent lineup changes and a sense of learning their sound, that is how I interpret it. That said, it is a great album as a palate cleanser between listening to other albums as it has some good stuff both on the harsh and soft that is worth checking out.
Rating: 8.0/10
Written by Sean Bailey
Tracklist:
1 – Genesis
2 – Ghost
3 – Dark Moon
4 – Dayspring (feat. Glenn Gizzi)
5 – Solid Ground
6 – Revelation
7 – Dark Moon Reimagines (feat. Drive Thru Society)
The Light Superior is:
Michael Grice – Vocals
Matt Grice – Guitar/Backing Vocals
Chris Torres – Guitar
Giovanni Alvarez-Jimenez – Drums
Release Date: October 2, 2026
Record Label: Rottweiler Records
Discography:
I AM (2022)
Dayspring (2026)
Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Bandcamp
Video for Dayspring (feat. Glenn Gizzi)