Frank Iero and The Patience - Parachutes

It's been a rough few weeks for Frank Iero and The Patience. The term "parachutes" means a lot more to them now than ever. Imagine plummeting down to the Earth with nothing but gravity bringing you down at deathly speed. All you have to depend on is a parachute; a piece of cloth that is the line between life and death. The small things are sometime the biggest factors - that's what the band's second album Parachutes is all about.

If you missed the news, the band was recently involved in a automobile crash while on tour in Australia, causing them to cancel the rest of their tour dates of the year to recover from injuries and shock. In response, they released 'Oceans' ahead of the album, as a sort of thank you to their fans. In our review of the song, we highlighted the defeated vocals and the ironically relevant lyrics to their situation. It's a love song as much as it is a song about hope; whether he's talking about a love or an experience, the second chorus exclaims, "You’re still a part of me, the only part I enjoy, and I wish I still had a hold on you like you do, until you’re blue, around my throat." Something's a thrill to him, but can he let go of the high it gives him before it takes him over is the question.

The album's like one big release. It's punk rock textures serve as a means of exhibiting its angry cries. There are big and confident songs that bring out an almost violent atmosphere, like 'Veins! Veins!! Veins!!!' and 'The Ressurectionist, Or An Existential Crisis In C#.' Other's have a reckless abandon to them, fitting the lines of insanity with 'I'm A Mess' as well as just simple fun and lightheartedness in 'Remedy.' You have to love an album that can blend the lines of serious and fun in a seamless manner, and often times is the case with punk; it's a very malleable medium.

The slow burners on the record provide more introspection than the heavier songs. The folky, lo-fi recording of 'Miss Me' is a sweet and raw track, its country vibe making Frank Iero sound like he's singing in a Tennessee field. It's a lighthearted track, but it does have a sweet meaning to it. Closing track '9-6-15' builds up from a very calm, introspective recollection to an angry fire that burns until the album cuts it off. It's a song for Iero's grandfather - his namesake who died on the day the song's title lists. The song is full of beautiful, honest lyrics. It has a larger context of someone you loved or who changed your life leaving your life for good: lyrics such as "The days to come, and if i could ever put the past in it’s place / I think about it all the time / You made me feel like, I was more than enough" and "I curse the heavens that took you away / I think about it all the time / I couldn’t miss you any more than I do right now" really set the tone of the track. The song's more directly set to his grandfather, though, as the album ends in a sort of memorialization: "The greatest man that ever lived, he died September 6th / But the love in my heart and the fire in my soul are a testament that he never truly left."

Parachutes is an album about loss, but it's also an album about finding hope. Songs find themselves living in both pain and in love, the two extremes sometimes meeting in the middle. Frank Iero and The Patience have been through a lot, but their album has made their struggle all worth it. We wish them a speedy recovery, and hopefully they'll soon be delivering these songs to you live and full of the same emotions they have on the record; maybe even more.

Favorite Tracks: 9-6-15, Veins! Veins!! Veins!!!, World Destroyer

Least Favorite Track: I'll Let You Down

Rating: 80 / 100

Memphis May Fire - This Light I Hold

Christian metal's claim to fame Memphis May Fire are back with their new record This Light I Hold. The band's known for their strong messages that come with their songs, but they seem to forget subtlety when it comes to delivering them. 

2014's Unconditional might have been the pinnacle of the band's lyricism. Powerful messages were backed by poetic words and intense instrumentals. This Light I Hold feels like a step back from all of that. The instrumentals are solid throughout the record, but vocals and lyrics struggle with maintaining appropriate delivery.

The album begins on a high, for what it's worth. It opens big with 'Out Of It,' a big riff accompanying giant screamed vocals. It proceeds through with urgency and intensity before kicking in the classic Memphis May Fire cleanly sung chorus and building bridge. The song has a distinctly evil sound, showing the bigger meaning of the album and the passion of the song itself. You feel like you're being swallowed by darkness, the light in you being drawn out by something evil.

Another standout track on the record is 'The Enemy.' It starts the trend of songs with building electronics and guitars. Matty Mullins nails the vocals and melodies on the track, with the guitars also powerfully carrying the track. The key of the song is its symphonic parts, though. When they kick in, the song takes on a whole new level of urgency and drama. The brooding darkness of the track's epic orchestras help give it that theatrical voicing. The bridge is quiet, cleanly reverberating guitars echoing as Mullins' voice slowly grows and the pounding beat comes in to recreate the drama. 

