With how successful their debut album WhiteNoise was, the stakes were high for PVRIS when it came to writing and recording the follow-up. No band wants to fall into the so-called “sophomore slump” so PVRIS have been hard at work, resulting in the highly-anticipated All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell.

A handful of songs had been debuted live or released as singles prior to the album release, giving the band’s devout fans a taste of what was to come. For the most part, PVRIS’ style remains the same, but lyrically there’s a maturity that wasn’t as developed on the first album. Comprised of only 10 songs, All We Know Of Heaven… is short but sweet, though if PVRIS’ past exploits are anything to go by then they will reissue at a later date with bonus tracks.

It’s three tracks in before we hear something that hasn’t been played live already. ‘Anyone Else’ shows a strength in lead singer Lynn Gunn’s vocals that has grown since the band’s first release, but also powerful instrumentals that really set the scene in proving PVRIS are more than just a fleeting trend.

The trio has always been excellent at being themselves; they refuse to conform to expected standards yet still managed to find unprecedented success. There’s something remarkably haunting about PVRIS’ sound but you can certainly hear influences from a wide range of genres, including the likes of R&B and pop. ‘Walk Alone’ is slow and sultry, then ‘Same Soul’ follows with a huge chorus exhibiting the phenomenal extent of Gunn’s range.

When it comes to wise words, All We Know Of Heaven… is second to none. Assisted by former VersaEMERGE guitarist Blake Harnage in the process, PVRIS is a breath of fresh air in the rock scene based on their lyrics alone as can be seen in, for example, ‘No Mercy’. “There’s blood in the water but it tastes so sweet,” is particularly hard-hitting­, proving this is a band is not to be messed with as they complete a ruthless delivery and distance themselves from the path of bubble-gum romance song-writing.