When we first heard that Blink 182 members Tom, Mark, and Travis have collectively decided to take on an indefinite hiatus (read: break up) we can’t help but feel disappointed because we may be seeing the last of a great band. We all thought we’d never hear another good music from any of the three members until Tom announced his new band, Angels & Airwaves.

I didn’t think that a new band, whether it is fronted by Mark, Tom, or Travis will sound as good as they did before simply because they sound good collectively. Their individual talents complement each other that’s why they kept on producing great music. However, Angels & Airwaves proved they can prove themselves as a competent band when they released their first album We Don’t Need to Whisper.

Tom proved that he is a formidable musician, armed with the right stuff to come out with good music regardless of which band he plays in. As the front man of the new band, his voice gave life to each of the tracks. He showcased his powerful vocals and gave gut-wrenching performances each time.

Since I don’t really expect the record to break barriers and knock me off my feet, it was surprising to hear a great album. It’s mix of good lyrics, strong guitars and percussion, nice rifts and arrangement, you are left with incredible music.

With Angels & Airwaves, Tom has taken on a more serious path. He, together with his new band mates, was able to create a great line up of songs that talk about war, love, loss, hope, and space. Each track can stand alone. Each track is brilliant in its own way. They have a more mature sound. The lyrics attempt to talk about serious stuff with more depth.

The band really showed their knack for playing the instruments in the album. They have placed a lot of importance in their intros. In one of the tracks, Valkyrie Missile, the intro ran 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Distraction had a 1 minute and 9 second intro. They carefully arranged the technical aspect of the songs. Their rifts are timed perfectly; the tempo doesn’t pick up until the time is ripe. The songs, whether slow- or quick-paced were meticulously composed.

The message of the whole album is what makes it very noteworthy. All the other elements, the lyrics, melody, rifts, and vocals all add up to make the message be heard loud and clear. In each song, you will feel the emotion behind Tom’s vocals. It will haunt you and hit home. The message is relayed through the lyrics, which at times, can be repetitive. The writing is good but not remarkable. Nevertheless, it still makes a good impact for the listener.

After hearing what Angels & Airwaves has come up with, all doubts and worries about how this relatively new band will fare in the music industry will vanish. Through their talents, collaboration, and previous band experiences, they were able to come out with a great music.