That's where a lot of the praises on the album come to an end. There are plenty of standard of songs, but also many very lacking tracks. Lead single 'Carry On' is one of the first that really lacks what the album needs: meaning. If you're a band founded on your lyrics and messages, you have to make the lyrics good. We reviewed the song upon its release, and the impact it had them hasn't really changed. The melodies and instrumental are solid, but when you listen the words, they really don't offer anything of worth. The bridge blatantly claims, "I will never be like you / I'm not a puppet on a string / I'm not one of your machines / I'm not doing this for you / I'm not doing this for me / It's bigger than what you choose to see," as if he's run out of things to say in a petty argument. The line "Don't be to preachy if you want to be loved" is pretty laughable too, considering the nature of the band's lyrics.

The clean third verse croons, "Sell your soul for platinum / Sell the truth for gold / You can be the next big thing / If you turn your back on what you know" in the most standard uplifting lyrics there have ever been. There's simply just no point to them besides what you can hear directly, and that's a problem with much of the record. There are a bunch of very boring tracks like 'Better Things' and 'The Antidote' that really don't have anything worth remembering about them, standard lyrics not helping their case.

The few guests spots on the record are a hit or miss. Jacoby Shaddix features on title track 'This Light I Hold,' but it really feels like he isn't necessary. The only vaguely Papa Roach element in the track is the slightly distorted harmony in the choruses that come straight from the band's latest record F.E.A.R. He's there just for being there, really. The instrumental has a lot of punch to it, making it one of the bigger tracks on the album, but I just can't understand why Shaddix had to be there. Larry Solimon features on 'Not Over Yet' to the actual benefit of the song. He unfortunately only features for a short portion of the bridge, but his voice is almost childish, the innocence contrasting the nature of the track.

This Light I Hold is a step in the opposite direction for Memphis May Fire. There's not much going on it besides what the band was already doing, and worse than what they're capable of, at that. There's so much potential on this album, but the lyrics didn't quite make it there, and that's always what defined the band. Disappointing isn't the right word, but it really just doesn't come off as what you would've expected.

Favorite Tracks: Out Of It, The Enemy, This Light I Hold

Least Favorite Tracks: Carry On, Better Things, Unashamed

Rating: 67 / 100

Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage

Metal and theatric grandiose always blend well together - Avenged Sevenfold are the band to bring the two together with flying colors without fail. Their surprise seventh record The Stage progresses their giant sound even further. 

It's been a long few years for the band since the release of Hail To The King in 2013. The Stage is the band's first record with drummer Brooks Wackerman following the departure of their drummer since Nightmare, Arin Ilejay. The band also changed record labels, with The Stage being their first on Capitol. It's a confusing and impactful time for the band, and it'd probably be best to take things slowly and test the waters.

Nope. Avenged Sevenfold have done quite the opposite; The Stage borders progressive metal, songs featuring complex structures and multiple sections, the majority of the tracks on the record clocking in at over five minutes long. It's the band's longest record to date, beating out City Of Evil by a minute. There was surely uncertainty in the creation and risk of the record, but Avenged Sevenfold burst into it confidently and succeeded with flying colors. 

The record does, however, get off to a bit of a bumpy start. The title track 'The Stage,' also the album's lead single, kicks off the record, and if you read our review of the track, you could probably tell that I was not a fan. I'm not quite certain what it is; whether it's the lack of a clichéd music video accompanying it or the context of the record, the track certainly sounds like less of a trainwreck as it did upon my first impressions. That doesn't mean it's a standout; it's more like a mild derailment. There's a lot of things going on with the song, and it doesn't play towards the benefit of it. Wackerman doesn't make a great first impression on this track - and that's not his fault. It's the fault of whoever mixed and produced the drums on this track. There's never been a deader or messier kick drum sound than what you hear in the intro of the song behind the tapping guitar. The lyrics are just plain embarrassing, too; how can "Jesus Christ was born to die / Leave it to man to levitate his own to idolize / We’re simply sociopaths with no communication baby / I see your angle but we differ from our points of view" be acceptable in any song? The melody is still tacky and the parts don't really feel cohesive. It sets the foundations of what the record will introduce later on, but the song itself doesn't cut it.

The album only gets better from there; in fact, it gets better and better as it progresses. 'Paradigm' kicks in with immediately more impressive (and better produced) drumming and a powerful guitar riff, the verse furthering this as the guitar imitates the drums and M. Shadows escapes his shaky melodies from the former track and returns to his signature vocalizations, complete with an epic scream to really bring the entire song together.

Big riffs are a key element of any A7X record, and The Stage is no exception - in fact, it may have set a whole new standard. Creepy, dark powerchords dance with the thick rhythm guitars in the intro of 'Sunny Disposition' before the pounding drums drive the song through the chugging guitars and classic A7X melody. The song ends rather rawly, a peaceful and mysterious guitar line falls in line with an equally pretty bassline to end it all off. 'Creating God' also has a powerful riff, though pretty simple. It's just ascending powerchords, but there's something in the way it imitates a big bass synth line that makes it sound a bit robotic and all the more powerful. 

Electronics make a surprising debut as a key part of some songs on The Stage. Though there aren't any songs that fully blend the line between electronica and metal on the record, there's some toying around with the idea. 'Fermi Paradox' is the last place you'll expect to hear synths, its thrashing intro leading into powerful verses. You then meet the bridge of the song, synthy electronic keyboards supporting an amazing bluesy solo from Synyster Gates that shifts the mood of the song to something more retrospective. After one final verse, the soloing returns and brings the song to its end.

The album is closed by the fifteen minute progressive rock epic 'Exist.' It begins right away with arpeggiating synths and the same beautiful orchestral elements that build the previous track 'Roman Sky' and its tragic drama. 'Exist' is a sort of summation of the record - it's almost like the polar opposite of 'The Stage' - 'Exist' is a showcase of the mastery of every single element introduced on the record, while 'The Stage' hides in the shadows as an uncertain projection of what they wanted to sound like. The phenomenal, dramatic intro blasts straight into a thrashing mix of pounding drums and dual sweeping guitars. The song then bursts sporadically into both heavy and thick riffs until it hits its halfway mark, where the distorted riffs are replaced by another great, bluesy solo before clean guitar reminiscent of Radiohead's 'Electioneering' come into play and the first vocals of the song are sung. Shadows sings in a pained tone, "Our truth is painted across the sky / In our reflection we learn to fly," profound lyrics that emulate the searching adventure of the track. 'Exist' is a journey through space in search of an escape from the tragedies of Earth and to find a place for a chance at redemption; somewhere to start anew, unbound by any burdens of the past.

The Stage is a monster of a record. It may take a bit to get it up and roaring, but when it does, it takes metal to an epic level. Avenged Sevenfold hit it big with this album - it's by far one of their most introspective and honest ones to date. Despite all of the brooding changes and pressure on them, they burst into this new frontier with confidence and took it over and made it their own. The Stage is a successful experiment, though not free of imperfection - if it was, how would the next record be able to top it? Because if this is the direction they take, it certainly will.

Favorite Tracks: Exist, Roman Sky, Creating God, Angels

Least Favorite Track: The Stage

Rating: 87 / 100

Tove Lo - Lady Wood

When Tove Lo came out of nowhere in 2014, she took the pop world by storm. Two years later, her sophomore record Lady Wood is out to do just the same.

Lady Wood shows a maturity of sound in Tove Lo; the poppier sensibility of Queen Of The Clouds is gone and replaced with more personal, evocative music. What remains is the flawless sense of melody that she has; nearly every track has a captivating melody that is often times elevated by atmospheric instrumentals; 'True Disaster' is an early example, the bouncing bass synths pound below Lo's dramatic vocals as the chorus introduces dreamier, smoother melodies, each reiteration adding harmonies that build on top of each other to create one climactic, sensual final chorus.

The radio pop sensibility isn't completely lost, though. The single appeal of 'Influence' is almost palpable, the badass yet subtle vocal line screaming sexual desire: "You know I'm under the influence / So don't trust every word I say / When I'm under the influence / It's a blur, but I want my way," her being under the influence of lust. Wiz Khalifa features for that extra flair, his verse elaborating on the club scene and how easy it is to pick someone up by being natural (for him, sure). 'Cool Girl' has wobbly synths and a brooding synth that bassily supports the track with more badass delivery, the swagger of Tove Lo's vocal being supported by the bouncing, epic synths in the chorus while she warns, "I'm a cool girl / Ice cold, I roll my eyes at you, boy."

You really come to appreciate that this album isn't written to be something for radio success. That's just a convenient by-product of the record. Not pigeonholing herself to one sound that would offer easy success allows for some fantastic songs, like the infectious 'Vibes,' the beautiful acoustic guitar line in the verses serving as support for Tove Lo and Joe Janiak's verses. The choruses are filled with cavernous bass and slightly distorted vocal lines like BANKS's signature. The end of the song comes to a brilliant duet between Lo and Janiak, making you wish that was more prominent in the song without taking away from its quality. Beautiful harmonies are the signature of 'Imaginary Friends' and its slowly expanding choruses. The energetic synths dance innocently above the groovy beat and atmospheric soundscape. The climax of the fantastic instrumental of 'Flashes' results in an epic, confident moment towards the end of the record before 'WTF Love Is' takes the record out on a groovy, albeit a bit underwhelming ending.

Tove Lo really stepped up her game on Lady Wood. She always came off as an artist who really didn't care about the standard as much as she did the message of her art, and that's always worth much respect. She took risks in this record and they definitely paid off for her. Lady Wood is a great record all around with few, if any, dull moments, and that's a big statement to make for a pop artist with such a reputation. It's full of desire and a lack of satisfaction, but in the sense that these are things she searches for rather than things she lets take over her - it's normally the latter for most artists who sing about it. She knows how to sing and what to sing to get her point across, and that's true talent. I already can't wait for the next record.

Favorite Tracks: Vibes, Imaginary Friend, Cool Girl, Flashes

Least Favorite Tracks: WTF Love Is, Lady Wood

Rating: 86 / 100

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys

Building a timeless legacy is a near impossible feat. To live on in others' hearts after you are gone is something we all strive for; it is the human form of immortality. Such an immense task it is to create that endless recognition, surely only the greatest of the great can achieve it.

The answer is both yes and no. Yes, it does take someone great to live on forever in such a way. But you don't have to be a legend to live on in others' memories. Anyone can be immortal. All that they have to do is live their life as they want to and be who they are - live life how you wish to be remembered.

People may struggle with that, and then, in turn, those who help them realize otherwise become the ones who will live on in their hearts. For millions upon millions, that's My Chemical Romance. Their music gave both the happy and the sad a place to confide in, whether for enjoyment or for hope.  

It's been three years since the band called it quits. Some may have called it the end of something life-changing, but can such a thing really just come to an end? Just because they have stated that they are no longer a group together, their messages and music will always be here, perhaps more alive than ever. That hasn't changed just because the band won't be releasing new material again.

It's been a decade since their magnum opus The Black Parade was released, so we've been reviewing all of their records from start to end this month: I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, and, of course, The Black Parade. We've now reached the end of the road (barring Conventional Weapons, but we'll save that for another time). The band saw a lot of change, from the punk abrasion of their debut to the anthemic, theatrical chaos of The Black Parade, but what they last offered up was something you might not have expected from them.

Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys is My Chemical Romance's final album, released in 2010. It may be the band's most eclectic record, but it also isn't all that unfamiliar. In true MCR fashion, the record tells a story throughout its runtime. It's set in post-apocalyptic California, now in the Land Of The Fabulous Killjoys, where the rambunctious are the world's leaders while the outliers hide back in the shadows and stay quiet.

The clearest innovation on this record (for the band) is the emphasis on electronic elements. My Chemical Romance had never really delved into this space; their music took guitars and melody as their primary source of appeal, with the occasional funky instrumentation and piano finding their way into the music. The same band that wrote 'Welcome To The Black Parade' is the band performing 'Planetary (GO!)' on this record, the video game boss sirens introducing the track as glitchy electronics and sweeping synths fill the verses before the upbeat, dancey choruses kick in with bouncy beats and rhythm guitar punches in between. The message behind the track is essentially that life is short (the first chorus croons "If my velocity starts to make you sweat / Then just don't let go / And if their Heaven ain't got a vacancy / Then we just... get up and go," encouraging its listener to just get up and do what they want to with life), but it's evident throughout the track that the meaning isn't really meant to be the focus of the track. It serves its narrative purpose, but the main goal of the track is to get you amped up and get you dancing, pairing it with the bouncy synths and electrifying energy. The scenario is the same in 'S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W,' which shows a side to the band we've never gotten a good taste of. It's goody and has a sort of uncaring abandon to it - it's powerful and ballad-y just like it should be, but it's lacking of any darkness (in sound). The chorus is sung falsetto, the light vocals and bright instrumental making the song sound happy.

Electronica has a major influence on the record, making it stand out among the rest of the band's discography. It's also the build of 'The Only Hope For Me Is You,' its pretty, wavy intro leading into thick bassy synths that can be comparable to CHVRCHES in today's music. The choruses are closer to the MCR we'd all grown to love, rhythm guitar chugging with drive, the synth arpeggios running beneath them and Gerard Way's sweet melody. The song plays to a theme of the record that no matter how crazy the world may seem, you can always find your place in it and find the person you're meant to live in it with.

