Album: Bad Omens - THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND [2022]

Bad Omens' third album was the first record of 2022 I managed to follow along, with the release of the first single back in 2021 up until the full album release. I didn't have a lot of expectations going in, thinking it would end up feeling too generic - and don't get me wrong, I have a few minor gripes with this album - but it pleasantly surprised me.

The title track didn't click for me at first, I wrote it off as some weird amo-esque interlude tune, but after absorbing it alongside the full tracklist, I've grown to enjoy it a lot more. There is truly something clever about how the record is put together, giving it a pure coherence that makes all the tracks better than on their own. The whole is more than the sum of its parts, they say, but it's very relevant for this record.

A lot of the tracks on THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND seem to lean towards the more generic metalcore structure, or whatever word you'd use to describe the metal equivalent of pop. Catchy lyrics, basic pop-esque song structures, you know the deal. These songs aren't uncommon, and it's easy to fall into the trap of sounding so generic that you don't stand out, but Bad Omens seems to manage well at staying above the rest. Just Pretend and Nowhere To Go are such earworms that I'm more than okay with them sounding like they could end up on the radio.

My biggest peeve (which isn't very big, mind you) is how a lot of the tracks sound very mediocre without the album experience. The tracklist feels slight over-saturated with songs that are either too electronic or sound too much like interludes, a label that I initially put on the title track as well. After a few good listens, it's clear which of them are actually meant to be interludes/preludes and which of them just blend in too well that I mistook them for it, but as much as it contributes to the atmosphere of the album, I find it a weird creative choice. Regardless, I admire the experimentation in the electronic sector for this record, and it shines a bit brighter on tracks like IDWT$.

They definitely don't lose any heavy, if you're wondering. Breakdowns are alive and well in this record, and the heavy banger ARTIFICIAL SUICIDE has my headbang of approval. Noah's vocals are amazingly versatile, and for a vocalist that I thought was female at first, his range in both cleans and uncleans is impressive. The instrumentals aren't the most complex in the metal world, but that's never been the main criteria, and the boys in this band get the job done extremely well with what they have. Sometimes, simplicity is better, and this album is admirably enjoyable for that.

Rating: 9/10

Tracklist:

1. CONCRETE JUNGLE

2. Nowhere To Go

3. Take Me First

4. THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND

5. What It Cost

6. Like A Villain

7. bad decisions

8. Just Pretend

9. The Grey

10. Who are you?

11. Somebody else.

12. IDWT$

13. What do you want from me?

14. ARTIFICIAL SUICIDE

15. Miracle

Song: Motionless In White - Timebomb [2021]

The powerhouse goth-themed metalcore band Motionless In White have been on a roll, especially with their 2019 album Disguise, but this entry into their discography seems to see them entering a new cyberpunk-esque era. Incorporating more electronic and synthetic elements into their musical recipe, Timebomb is an amazing entrée of 2021.

You can already taste the new style in the first few seconds with a snazzy electronic synth melody, before they quickly introduce all their familiar heavy sounds. Chris' raw and brutal screams turn this song up to eleven, accompanied by amazing riffage and energetic drumming. The rhythm and intensity throughout the song is great, and it's what I've come to expect and love from Motionless In White.

Seeing their guitarist Ricky Olson taking up clean vocals for a majority of the song is definitely a new, and his singing is unbelievably good. Infusing their inspiring and heartfelt verses and choruses with that hopeful sound, it makes me wonder why they haven't introduced his vocals earlier. I also enjoy how the style of this chorus is slightly different from their usual, partially due to the new vocal dynamic, having more lyrics and focusing more on melody and meaning than catchiness and rhyme.

There's no shortage of heaviness in this song, if you're wondering. It's full of heavy moments reminiscent of 2000s metalcore, and the breakdown moments are absolute headbangers. The chunkage right after the second chorus has to be one of the most visceral experiences in the metalcore scene right now, and the screams accompanying some of these parts are just downright guttural. Something about the grit in Chris' vocals feels so unreal and demonic, and it's one of the best uncleans out there. One moment to spotlight is right before the final chorus, where all the instruments drop out just for Chris to deliver the word "saved" with the lowest and strongest scream I've ever heard from him.

There's just so much to love about this song, it's definitely a highlight from their discography. It's a very well-rounded song that has a lot of the signature elements that makes Motionless In White, Motionless In White. It's heaviness is on par with some of the heaviest in their overall discography, yet its cleaner parts and uplifting message adds so much dynamic to this song. One of the best metalcore tracks of 2021 for sure.

Rating: 4.5/5

Lyric Of The Week 08: Nothing Shameful

 "A medical dependency to you, there's nothing shameful that I wouldn't do."

Dance Gavin Dance - Nothing Shameful (feat. Andrew Wells), from the album Afterburner

Album: Polaris - The Death of Me [2020]

Polaris made a name for themselves with the debut album The Mortal Coil, and proved that they were absolutely here to stay with their outstanding follow-up The Death of Me. Their unique sound that they put on the map with tracks like The Remedy and Lucid has evolved wonderfully on this record, as with their musicianship and songwriting.

The Death of Me boasts both an extremely heavy sound and an emotional one, with a fair amount of overlap here and there. Tracks like Landmine and Creatures of Habit have a neck-breaking guarantee, while tracks like Masochist and Martyr (Waves) will have you singing your heart out. Their versatility as a metalcore outfit is unmistakable, and their quality is unmatched.

The riffage throughout this entire tracklist is impeccable. Their guitarwork is very distinct from the rest of the modern metalcore scene and is pushing the sound in new directions, writing catchy riffs that defy convention and reinventing both breakdowns and chunkage in their music. Their vocalwork is splendid as well, with Jamie's brutal yet grounded uncleans laying out most of the record, and Jake's heartfelt and unbridled cleans delivering powerful choruses and somber verses. I love that they've taken the time and effort in this record to both develop and advance their techniques and styles. Some of the more memorable deliveries in this album sees Jamie focusing more on rhythm and flow, akin to rapping, in his screams, like in Pray for Rain, and some of the more emotional choruses in this album sees Jake delving into unclean territory, like in All of This Is Fleeting.

My favourite track off the record happens to be the pseudo-titular track Vagabond, whose lyrics are the only place where the album title is found. I personally like to think that Vagabond represents the album as a whole and thematically brings everything together. It's lyrical content about feeling alone in the world and the struggles that come with it almost perfectly encapsulates the sentiment of the album, and with it's unfortunately timely release in 2020, the situation of many in the world. I found the song itself to be a great catharsis, especially with the lyrics in the chorus, and I just can't help but appreciate good songwriting that can evoke such genuine, raw human emotion.

Polaris definitely has the talent and skill, but this record was a giant leap in their consistency in quality and I enjoyed spinning this entire album over and over again immensely. My obsession period with this album (like many others) is long gone now, but I have no hesitation letting it play when it comes up on the queue, and I sure as hell can guarantee I'll be headbanging, screaming along or both.

Rating: 9/10

Tracklist:

1. Pray for Rain

2. Hypermania

3. Masochist

4. Landmine

5. Vagabond

6. Creatures of Habit

7. Above My Head

8. Martyr (Waves)

9. All of This Is Fleeting

10. The Descent

Song: Porter Robinson - Something Comforting [Nurture (2021), 2020]

 

Porter Robinson's expertise in electronic music was clear from his debut release Worlds, and after a six-year wait, we finally get to see how his craft has evolved in his new album Nurture. Something Comforting came off as the second single for Nurture, releasing a whole year before the album itself, and has been my favourite track from him since then.

A lot of his signature sounds are featured in this track, including synths, artificially pitched up vocals, cheerful ambience and lovely piano melodies. We hear a lot more of his vocals in this track than usual, even with the altered voice excluded, and it's interesting how he can create such a unique dynamic between both vocals. The electronic elements and overall sound of this song is very euphoric, and I love the hopeful tone and message of the song.

It definitely fits the bill to be cathartic to some people, especially those dealing with perfectionism or depression. Knowing this song was written when he was dealing with it himself, makes this song feel so much more genuine and heartfelt, but there's no doubt you can feel the emotions he's injected into this track. His dual vocal dynamic with the higher-pitched version adds a lot to the song's essence as well, almost painting a picture of his internal dialogue, one voice being more cynical and one voice being more hopeful. When the voices match up singing the same line in the last few moments of the song, I always like to think that it's about getting through the depression and making it out, with both voices on the same page. The stripped piano segment at the end resolves the story in a positive tone, and it's just such an overall uplifting song to listen to.

Whether or not you relate to the message, this song definitely has that same monumental vibe that songs like Goodbye To A World have. I marvel at his ability to sculpt soundscapes so full of life and paint a picturesque visual specific to the story he's telling. Something Comforting, like a few other songs on Nurture, sound like lying down on a grassy hill staring up at the sky (which is a lot like the album cover, if he was facing up instead of down). The attention to detail in this song is unmatched and you can tell he's worked a lot on this song.

His iconic electronic sound is still very much alive and kicking, especially in this song, and this song is just a blessing to my ears. It's birthdate in 2020 definitely helped a lot of people through those tough times, me included, and it has a special place in my heart for what it meant to me then. A lovely tune overall, and I never hesitate to spin it when it comes up.

Rating: 5/5

"Nurture" Album Cover

Album: EDEN - vertigo [2018]

The debut studio album by the electro-pop maestro EDEN is a change in sound to his previous works, one seemingly more mature and toned down, more calm and collected. After his first two EPs, End Credits and i think you think too much of me, both of which were very electronically energetic and youthful, vertigo introduces a more refined sound, with thematic elements of self-discovery, retrospection, and emotional moments. It feels like a personal diary, looking through the pages of years-old entries and seeing the growth but at the same time remembering the highs and lows that have come to define him.

His prowess at electronic music and songwriting have clearly grown into full bloom, seeing his comfortability at both using it tastefully and completely avoiding it. His soundscapes are past the days of vibrant explosions and colourful moments, now featuring a more tranquil and thoughtful design. Although some points in the tracklist still have that momentary zestfulness reminiscent of tracks like Wake Up or Circles, the overall musical style has definitely become more serene.

Although EDEN has never been subpar at crafting meaningful lyrical content, vertigo is massively focused on the sentiment in his words, and in the stories they tell. I adore the way he can write about subjects so personal to him, in a way that feels vulnerable and distinct, while allowing us to feel a connection to these songs. Some of these tracks have a very poetic sense to it, especially the three tracks that feature a double slash separating two opposites for a title.

vertigo feels complete, from start to finish, as a work of art representing the emotional journey of personal self-reflection. The intro track wrong is so musically raw as an acapella and lyrically sets the scene for the starting point of the journey. Throughout the tracklist are a lot of songs written in his perspective, as he contemplates his life and relives moments, and allows emotions of happiness, sadness, anger and guilt show in his music, all with a hint of hindsight. The penultimate track, love; not wrong (brave), is a passionate declaration of hope, with a contrastingly positive tone and an inspirational message both to him and his listeners. Yet, the record closes off with a more sombre track, one that remembers the struggles and chooses to be more realistic, one that's still hopeful but knows the pains of living. A gripe some may have with this album is that the tracks don't feel too distinct enough, and although I do agree it's frustrating looking at the tracklist and not being able to identify the individual songs, I think it's addition to the overall album experience compensates for it. The way the songs blur together and melds adds so much to the immersion of the record, allowing you to sink into the music. 

I just love the humanness reflected in this album, it's full of sentiment and emotion, and leaves a lasting impression as a record made for the heart, if you spin it enough times to fully absorb it the way EDEN intended it to be heard. Of course, it's definitely not the easiest to listen to, with it's gloomier feel and lack of pop-esque hooks and catchiness, an aspect which did deter me at first, but I've learned to love the sound of it and nowadays I find it simply underappreciated. What I loved most about EDEN with his EPs, his ability to evoke emotion so authentically and viscerally, has been polished and touched up in this album, but doing so in a mature and poised manner, and I love that about it.

Rating: 10/10

Tracklist:

1. wrong

2. take care

3. start//end

4. wings

5. icarus

6. lost//found

7. crash

8. gold

9. forever//over

10. float

11. wonder

12. love; not wrong (brave)

13. falling in reverse

Lyric Of The Week 07: Flight Without Feathers

 "Nothing's ever tasted half as good as grief."

