<rant mode engaged> And the weight of seven previous albums as the benchmark is quite a handicap for a new one to try to stand out against. I realise that art shouldn't be judged like this, but unfortunately I can't help thinking "I already have X, so what does this bring to the table that's better" instead of just enjoying it in isolation.
Anyway, the opener Don't Lose It fulfils the purpose of introducing the style of the album, although I was shocked to learn that someone thought it was special enough to make it the first single for the album! The song doesn't have many musical ideas, so IMHO it wears out its welcome after about two minutes.
Otherside's lyrics don't resonate with me at all, feeling somehow generic. And the situation isn't helped by the distortion effect on the vocals (sorry I'll be moaning about this quite a bit). To me it feels like the song heavily revolves around the chorus, which just isn't special enough to carry it off. Also the ending is weirdly abrupt.Harking back to the band's first couple of albums, Death of the American Dream is a wonderful injection of energy, thanks to the thrashy chorus. And the ballad-style ending is fantastic in a completely different way, featuring a beautifully sense of honesty and rawness.
Proton Pill also brings the intensity and faster tempo... but it's a mess of bland lyrics and disjointed sections. Also in the naughty corner is Amsterdam, which is bland in a slower U2-esque style. Then Rat in a Trap disappoints with awful lyrics, which is a shame since I really dig the instrumentals for sounding similar to The Ending is Just the Beginning Repeating.
Drop the Needle's musical style reminds me of Billy Idol's White Wedding. Again the lyrics feel quite generic, but just ignore them and enjoy the instrumentals of polished pop-rock goodness.
There's nothing quite like a catchy singalong chorus, and Wake up the Vampires hits the nail on the head. I also enjoy the industrial feel to the song, perhaps thanks to the drums.
Favourite songs
I diggit?
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