'Release The Panic' - Red
Album Rating: 3/5 ***
Top Tracks: 'Die For You'
+ 'The Moment We Come Alive'
Since Red's best received album 'Innocence & Instinct' was released in 2009, it's been hard for the band to replicate the genius seen in popular songs like 'Ordinary World' and 'Fight Inside'. 'Until We Have Faces' (2011) was arguably Red's most polished album, yet it still fell short of its predecessor in terms of popularity. Here we see 2013, and the newest album from Red, 'Release The Panic'. Can we see Red reach new musical limits, or will they continue to be overlooked in the shadow of their best work?
If we start at the beginning, the opening track 'Release The Panic' introduces the album with an extended drum roll, and the suspense builds as the other instruments are added; the sound resembles something of a fusion between Disturbed and Korn. The vocal style remains distinctively to be that of Michael Barnes, yet at times can feel a little over-processed. Even so, it seems the juxtaposition of the screamed vocals with the harmonies in the background results in a song you can still enjoy rocking out to!
It is key to note that underlining the technical drum beats such as those in 'Die For You' and 'Perfect Life' is the issue of the over-produced, synthetic sound which first reared its ugly head properly in 'Until We Have Faces'. In some instances these sounds work well together to produce songs like 'Die For You', in which the combination of techno sounds, and a funky drum beat allows fluidity between the chorus and the verses; in other instances they don't work so effectively! 'Hold Me Now' feels somewhat cliché and lacks the ability to evoke raw emotion as convincingly as other tracks from their repertoire, which is a disappointing discovery considering the potential of these new tracks.
The album is generally well-written; there's a fantastic guitar solo in 'Die For You', and the heavier track 'Damage' combines distorted vocals and screaming alongside softer melodies. This produces a sound dissimilar to what you'd typically associate with Red, but it definitely works well within the genre so I can't fault it!
Despite this, I have to note that the tracks seem one-dimensional in places, often lacking the emotive and mature side of writing present in Red's previous works. Many of the tracks felt over-produced as I've mentioned, and the use of looping parts of the same song to save recording time were painfully noticeable. Some tracks like 'Same Disease' featured a promising, catchy guitar riff, but were let down by the vocal contributions sounding almost whiny in comparison.
'Glass House' starts like the beginning of a cheesy dance/workout soundtrack, but string instruments with powerful drums which tone down throughout the verses are introduced to retain the band's nu-metal image and save the song. The effect of the gentle verses with the heavier chorus allows you to both headbang, and connect emotionally with what you hear. This song makes for a nice transition into the closing track, 'The Moment We Come Alive'.
This last song is lyrically the best on the album, tackling the concept of 'living in a desperate time' where 'the truth [is] hidden before our eyes'; a Matrix-like concept that's often the focal point of music that encourages us to think. It's an optimistic track which tells us to 'reach to the sky', and 'come alive', making links here to the Christian principles the band advocates through the religious imagery of reaching out to God and finding the truth.
Artists change their sounds as time progresses so their work doesn't become stale and irrelevant. I would argue that it's not possible to replicate greatest albums over and over, however it is important that musicians constantly strive to outperform themselves. When it comes down to it, Red haven't managed to exceed their greatest album to date, but their current work shouldn't be measured by comparing it to their older work. The variety of tones and the range of styles that have been used come together in new ways to create an album worthy of recognition.
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I apologise that Coheed and Cambria's album review hasn't also been uploaded today, but you can expect that up in the next few days!