Architects - Flight Without Feathers, from the album For Those That Wish To Exist

Song: While She Sleeps - ENLIGHTENMENT(?) [SLEEPS SOCIETY, 2021]

 

While She Sleeps has one of the most unique metalcore sounds out there, and they still manage to redefine it with every release. ENLIGHTENMENT(?) comes off their 5th full-length record, SLEEPS SOCIETY, and being the intro track, gives you a good taste of the new direction that this album takes.

I adore the monumental feeling that this track has, with it's inspirational sound, the call-to-action message at the beginning and energetic elements. This song takes the cynical and nihilistic approach of their previous album, SO WHAT?, and spins it around to give it a more hopeful and optimistic tone, while keeping the realism and uncomfortable truths that While She Sleeps dares to talk about.

The diversity and range in this song alone, as well as the rest of the album, is such a wonder to listen to. They keep to their punkier, hardcore roots in some moments but comfortably lean into more melodic and anthemic styles in others, and it all fits together so snugly. The vibrant guitar riffage, courtesy of their immensely creative lead guitarist Sean Long, provides so much of the dynamics and energy throughout the song. Their openness to using electronic elements to enhance their sound is also very present in this track, a distinct style that they've managed to create.

Loz's vocals continue to take the stage and blow me away. His vocal performance and delivery has never disappointed and is only ever getting better, especially with their foray into different musical styles and ideas in this album. A moment I always look forward to hearing in this song, albeit not the most outstanding technique-wise but just scratches an itch for me, is his delivery of the line "Tired of waking up and feeling numb" in the second verse, there's just something about the grit and the low note at the end that embodies so much anger and emotion.

While She Sleeps' has such a unique brand of creating moments, whether it be breakdowns, hooks or solos, all of which they rarely ever do the conventional way. The guitar solo in this track almost doesn't feel like one, and as cliché as it sounds, it feels like the guitar singing another inspirational tune, and it blends in so well to the theme and message of this song. The breakdown in this song isn't just pure heavy (although there's nothing wrong with that), but rather their iconic blend of melodic riffage and intense chunkage.

ENLIGHTENMENT(?) is definitely one of their more on-brand songs, that represents their signature sound more completely. It's one of the highlights on this album and an absolute pleasure to listen and headbang to. This track sits highly on my own personal list for favourites in their discography, and I recommend this being one of the first few songs to spin if you're new to them.

Rating: 3.5/5

Album: Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent [2019]

Scottish musician Lewis Capaldi has been one of the most interesting artists to pop up in recent years, no doubt due to the massive explosion of success that he achieved in a such a short amount of time, and the unprecedented reach of his debut album. The best part is, every drop of it is well deserved and justified by great songwriting and undeniable talent and skill.

I remember watching a cover of Bruises at a small school concert, and to the credit of the singer it was well performed, but I found the song nice and went back home to find the original version of it, only to be absolutely astounded by the voice of this singer. It's unmistakable that part of what makes his songs so good is his utterly angelic vocals. Whether it's the emotion-laden grit, the Scottish tinge or the elegant control he has, his voice has been one of the more iconic and unique ones this decade.

I didn't catch the hype of Someone You Loved or Before You Go, but I eventually got around to listening to the album as a whole, the extended edition to be specific. I was (and still am) in awe of how impressive this debut album was, with a standard of quality rarely seen in first releases. His songs aren't production heavy, there's barely any fancy effects or sounds, it's just heartfelt singing over simple piano and guitar melodies, which only goes to show how talented he is at singing and songwriting, where even the most raw and unfiltered tracks sound amazing.

Every song, from the major smash hits to the deep cuts, are extremely polished and well made. Even for a pop song, which never needs as much complexity as genres like metal and EDM, you can tell there's a lot of thought put into his songs. Although it is true that his songs don't vary too much in style and musicality, they're all easy to listen to, emotionally moving and memorable. Headspace gets a shoutout for being one of favourites of the album, I absolutely adore how great of a song it is for having the barebones essentials, being one of the calmest songs on the album and being one of the least streamed songs (it deserves more but at the same time I enjoy the idea of it being a deep cut).

