Arrival At Last by Related: A Rock Odyssey Worth the Wait
Released in 2014, Arrival At Last by Germany’s own Related is a rock album that sneaks up on you like an uninvited but totally welcome guest. Flying World Records gave this gem a home, and boy, does it shine. With production handled by Matthew Tracy and Max Kühnel (who also wear about a dozen other hats between them), this album doesn’t just sound good—it feels alive. And let’s not forget the artwork crew—Lisa Schmittlein, Max Kühnel, and Sylvia Schmittlein—for making sure the cover matches the vibe inside.
Now, if you’re gonna dive into this record, strap in because it’s packed with tracks that punch hard and stick around long after they’ve played. Let me zoom in on two songs that really stuck with me: “Catching Fire” and “Break The Chains.”
“Catching Fire” hits like a sparkler on the Fourth of July—bright, sizzling, and impossible to ignore. Lukas Baumgartl and Max Kühnel penned lyrics that feel raw yet hopeful, all while the guitars do their best impression of fireworks exploding over your head. It’s one of those tracks where you can almost see the band sweating it out onstage, pouring every ounce of energy into each chord. I remember humming this for days, though my cat probably hated me for it.
Then there’s “Break The Chains,” which slams into your ears like a freight train powered by determination. This tune has grit—like, serious dirt-under-your-fingernails grit—and it’s impossible not to pump your fist along to the beat. The way the vocals soar over the heavy riffs gives off major "freedom anthem" vibes. Honestly, it made me wanna grab a sledgehammer and smash something metaphorical (don’t worry, no actual property damage occurred).
What makes Arrival At Last stand out isn’t just its solid tracklist or killer production; it’s how damn human it feels. These guys didn’t just slap together some chords—they poured their hearts into it. You can hear the late-night brainstorming sessions, the debates over mixing levels, the endless tweaking until everything clicked. Even little details, like Matthew Tracy mastering these bad boys, add layers of polish without losing the soul.
Here’s the kicker: as much as I love albums like this, part of me wonders if Related ever gets tired of people comparing them to bigger rock acts. Like, yeah, sure, they’ve got chops, but they’re carving out their own space too. Maybe someday we’ll stop trying to pigeonhole bands and just let the music exist, messy and beautiful and unapologetically itself.
So, would I recommend Arrival At Last? Absolutely. Just don’t blame me when you find yourself air-guitaring at 2 AM, startling your dog. Oh, and hey—if anyone from Related reads this, hit me up. We should talk about collaborating on a time-traveling rock opera or something. Because why not?
