These guys are in head lining spots at many of the big rock festivals playing alongside metal bands, but from the first song of their new album, it's clear they are not metal, nor are they even rock music. They are pop music which is fine with me in and of itself, in fact, it reminds me a lot of Pierce the Veil's last album which was also pop. Just because a few phrases are screamed here and there does not make it any heavier it just makes it emotive pop music made by kids who grew up in the Myspace era. They get about as aggressive as Linkin Park in the second song. This does not mean they are nu-metal since Linkin Park was just a boy band with instruments. I prefer the poppier side they opened the album with as this feels like they are trying too hard.
"Top 10 Statues That Cried Blood" is a hilarious song title, but the song itself is pretty much Myspace-era pop-punk produced in a manner that might be easily marketed to the TikTok generation. It is too happy for my tastes, but little kids might like it. These guys are not as consistent in their songwriting as Pierce the Veil,, but "Limousine" is pretty effective. AURORA from Norway sings on this song as well. "Darkside" lyrically winks at Poppa Roach. So this band aspires to be the next wave of nu-metal, which given that is coming from millennials it only makes sense that it would have less balls than the first wave of nu-metal.
By the time we get to "Bullet w my name on" the songwriting has spiraled in the most middle-of-the-road formula you can imagine. I understand that Underoath also helps out with this song, but there are too many cooks in the kitchen making a mess of things. "N/A" could almost be a Bruno Mars song. if he decided to try his hand at emo-tinged pop-punk. The self-deprecating lyrics might be the best thing about the song. "Lost" is another pop-punk anthem straight from 1999. The real hero of this album is producer Zakk Cervini who has also worked with bands like Blink 182, Simple Plan, Halsey, and Poppy, which given his works, explains much about this album.
More pop comes pumping out with "Rip" which works well enough for me, I can easily hear this being a Poppy song. "amEN" is a little bit of a disappointment considering Glassjaw are involved, and I have much greater expectations from them. Lil Uzi Vert is also on this track, but his contributions are pretty negligible. The song is chaotic with little hook or purpose to it. There are interludes labeled as ost on this album that I am not even bringing up as they are sounds not songs. 'Die4u" might as be a Post Malone song. The album is quickly becoming something I am committed to enduring rather than something I look forward to listening to. They close the album with what amounts to a melodramatic power ballad. I do enjoy the more melancholy elements and think they would be better if they leaned into the more depressive side rather than selling out with radio anthems. I can even live with the auto-tuned vocals in this context. I will give this album an 8, I appreciate some of the glitched-out experimental moments and think they are capable songwriters though their intentions are misplaced and if they took an honest look at themselves and admitted they are really just a pop band, it would carry a more honest sound rather than having to dial it in during post-production.
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