The album is completely electronic, of course; MCR does a fantastic job of blending their alternative rock flair with their new fascination with electronics. The best example is iconic single 'SING,' its intro up there with some of the band's most memorable moments. The verse is a brooding build as synths slowly grow over each other before a sweet instrumental underlies Way's encouraging chorus. The song has a drama to it that's very reminiscent of their past works, the drums and piano really creating urgency and even some darkness in the track. The bridge brings it back to basics, Ray Toro taking over with a confident guitar riff with layers of guitar that build up to make the bridge powerful and immense. It's one big call to arms, bringing all together to be free.

'Summertime' is a sweeter song that's not out to hype anyone up. It's just as good a blend of electronica as 'SING' is, perhaps with a bit more emphasis on the electronics, but it's remarkably more cheerful. The guitar solo in the bridge pairs with the bright, subtle synths perfectly. The song sees Gerard singing "if you stay I would even wait all night / Or until my heart explodes" in an almost confessional way, crooning about how love and his wife got him through some truly rough spots in life.

The track 'Bulletproof Heart' is the spiritual predecessor of 'Summertime,' though this one has more finality to it than hope. It actually feels like the appropriate summation of the end of My Chemical Romance. The unintentional foreshadowing unfortunately did not end up making saying goodbye any easier, but it does provide justification. The chorus has the submissive lines "Gravity / Don't mean too much to me / I'm who I've got to be," Way admitting that the intensity of the situation is of less significance than what it build him up to be. He isn't bounded by the laws or expectations everyone has of him; he has lived his own life and has become what he wanted to become, and that's all that matters to him in the end. The song ends in a huge, uplifting way, the choruses' Queen-esque harmonies pairing with a guitar solo to bring it to its dramatic, emotional ending. This song could've closed the record in an ironic but brilliant way.

With all of this sentimentality, we can't ignore the heavier, rawer tracks on the record. We don't see many with pure rock flair, but where it does exist, it's awesome. 'DESTROYA' is one example, the raw, tribal beat pairing with a vocal delivery full with reckless abandon à la the Beastie Boys, lovely guitar that imitates the vocal melody in the final choruses. The lead single 'Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)' (that took very careful counting) also has a rawer voicing to it, and while the whole "na na na" part of the song can be hard to swallow at first, they do grow on you and make the song all the much better. The guitar riff is all the hype, the chorus harmonies also making the song special. It's an underdog song, much like 'DESTROYA,' calling upon the dreamers who "want to change the world" to get out there and do it.

I claimed that 'Bulletproof Heart' could've been the perfect ending to the record, but the way it does end isn't all that bad. 'The Kids From Yesterday' is uplifting in the best of ways, the chorus lyrics really hitting hard in particular: "And you only live forever in the lights you make / When we were young we used to say / That you only hear the music when your heart begins to break / Now we are the kids from yesterday," stating that you can't live forever in a literal sense: you live in the memories you make. People may not recognize the significance of those memories every moment, but when you need something to rely on, they'll be there. Dr. Death, the radio show host that appeared in narrative interludes throughout the record signs out on 'Goodnite, Dr. Death' with a concert band performance of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' that concludes in earsplitting noise (thanks, MCR) before the final track 'Vampire Money' rolls in.

This is it - the final song in the band's discography (not counting the collections released after this record or bonus track 'Zero Percent'). Take a second to absorb that in, then forget all about it in the crazy fun of 'Vampire Money.' Way's obsession with death and its carriers followed him all the way to the end of the band. The album's closer a crazy and unrelenting in the classic My Chemical Romance fashion, the pure rock n' roll vibes and surfer rock solo blasting confidently with the same energy and craziness of 'Party Poison' with its Japanese spoken word and electronic explosiveness. 'Vampire Money' is a blast on the media, but like mentioned before, the meaning is almost lost in the track's sound. It's a big, confident, fun ending to a legacy that will live forever.

That concludes the story of My Chemical Romance. The final words of 'Vampire Money': "This party, I think it's way too loud. Going to have to turn it down a little, sorry" in an ironically innocent note. The band who both cheated and romanticized death "die" in a party on a light note. Perhaps that's what it was: this crazy, wild ride was a party. We had fun, we had emotions (at times just drunken euphoria, really), and at the end of all, we had to admit when we had had enough before we got ahead of ourselves.

My Chemical Romance is an entity that will never die, despite their constant obsession with death. They told brilliant stories and sent assuring messages to those who needed them. This band saved lives and gave light to others. The band may not be more than a memory, but sometimes memories are all we need. Their meaning will never be lost as long as we cherish what made them so important to us in our hearts for as long as we can remember them. Thanks for the music, My Chemical Romance. May we meet again one day - in heaven or hell, or maybe even here on Earth is yet to be seen, but we all know that the end is never really the end.

