Picking one song that I wanted to talk about the most from The Generation Of Danger was hard, because I love so many of the songs on the record for so many different reasons, but I eventually settled on Shaken (not stirred) because it had the most variety of moments to dive into.
Tallah is insanely talented in everything they do, and it's really hard to accurately describe the skill level they're at. Justin Bonitz's vocals is definitely a core part of Tallah and it's appeal, but I will never let it overshadow the fact that the rest of the band is also immensely critical to the sound of the band. Whether it's the violently dynamic drumming, the insolent guitarwork or the tasteful turntabling, they all contribute very significantly to the overall nu-core sound that they boast.
Shaken (not stirred) sees Justin at his most diverse vocally, utilising some of the very extreme techniques in his arsenal. With his iconic sing-scream as a baseline, he goes for some brutally low growls and ear-piercing highs in this track, peaking with a mind-blowing whistle scream in the bridge. As usual for him, he embraces his own theatrical nature when performing, and it's evident in how much more animated and lively his vocals are, without a single hint of monotony.
The instrumentals don't shine too brightly in this song but they do such an important job of providing the foundation for Justin to do vocals over, and the foundation is rock solid. The tones are so distinct and unique but work perfectly for their sound (especially Max's snare tone, brilliant), and the electronic and turntable work really sells the chaotic nature of their sound alongside relentless riffing and complex drumming. The guitarists also incorporate some effects to spice up their riffwork, like pitch shifters and wahs, which just adds to the beautiful chaos.
The soundscapes are surprisingly orderly for how much is going on at any time. The drumming has so much personality and rhythm, the scratching is always where it needs to be, the riffs are never too complex but always just the right amount of chaotic. And despite how extreme Justin's vocals gets, he always enunciates properly except for when he intentionally doesn't want it to, and it's wild how clear his words are even when he's trying to sound like a demon.
I have a soft spot for the clean singing part in this track. Not only for the fact that it is clean vocals and feels very theatrical, but the production surrounding it feels so fresh and exciting for them. The choir going on in the background, the backup vocals, it's something that feels new for Tallah.
Justin has always had a knack for writing both memorable melodies and really, really cool lyrics. The chorus on Shaken (not stirred) is one of the better ones on the record, and there are also some great lines to boot. The whole "misfortune rang" section is brilliant, "I dared to walk the blurring line" is so cool and the secondary chorus melody is amazing.
I could go on and on about this song, there's so many subtle details that I've noticed from playing this over and over again that make the song even better than it is already. I haven't been this excited about a band, record or song in a long while, and it's such an amazing feeling to find amazing music again.
Rating: 4.5/5