Greta Van Fleet Keep It Old-School In "Anthem Of The Peaceful Army"

It’s 2018, and one of the biggest rock bands on the market are a new version of Led Zeppelin. Whether you see them as rip-offs or a revival, Greta Van Fleet is a rising name in rock music, and their debut album shows why. Greta Van Fleet keep it old-school in Anthem Of The Peaceful Army, sticking close to their influences - almost too close.

For the most part, Greta Van Fleet stick by their comforts. Opening track ‘Age Of Man‘ brings the record to a pretty solid start, a nice atmosphere complementing Greta Van Fleet’s classic rock vibes. Anthem Of The Peaceful Army really shows that Greta Van Fleet have come to own this sound in a modern light, especially in tracks like ‘The New Day‘ which truly captures that old-school rock vibe, and in the warm and sweet ‘You’re The One‘ which has more of a poppy flair to it. ‘Lover, Leaver (Taker, Believer)‘ ends the record on a huge note, ending it with flair and energy. Greta Van Fleet’s sound shines best in ‘Brave New World,’ a track with lots of energy and a great balance of chill verses and big choruses.

The problem with Greta Van Fleet is a matter of how you see them. Are they ripping off Led Zeppelin, or are they bringing a classic sound back into the mainstream? At times, it certainly feels like the former is true. ‘The Cold Wind‘ sounds like it came straight out of a Led Zeppelin record, with the flair and cues to match. ‘When The Curtains Fall‘ sees more focus on the Zeppelin-esque vocals, which feels further like they’re just a good cover band. There are several places on the album where Greta Van Fleet seem to carve their own identity though, like in the awesome guitars of ‘Lover, Leaver‘ and the big, rocking story that is ‘Watching Over.’

Greta Van Fleet keep it old-school in Anthem Of The Peaceful Army, delivering a solid array of classic rock tracks in an attempt to really bring the sound back. It still seems like Greta Van Fleet don’t quite know who they are besides the fact that they’re inspired by Led Zeppelin. There’s no problem with being inspired by someone, but there’s a fine line between being inspired by and copying. This band has a ways to go to find their own identity, but hopefully they’ll get there in time.

Favorite Track: Brave New World

Least Favorite Track: The Cold Wind

Rating: 71 / 100

Stream or buy Anthem Of The Peaceful Army on Apple Music, and follow our 2018 Playlist on Spotify: