Motionless In White only ever seems to get better with time, aging like fine wine. A beverage that packs a strong punch yet tastes graceful, this band is no average alcohol. Scoring The End Of The World is their latest furious record, three years after the wonderful violet violent Disguise, boasting an even bolder electronic metalcore sound, peppered with brilliant guest spots and a ruthless tracklist.
Their most modern iteration of electronic-industrial metalcore was served on a tasting platter with the three singles released. Cyberhex was the first and gave us a taste of their new cyberpunk-metal sound. Masterpiece and Slaughterhouse showed us the ends of their range, from heartwrenchingly emotional to brutally heavy. In fact, Slaughterhouse is so perfectly heavy, I'd love to talk about it but I'll opt for writing a dedicated post about it.
The full record release was a blissful experience, no doubt. Motionless In White absolutely amped up the quality of their sound design this record, thickening the electronic gravy and seasoning. The overall sound just feels even more refined than the last, even more unique to them than it already is.
I love that more of the band is contributing vocals now. Even though I worship every face of Chris' vocal prowess, the addition of the other members' vocals adds so much to the dynamic of the sound. A good example would be the outro section of the title track, with Ricky's more optimistic vocals really putting the finishing touches on that song as a whole. I also love that they're diving even deeper into electronics, such as the synth-heavy track Werewolf, the electro-infused bangers Meltdown and Cyberhex or just the general inclusion of electronic maestros as guest spots, Mick Gordon and Lindsay Schoolcraft.
The duality of this record impresses me the most. Heavy gets heavier with this album, with tracks like Slaughterhouse, B.F.B.T.G.: Corpse Nation and Red, White & Boom, with a barrage of screamage guaranteed to satisfy any metalhead. Yet, cleans and anthemic elements shine even brighter, taking the spotlight on majority of the tracklist. It's an awesome sign when bands can achieve a diversity like this, as it means they do what they want, what they love doing. Knowing that Motionless In White won't ever give in to the people who only want heavy breakdowns, or to the people who only want pop-like catchy choruses, I can rest easy and listen blissfully.
It's definitely a record worth putting on repeat, and for me, one that trumps Disguise (although Disguise is still a really good album). Everything about this record is so well done, it's hard not to love. A 2022 favourite for sure.
Rating: 9/10