A good majority of the world can agree with me that this is a terrific album, and the critical reception for this album has been insane. His record-breaking career is barely a few years old, and this album is the testament to what can become of great potential and even greater talent. I love to spin this record when I need something soft or when my heart wants to feel, there's nothing quite like singing along to Lewis Capaldi when you're emotionally vulnerable, and there's definitely nothing quite like Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent.

Rating: 9/10

Tracklist:

1. Grace

2. Bruises

3. Hold Me While You Wait

4. Someone You Loved

5. Maybe

6. Forever

7. One

8. Don't Get Me Wrong

9. Hollywood

10. Lost On You

11. Fade

12. Headspace

Extended Edition:

13. Before You Go

14. Leaving My Love Behind

15. Let It Roll

(Extended Edition Album Cover)

Lyric Of The Week 06: NERVOUS

 "It's not enough to live in the dirt, and not enough to feign your concern, so say something, do something."

While She Sleeps - NERVOUS (feat. Simon Neil), from the album SLEEPS SOCIETY

Song: If I Die First - My Nightmares Would Do Numbers As Horror Movies [A Sure Disaster Split EP, 2021]

If I Die First's brand of modern screamo is a rare gem hidden in the dirt, at least for me. Their ability to blend so many elements together with so much ease and to create quality listening experiences that pack so much in so little time is unparalleled. Coming off of the Split EP with SeeYouSpaceCowboy..., My Nightmares Would Do Numbers As Horror Movies stands out as the best track on their half and one of the better tracks in their entire discography.

I've always found their fusion of styles very enticing, coming from a supergroup of sorts. Musicians with various backgrounds in emo trap, post-hardcore and metal combining their expertises to create such a diverse sound oscillating through all the styles effortlessly. Throughout this song, they toggle between two distinct sounds, one softer and one heavier, independent of the vocals. Softer sections featuring acoustic fingerstyle-esque riffs and electronics-focused percussion, heavier sections featuring metal drumming techniques and modern metalcore riffing and tapping, with some occasional blend and overlap.

For a band with four vocalists, it's interesting how they manage to cohesively utilise everyone in their songs. Uncleans and cleans rapidly switch each other out and occasionally layer each other or go into a call-and-response type beat, but never in an awkward or jarring way. All of their vocals are unique enough to stand out from each other, whether it be Lil Lotus' unique emo-tinged cleans and uncleans, Lil Zubin's high cleans or Travis' guttural lows. The drumming and guitarwork feels like a modern take on screamo fused with modern metalcore and post-hardcore, and there's just so much to love about the dynamic and genre mix.

As per classic emo and screamo songs, lyrical themes of love and dramatic metaphors accompanied by long song titles that may or may not be related to the song itself run common in their discography, and this is no exception. Catchy lines and hooks make most of their songs memorable and this song has plenty throughout, and even a minor nod to their first EP My Poison Arms.

If I Die First's catalogue is impressive, no doubt, but I personally think this song is their peak as of right now. Every element of their band is so well written here and there's no feeling of untapped potential, the vocal dynamics are excellent and the instrumentals are so well designed. Where some of their other songs fall short in feeling incomplete, rushed or slightly chaotic, My Nightmares Would Do Numbers As Horror Movies stands mighty as nigh perfect.

Rating: 5/5

"A Sure Disaster" EP cover

Album: Darko US - Darko [2021]

 

Modern metalcore/deathcore duo Tom Barber of Chelsea Grin and Josh Miller of Spite have been absolutely blowing up in the advent of the pandemic. Barely a year into their inception, Darko US has dropped one of the best metal albums in 2021, delivering a uniquely heavy sound and a hell of a time.

The talent and musicianship in this album is amazing. It has some of the most creative and catchy lyrical deliveries and drum grooves I've ever heard, and a generous amount of chugs to satisfy any metalhead out there. Their fusion of low-tuned chugs and blast beats, electronics, ambience and dissonant styles pay homage to both deathcore and modern metalcore while making it a sound unique to themselves.

