I needed some time to fall in love with the new Billy Talent album, but it happened. I surprisingly enjoyed California from Blink-182, it was really fun for me. Didn't really expected much from Revolution Radio, I wasn't for the singles, but after some listening it hooked me in and want to listen the whole album many times more. And then here's the new Sum 41... and I realised again, I have always been and will always be a Skumfuk and this band remains my ultimate, absolute favourite!
13 Voices is amazing, want to listen to it again and again, not just 1 or 2 songs, but the whole experience.
Somehow A Murder of Crows got me at the second time. It's really epic and brutal opening, that's definitely the big, movie score feeling that Deryck said about. Maybe it can't really stand out itself as Reason to Believe, but for now I don't plan to listen to only just 1-2 songs from the album and in the full concept AMoC totally works.
I guess Goddamn I'm Dead Again will be a favoruite amongst fans, I'm personally not into metal, I don't get pumped up at these elements, but I have to say it doesn't bother me at all: it just makes this album so much more varied, beacuse of this, I just can't get tired of it, yet.
I already said much about Fake My Own Dead: wanted to really like it, but somehow it just doesn't get me. I don't like those voice effects on Deryck's voice in the verses and the chorus a little bit boring, full of overused Sum 41 elements. Still, after the second chorus it gets better, I like the bridge and the last chorus with faster guitar parts sounds much better.
I like how Breaking the Chain starts, another epic movie score feeling, then it transform to a true rock ballad, I like its melody and the lyrics too.
There Will Be Blood is the kind of song that you could pump you up, like a warrior, a battle song. It's cool, I think it's different that they have ever done before, another example how this album is really varied.
13 Voices, a.k.a The Road of Out Hell part 4.
If it not in its meaning, but it reminds me of them. And I love. I love the crazy structure this song has with different instrumental parts, different tunes and how Deryck sings differently almost every part of the song. He could really give me that confused, mad feeling, when you don't what to do, who you should listen to. One of my favourite.
Can't say much more about War, except that I like how it follows 13 Voices, I think it's great how they put them one after one: 13 Voices is crazy, then War is a stop, trying to find out what's going on. Oh, and I like the finished version better which we got through Pledge and plays on the videoclip, I don't know why this was leaked. Will we get this version on the CD?
I just got love God Save Us All, all of the three singles it's the one that pumped me up and hooked me in instantly. Yeah, it's popish and therefore it has an inconsistent message as I said before, but the song itself is cool, energetic and I believe it would blow everyone's mind away in live!
Hope they will play it.
That part in The Fall and Rise... well, I can't say it's rapping at all, hence that was a little disappointment for me. It's rather an old school punk part, like a Rage Against a Machine and I'm not fan of this punk style at all. Although the song is good, I just wanted something like in Fat Lip.
Twisted by Design, just like for others, it's one of my favourite too, I instantly fell in love its melody when we first heard it in that teaser and it's so good to hear in full.
From the bonus songs I like Better Days more, it has the heavy sound as the whole album has, but still feel optimistic, I enjoy it a lot. Black Eyes a little bit featureless for me, I miss something extra. Although the first line of the chorus bugs me so much! It reminds me of another song's chorus, I just can't recall which song was it... I can even hear the lyric "This is not the end" on the same tune as Deryck sings in this, but I can't find that song. Someone?
The acoustic War: Honestly, this is the most unnecessary song on the album. Or in their career?
Seriously, this acoustic set-up adds nothing to the song, I don't feel Deryck tried here anything at all, the original version sounds way better. When they make an acoustic version of a song, I want to hear something different and I think it's easier if that original song is heavier or has different unstrumentals. I don't think War was a good choice at all, but I guess it's more personal to Deryck. But listen to Blood In My Eyes acoustic version: crazy how different it sounds and still how good it is, a complete new song. Breaking the Chain acoustic is good, can't say I want to hear it many times, but at least it has some different tones than the original, I can seperate them easily. Also, this version somehow reminds me the previous Marily Manson album, has similiar mood (Third Day of a Seven Day Binge).
All in all, amazing, great album with so many emotions which I really need now. It maybe helps me get better and I can't wait to listen it more and more! Proud to be a Skumfuk.