With an eye on the future and a heart rooted in rock’s storied past, TIME RIFT brings the rock ‘n’ roll time machine the world didn’t know it needed. Founded in 2014 by Justin Kaye, the band has seen various lineups over the years and now features Terrica Catwood on drums (joined in 2017) and Domino Monet on vocals (since 2023). In the turbulent year of 2020, their debut album Eternal Rock was released via DYING VICTIMS, and once live music returned, a series of electrifying performances across the American Northwest sharpened their sound to new heights.

Fast forward to the present, and TIME RIFT is ready to dominate. Enter their second album, In Flight. Drawing inspiration from icons like Motörhead, Led Zeppelin, The MC5, and Scorpions, as well as powerhouse vocalists like Sinéad O’Connor, Grace Slick, and Doro Pesch, the band fuses the raw energy of heavy metal with the infectious groove of rock. In Flight is a thrilling blend of vintage and modern sounds, making you question what era you’ve stepped into throughout its lean, explosive 31-minute run. Domino Monet’s arrival as lead vocalist is transformative, her versatile voice adding a new depth and edge—melding the soul of mid-‘70s hard rock with the grit of early ‘80s metal. Sleek, stripped-back, and bigger than ever, TIME RIFT is ready for takeoff. Buckle up—In Flight is here!

Review

I Am – The Spear is the first track to open Time Rifts new album. We start with pulsing bass lines before everything else drops in. Its a driving 4/4 beat with gritty guitar tones that rock things forward. Domino’s vocals are strong and invigorating adding extra height and power to the song. For some reason her vocals make me think of bands from yesteryear! A great start to this album!

Follow Tomorrow kicks things off with a bit of swagger. It is one of those tracks that feels somewhat moody in the instrumentation especially through the granular guitar and bass sounds delivered by Justin Kaye. As mentioned their is a long of swing especially in the drum play by Terrica Catwood and it works very well with everything else going on. Domino once again puts on a fiery vocal show that enhances the edginess of the bands sound!

Coyote Queen bounces in with a kick snare, kick snare pattern before the everything joins in effortlessly. To be honest I am digging the rough and unpolished feel of the music giving it a great sense of character. The lower direction of the vocals adds some flavour and I love in particular the use of dynamics especially on the choruses. A little solo brings listeners some electricity to the mix which is a great addition! I can’t help but want to dance around to this little number! Another great tune.

An instant sense of calm is felt with Into The Stillness. Close your eyes and listen to rung out acoustic chords and the soft gentle words of Dominoes Voice. They echo softly into the space that surrounds them. Everything feels delicate and light and sometimes tracks like this are what need to take a moment to disconnect restart our minds. At just under a minute and a half its short but warmly welcomed!

Thunder Calling is the perfect title for this song. The grit and rawness of the guitars returns with some nice galloping which will have impact on your ears. The band certainly feels more hard rock then metal but this song certainly dips its toes in the heavy waters. The music feels dramatic, exciting and at moments glistens magnificently.The solo feels like a big iron giant moving about which adds something a bit different to the song! It breaks down to the sounds of pounding toms and the words of “can you hear the thunder” before we are thrown back into a big hard hitting chorus to take the song out! This got me headbanging and is certainly a song ill be playing over and over again.Excellent!

Let us get our strut on with The Hunter. Get those fists pumping in the air and and heads bouncing. This is another crowd pleaser filled with attitude and groove. I wanted to stomp and throw myself around with out a care in the world! Half way trough it breaks away to a slower pace with big dirty chords and bass notes before picking up again to hot and sweaty driving guitar section. Even a ‘HUH’ on the vocals highlights this vibrant and pulsing song. Some breathing moments adds some sexiness to this already enticing and intoxicating song! Probably my favourite on the record so far!

In Flight throws its weight around so be careful not to get in the way!There is more intricacy to the hi hat patterns, ballsy more groovy bass lines and even some wah-wah in the guitar work! The short lead licks tantalise the taste buds and Dominos vocals continue to burn the house down! I feel the second half of the album is certainly more adventurous and alive than the first half.

Dancing With The Sun feels like a wild party where there is no control! Once again I am at a point where I can imagine every one jumping up and down sweating it out in an intimate club totally hypnotised by the music. There is so much energy and power that this song takes the album to a new height! And Domino just takes her vocal performance to another level. She digs deep exploding with passion and feeling that it literally goes right through you! There is even a moment which breaks down to drums and vocals that feels somewhat soulful before the whirlwind returns! Killer song!

HellBound closes the album with a bang! This slower to mid-tempo track pushes forward with unwavering momentum, refusing to let anything stagnate. Time Rift recaptures the moodiness, hunger, and raw edge we’ve come to love in their earlier songs. After the high-octane energy of the previous tracks, this straightforward yet impactful closer is the perfect way to round out the album. It’s direct, unpretentious, and leaves a lasting impression.

Conclusion

Well what can i say! I have only heard snippets of the band previous to listening to this album but I must say I am impressed. I loved how over the album, the tracks grew bigger, became more creative and expressive until they reached a peak point. They became more energetic more lively and have left me wanting more! If you want sing, dance, rock out and perhaps even break a sweat this one is for you!

TheNwothm Score: 9/10

Links

Bandcamp: https://timerift.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeRiftBand/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timerift_band/

Label: https://dying-victims.de/

Line-up:
Domino Monet – vocals
Terrica Catwood – drums
Justin Kaye – guitars, bass

From Portland, USA

Artwork:
Hickory Mertsching

Release date: Out Now!