Favorite Tracks: Bulletproof Heart, Sing, DESTROYA, The Only Hope For Me Is You, The Kids From Yesterday

Least Favorite Tracks: The interludes (especially Goodnite and it's earsplitting screeching)

Rating: 95 / 100

Joe Budden - Rage & The Machine

Hip-hop is easily accessible, but not for the right reasons. The genre is often times victim of lack of variation, and that's evident in Joe Budden's new record Rage & The Machine.

The album has grit and dirt to it, and it deserves that; tonality is what can define hip-hop artists from one another. You get a sense of Budden's rich voice early on in 'Three,' the synth instrumental finding building with sections and layers of distortion, choirs, and brass punches all sounding under his thick delivery. The album's not all about his vocals though; female vocals provided by Jazzy spice up the record in 'By Law,' and again by Stacy Barthe towards the end of the record in 'I Wanna Know.'

The vocals are about as much credit as the album can get, though. Much of the rest of the record is bland and cliché: the story of an abusive drunk uncle in 'Uncle Joe,' for example. It's certainly nothing to joke about, but yet it's still a story we've heard of time and time again, and frankly there's nothing quite interesting about Budden's recollection of it. Many of the other songs fall in the "okay" category, with little, if anything, left to be said about them (see 'Serious' and 'Forget'), while other's just have you ask "why?" The very song that inhibits that is 'I Gotta Ask,' which builds itself up with cool lyrics before ruining it with its lyrics.

The album really has nothing to compliment. The first track is good, and the last song 'Idols' is about... well, his idols. It's a good sentiment, but like mentioned before, it's not something we haven't heard before. Rage & The Machine is another run-of-the-mill hip-hop attempt, not a complete failure but not giving anything of worth to the genre, further saturating an already saturated genre.

Favorite Track: Three 

Least Favorite Tracks: I Gotta Ask, Forget, Wrong One

Rating: 58 / 100

The Pretty Reckless - Who You Selling For

People have accepted that Taylor Momsen is no longer the sweet little girl actress she once was. She's the confident, crazy frontwoman of The Pretty Reckless who have finally solidified their threat. Their third record Who You Selling For makes that threat even more real.

There's a clear progression throughout the band's three records. It started with Light Me Up in 2010, a relatively easily absorbable record with an alternative rock focus to it. Their sophomore record Going To Hell was punk from the start, Momsen baring her bare body right on the cover. The album went more rock n' roll than the previous record, rawer and with more crunch. That leads us to Who You Selling For, which delves even deeper into the rock n' roll sound.

This band seems to work in reverse - their sound becomes more and more archaic and barebones as they release new material, and that's by no means a bad thing. That gives them a raw punch. This record is almost pure rock n' roll, banger 'Oh My God' being the first clear example. Opened by thick, lo-fi guitar riffs, the song's heavy drumming and guitars are backed by Momsen's raspy vocals to make the song sound even more badass. 'Wild City' is similar, the badass, big riffs sounding high when they kick in. The song's pretty stripped down until it climaxes, which provides for some sweet tension. The catchy, gospel harmonies give the track some extra dirt.

The melodies on this album find themselves being pretty barebones, too. There's a lot of southern influence on the record - from the gospel harmonies of 'Wild City' to the cowboy ballad 'Already Dead,' a lot of this record really envelops a desert mood. The slow brush of the acoustic guitar in 'Dead' flows like a desert breeze, walking through a ghost town as Momsen belts raspy with raw passion. There's a folk influence in 'Living In The Storm' despite its upfront and heavy instrumentation. It's a cool, groovy track with an epic bassline, an electrifying guitar solo at its end bringing it even higher. There's something about its melodies that really help it tell a story in the way of a folk track. The seven minute epic 'The Devil's Back' is another southern slow burner, though it takes a more reflective disposition in its vocals, ultimately ending up sounding like if Pink Floyd came from Mississippi.

There's not complete success in the record, though. The rock n' roll vibes get a little much in a few parts of the record. 'Take Me Down' is one example - it's good, old fashioned rock, and I'll give it that, but there's really nothing beyond that. It was a single, so it was good for setting the tone for the record before its release, but in context of the record it's just another track. 'Prisoner' focusses too much on its gimmick, using the slowly march of what I can only assume are prisoners as percussion throughout, making it seem like the entire song was focusses around that and only that. 'Back To The River' has the same issue as 'Take Me Down,' yet it's still passable and enjoyable. It's the title track 'Who You Selling For' that follows that crosses the line that makes it start getting old. Luckily, that's where the album turns to its southern half and things become interesting again.