Their call to heaviness isn't purely on how intense the music is, but rather with how expertly they play with balance, negative space and, in some cases, expectation subversion. Moments like the monotone "such" right before the first chorus of Pretenders or the build up to the breakdown of Pale Tongue, it's clear they know how to make their songs hit hard. Emotionally too, I might add, looking at the heart wrenching song Donna which is a tribute to Josh's late grandmother, or the soft piano instrumental If This Is Forever sitting in the middle of all the heaviness that's reminiscent of Bring Me The Horizon's Count Your Blessings or There is a Hell.

If I had anything to dislike about the album, it's that the title track seems to be somewhat underwhelming. Lacking any defining moments or catchy riffs and rhythms, the final track of the album somehow has less streams on Spotify than the instrumental interlude, which virtually never happens. But, to their credit, everything else on the tracklist are such straight up bangers that I'm more than willing to overlook this.

It's just hard not to be in awe of this band and it's capabilities knowing that, on one hand, Tom's vocal techniques are top of the game and his performances are incredible, and on the other, Josh's writing is phenomenally creative and the fact that he handles all the instrumentals is unbelievable, even if it's naturally percussion-oriented due to his drumming background. This album is just all sorts of great. It's fun, it's enjoyable, it's a great record to headbang to, it's so vibrant and full of energy, what's not to like?

Rating: 8/10

Tracklist:

1. Splinter Cell

2. Fiend Dream

3. Donna

4. Pretenders (feat. Ben Duerr of Shadow of Intent)

5. Praise The Sun

6. The Last Of Us

7. Daniel (feat. Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox and Johnny Reeves of Kingdom of Giants)

8. Mars Attacks

9. Pale Tongue

10. Insects

11. If This Is Forever

12. Darko (feat. Nick Arthur of Molotov Solution)

Lyric Of The Week 05: Vagabond

 "You don't have to walk alone to know what it feels like when nowhere feels like home."

Polaris - Vagabond, from the album The Death of Me

Song: Loathe - Is It Really You? + Sleep Token Rendition [I Let It In And It Took Everything, 2020]

 

Loathe has an impressive repertoire just in this one album, but the one that takes the cake has to be Is It Really You?. Born from an anonymous story of two lovers meeting in a dream, it's evolved into a surreal experience driven by Loathe's ambient electronic metal formula. The clean singing from Kadeem in this track is a stellar performance and one of his bests in the discography, especially with the gentle gracefulness in the verses and the powerful control in the choruses.

The guitars, drums and electronics need an extreme amount of credit for setting the mood so well, painting a soundscape to the likes of floating through the night sky or the midnight seaside serenity. The calm euphoria that this song manages to invoke is one of a kind, leaving you wanting to have someone to search the sky with.

Loathe is such a diverse band with a range of sound from the softest of ballads to the heaviest of bangers, and I'm glad they let Is It Really You? develop in full form without any need to try and infuse other elements into it. It's definitely one of my favourites from I Let It In And It Took Everything, like a centerpiece in an art collection, and sits comfortably in my heart's hall of fame.

Rating: 5/5

BONUS

The arrival of 2022 marked the start of Loathe's line of collaborative projects, and renditions of Is It Really You? were made with Teenage Wrist and Sleep Token. Admittedly, I didn't feel that the Teenage Wrist rendition was too unique, it was definitely a nice touch and felt different but it didn't seem worth commenting about. Sleep Token's rendition, on the other hand, is such a complete rework that it almost feels like an entirely new song.

Vessel's vocals are undoubtedly the main attraction in this revamp. Accompanied by just a simple piano melody, barebones with effects and electronics, they completely switch up the vibe and energy of the song. I admire how Vessel, with his angelic vocals, can seemingly change the meaning and sentiment of the song so easily just by singing it. Where Kadeem seems to tell a story about new lovers shrouded in mystery and euphoria, Vessel tells one of old flames reliving better times under the stars. (Well, personal interpretation anyways).

I'm just in love with the fact that two of my new favourite modern bands, both so outstanding for their unique style and quality, would come together for a collaboration, on Loathe's best track no less. It's two worlds colliding in the best way possible, with the best of both worlds lining up to make a masterpiece of a track. It feels like a dream seeing this happen, ironic for a song that feels like a dream in itself. Worship as one, as they say.

Rating: 5/5 (but you already knew that)