Living In Tragedy was undoubtedly one of the most exhilarating first-listen experiences of the entire year. When I listen to music for the first time, there are very few songs that hit so hard for every single minute of it that I'm left with my jaw on the floor and my butt off the chair. This is one of them. Living In Tragedy is probably their most relentlessly heavy track in a long while. The least intense section is the chorus, and even that packs a punch. Everything else in the song is borderline lethal, whether it's the verses or the breakdown.
It comes in with a fade-in, which usually isn't something worth commenting, but they way they used it so tactfully that when the full drums came in it sounded like war, that's worth commending. The synths are pretty fitting for the kind of soundscape they're going for, especially transitioning into the first verse. I love how the verse flows and how he sounds, especially with the highs halfway through, and the chugs-and-lows combo later on.
The chorus is catchy, not their finest but fine indeed. It's memorable enough on its own but probably made more memorable by the rest of the song, but it's a classic clean-singing Currents chorus with nothing to complain about.
The second verse to buildup to breakdown combo had me absolutely floored the first time I heard it. Something about the climbing piercing synths, the pacing of the vocals and the drums rapidly increasing, the screams gradually getting more high to the point where he's shrieking, it's such an intense moment and I love it. Then there's a little bit of calm and you already know they're about to hit you with the deadliest breakdown they have at their disposal. With a little distorted scream and a little bit of war drumming, we get their best breakdown ever. Feral low-tuned zeroes, insanely sharp lead lines, disgusting vocals, violent lyrics, brutal drumming, it's nigh perfect.
They close it out with an extended chorus, one that ends with another growl and a super groovy four-on-the-floor beat. Like I said before, the chorus is solid, but after that second verse and breakdown? Nothing compares.
This song is legitimately one of the best metalcore bangers of the year, and such a standout on an otherwise unmemorable album to me. There was literally no question as to whether it would be my favourite track off of The Death We Seek, I knew it the moment I heard it.
Rating: 4/5