The Pretty Reckless are getting rawer every record. They have a very genuine sound, as if their souls themselves are messengers of a lost genre. It's not every day you can hear a refreshingly pure rock n' roll record like this one. It's perfect for a long country drive, or perhaps watching a sunset over the Louisiana bayous. Who You Selling For is a very grassroots record, and we'd have it no way less. If it capitalized on different sounds rather than the same one over and over, it'd have been a masterpiece, but it'll have to settle for a good record to just kick back and jam too at the end of a long country day.

Favorite Tracks: Living In The Storm, Wild City, Oh My God, Already Dead

Least Favorite Track: Who You Selling For

Rating: 76 / 100

Korn - The Serenity Of Suffering

I'm sure the last thing you expected to see in 2016 was a nu metal revival. After the advent of Of Mice & Men's abysmal Cold World (read our review here), you'd figure that bands would've taken the memo that it wasn't going to work out. Korn may have proved that wrong, though.

Their twelfth record The Serenity Of Suffering is a return to their nu metal roots, the album cover even containing elements of their fourth record Issues. The Serenity Of Suffering takes everything the band once was and combines those elements with what they are now, creating a familiar yet intense body that's new yet reminiscent of another time.

The trademarks of nu metal were the anger and riffs, and that's very much present on this record. Right from the start, you're faced with 'Insane,' destructively deep riffs with various levels of distortion hitting you hard along with Korn's signature creepiness and terrified vocals from Jonathan Davis. Davis' voice is as strong as ever, his ethereal, ominous timbre elevating songs like 'Everything Falls Apart' to unheard of levels of paranoia that other bands couldn't even hope of reaching. The verses are calm, but the choruses are frantic and panicked, begging the means of an end. The bridge is even more haunting, his spoken word sounding like chants as if become increasingly angered and possessed.

The band channels some other forms of nu metal here, too. Corey Taylor features on 'A Different World,' bringing the times back to early Slipknot. The tradeoffs between him and Davis are powerful and both vocals show off their prowess. Taylor's voice falls in the line between anger and calmness - both equally terrifying - as his poetic sense of melody and rage become one. His shouts above Davis' melodic singing in the final chorus give the song a big punch.

The crown jewel of this album is 'Rotting In Vain.' The electronic intro builds creepily but won't prepare you for what's to come. We reviewed the song upon its release, but in the context of Suffering, it becomes a whole new beast. The electronics show the progression from The Path Of Totality's dubstep influences, replacing what could've been another spidery guitar line. The balance is perfect, heavy metal and electronica coming together in a fantastic way. Nothing can prepare you for how massive the riffs are. This song would be huge if it was released back in the early 2000s or late 1990s, because this is truly a nu metal epic.

Unfortunately, not is all good with the record. As is the problem with nu metal, the album becomes repetitive. There's only so much you can do with the formula of big riff into slowly intensifying verses and confident chorus. The riffs all sound the same in the second half, too. 'Next In Line' is a lesser version of the song that precedes it ('When You're Not There'). Nu metal needs innovation to become a different monster altogether - thus is the success of Linkin Park. The end of the record is exactly the reason nu metal died out - it became repetitive and there were not enough ways to combat it.

Despite it being repetitive, Korn has given the genre a solid footing for a revival. The new decade has offered a lot of potential for the genre. It's offspring post-hardcore may overshadow it in many ways, but nothing really dies forever. Take the power of The Serenity Of Suffering and put it into one or two songs, then find a way to build upon that for different songs and nu metal is back in action. Let's see if the flag can continue flying.

Favorite Tracks: Rotting In Vain, Everything Falls Apart

Least Favorite Tracks: Next In Line, Please Come For Me

Rating: 68 / 100

The Radio Dept. - Running Out Of Love

Electronic and indie don't normally come together, but when they do, it makes something great. Such is the case of The Radio Dept.'s fourth record, Running Out Of Love.

The Swedish trio dealt with a lot leading up to this record. It's their first since 2010's Clinging To A Scheme as a result of legal battles with their record label. The album was delayed by the battle, but it seems to have made the product all the more passionate. The album is about life in Sweden, and has a wide array of sounds to share.

The most notable part of the record is its electronic influence. The band has always had an alternative edge to them, but electronica definitely takes a more prominent stance on Running Out Of Love. 'Swedish Guns' is the first track to bare its sounds, beginning with urgent, bouncing synths as the track flows into its dark instrumental and melodies. The song's about the Swedish army's massive arms industry, despite it being one of the most peaceful countries. The song's summarized by the lines "If you want something done / Get Swedish guns," commenting on how the country's guns pose an ominous threat to its citizens and competitors, a statement on life in Sweden. The urgency of the synths that constantly punch in and out of the song are a testament to the mood.

