Contraband sits very high not only in my personal list of 2021 favourites, but also when it comes to favourites from Make Them Suffer and Courtney herself. The signature Make Them Suffer sound is everpresent in this track but the heaviness is just about doubled with the addition of Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox and overall astounding musicianship from the band.
A dramatic intro spearheaded by a dramatic piano melody and violin additions provide this sense of impending doom, before the metal elements start to enter the scene. Then almost immediately, one of the best guitar riffs in this world sharply takes center stage, courtesy of Nick and his stylistically unique riffage that so strongly defines their sound. The rest of the track bleeds heaviness throughout, Sean's vocals wrathful as ever. Even during the chorus, where Booka's clean vocals briefly shine a heavenly light on the stage, Sean's response to call keeps the heavy alive.
Having a breakdown right after the chorus caught me off guard the first time but I loved it tremendously, it wasn't out of place and the moment I realised what was happening the headbanging ensued, but it definitely was a moment to remember. Harmonics always sound insane next to low chugs in a breakdown, and the usage of it in this riff is phenomenally creative. Even before the dust has time to settle, Make Them Suffer let's Courtney take over the killing.
I love the guest feature here, Courtney is a monster (or an angel, depending on the perspective) at what she does but I appreciate that she lends to their sound and style while managing to still sound like herself. It's a slight shame she didn't get to use any clean vocals but the screams are more than enough to love. The extra bit in verse two adds so much to the dynamic of this song's structure, Sean's surprise low is such a moment, and I love people's reaction to this moment in the music video as well (especially Nik Nocturnal :>).
The melodic bridge takes so much credit for giving the song it's atmosphere and vibe, the dark and ominous tones of the piano melody and ambience leaves you expecting something to happen, and the breakdown delivers. With the space that the bridge made, the breakdown hits amazingly hard and then harder, with the classic lower-and-slower formula that we all love. Sean goes so low it's unreal, almost demonic, and I love that Courtney shares this breakdown with him.
Overall, it's just one of the best put together metalcore tracks I've had the joy to hear, the kind that keeps getting better with every minute of its runtime. With such a highlight of a single, I'm excited to see where Make Them Suffer goes from here, if their 2020 album How To Survive A Funeral was already sublime and they still manage to outdo themselves with this banger. A standout of 2021 for sure.
Rating: 5/5