There's a lot of cool instrumentation in 'Swedish Guns,' such as strings and woodwinds that appear in various parts of the song. There are a lot of little moments like that interspersed throughout the record that really give you something to look out for, keeping the album sounding fresh. The horn synth in the prechorus of 'We Got Game' is one example, the dark synths carrying on the chill vibe of 'Guns.' 

This album has two "states," as it were. There's happy and there's dark. Happier tracks include the sweet 'This Thing Was Bound To Happen,' its bassline carrying it above warm synths and a dance vibe. The melody is sweet and knowing, as if what he's singing about was inevitable. It's followed by 'Can't Be Guilty' with it's Radiohead synth beat and sweet acoustic guitar and bright, splashy synths. The music is peaceful and feels like a gentle mist settling on a garden in the early morning. There's 'Committed To The Cause' which sounds like it has more a conviction than darkness, the groovy bassline and bluesy guitar dancing in a threatening but intertwining dance. It has a lot of drive to it, with sweet synths and punchy pianos giving more punch.

Darker tracks include single 'Occupied,' its clapping percussion and synths providing both energy and an aesthetic to the track. It's dark, yet it is packed with energy that gives it a brighter overtone. It's more danceable than other tracks may be. It runs for seven minutes, building up with urgent synths and atmospheric bass synths. Much is the same for closing track 'Teach Me To Forget,' which takes the record out with gentle melodies and trap influences.

Running Out Of Love may have been long overdue, but the wait was worth it. The Radio Dept. has crafted a strong and eclectic record that seems to capture both the hard and the lovely times of living in Sweden. There's a lot of depth and a lot of atmosphere in the song, giving it a very wide texture that just doesn't get boring. It's a big record for The Radio Dept.

Favorite Tracks: Swedish Guns, Occupied, This Was Bound To Happen, Teach Me To Forget

Least Favorite Track: Running Out Of Love

Rating: 85 / 100 

Jimmy Eat World - Integrity Blues

Jimmy Eat World have been pumping out tunes for over two decades now. Nine albums later, Integrity Blues shows the band still has it.

The band has a very solid grip on their sound. It's very refined on Integrity Blues, but there are a few places that show some deviation. The first two tracks are pure alt. rock, 'You With Me' opening the record with feel-good, upbeat melodies with a slight somber recollection in them to truly achieve that sound. 'Sure and Certain' follows through with summer vibes, energetic, driven choruses and a sweet bridge with some tasty guitar licks.

The album has a generally positive sound overall, some tracks prioritizing emotion while others craft it into their groove. 'Pretty Grids' has emphasis on its emotion and melody, though it feels like, to me, the melody doesn't function in the way it should: it's too dreamy and feels a bit lazy. Emotional performance takes priority in 'The End Is Beautiful', the acoustic guitars and bittersweet lyrics culminating to sweet song that unfortunately is plagued by becoming too repetitive. The same is true for title track 'Integrity Blues', which features raw vocals and symphonic elements.

Integrity Blues isn't all about hitting somber memories, though. There are some jammier moments, albeit limited. 'Pass The Baby' starts of slow with a programmed beat and clean bass, slowly building up to the end with a big, jammy rock n' roll riff. 'Get Right' follows up and instead of building up to it, it starts rolling from the start. It's one of the most driven songs on the record, chunky guitars leading its verse under a badass melody. The choruses are groovy with subtle power to them. This one'll have you headbanging.

The album's end is the nearly seven minute epic 'Pol Roger'. It's a very summative track, seeming to take bits and pieces of every song and forming them into one big track. The slow build of 'Baby', the symphonies of 'Integrity Blues', and the melancholy melodies of 'You With Me' are just a few callbacks in this track. It's a strong end to the record, though it could've admittedly ended more powerfully. It's final minute is a fade out of ambience, which would be strong in different scenarios - this isn't one of them. It does feel, though, like a natural conclusion to the record.

Jimmy Eat World haven't lost their touch just yet. Integrity Blues is another solid effort from the band, and though it could've been better off with a bit more drive and power throughout it, it still holds up. The next record will be their tenth, and that's a big one: if it'll follow up the subtle emotion of Integrity Blues is yet to be seen, but there won't be many complaints if it does.

Favorite Tracks: Get Right, Sure and Certain, You With Me

Least Favorite Tracks: Pretty Grids, Through

Rating: 70 / 100