Re: OID thoughts/reviews (The Leak Thread)
Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2019 8:50 pm
1. Turning Away
Really good opener, I love how it builds up slowly, first just piano, a little guitar, but when the vocals begin the instrumentals go soft in the background and then everything gets harder until the true Sum 41-ish chorus. The melody reminds me Breaking the Chains, with faster tempo of course. I especially love the part where Deryck sings 'I don't even want to try' with outstretched 'try', it just gets me everytime how good it sounds. I also think this song holds itself better than the opener songs from previously: I mean Reason to Believe is one of my favourite and I like A Murder of Crows very much, but they feel like they were created for the purpose to be an album opener than an actual standalone song.
2. Out for Blood
I said some bad stuff about this song earlier, but honestly it's grown on me big time! I still don't like the lyrics, but musically the more I listen to it, the more I like it. The variety of its structure is phenomenal, how it changes highlighting the guitar riffs, then drums, then vocals, then they all blend together… In the end, I learned how to love this song.
3. The New Sensation
I think this the biggest surprise of the album. I mean, I don't remember anyone talked about this song, I don't think the bandmembers mentioned or made a note about it, despite the fact how awesome it is! The rhythm of the whole track is super-catchy, I can't stop headbanging, and they way Deryck changes up the vocals between the two verses is great! I feel some similarity to There Will Be Blood, also some Muse vibe, but the bridge part where the vocal is lower, dark, then gets stronger screamy-like is totally reminds me of Marliyn Manson and I'm totally loving it! I think this song can easly become a fan-favourite, it has even an athem feeling that the crowd could singalong through a live show.
4. A Death in the Family
As with Out for Blood, I like its music structure and how Deryck tries some different vocals. I've listened to this song now many times and it wears out a little bit, I'm not that excited about this song when the album comes to it. I like the chorus, but towards the end it gets tiring, I feel it should have needed some shake-up.
5. Heads Will Roll
It's good that after some heavy sounds we come to something different. It starts with some blues/country feeling and I think Deryck's voice fits with it perfectly. I like its melody and rhythm, but I miss some changing-up, some parts get stronger and harder, but overall it's draging out the same notes and gets monotone.
6. 45 (A Matter of Time)
I'm not really into politics, and here, Trump barely affects my weekdays, I only know about him by the news and late night shows which always mock and make a fun of him. So I get the anger towards him, and we have a similiar right-wing leader, but I only know this side of him and as I see there're some actual supporter of him, so I wouldn't jump into the obvious politic part, the lyrics… I just like the heavy, energetic instrumentals, the aggresive vocals and the overall anger of the song that needs to come out from the band. I actually prefer the verse than the chorus, the latter sounds a little bit flat to me, like we've heard it many times before in many Sum 41 songs. Btw, what I noticed in the videoclip immediately is the animated character looks exactly like a Rick&Morty character. It just funny to me.
7. Never There
Such a beautiful ballad, gorgeous melody, it got me instantly. I'm not sure, but I think Deryck spent so much more time to write this lyrics compared to the others, its personal and really honest and it shows how much he worked on this one. ALthough, as I said before, I can't relate to it, I've tried to find someone in my life that I could connect the song's words to, but I don't think there is, nevertheless Deryck's feelings are reflected undoubtedly, so even without his experience I can enjoy it too. I also want to highlight the last 'That we're left, stuck with a broken house' singing part, where Deryck sings as a louder shouting voice, I just love it!
8. Eat You Alive
The only song I can't really dig. After many listens I get to like the intrumental parts, the heavy sounds, but I really miss some good melody, it's just plain for me and the vocal parts don't do anything interesting either. I don't say I skip this song, but I almost completely forget about it when it ends.
9. The People Vs…
Another surprise to me. I mean I've heard it live, it was ok, but I enjoy it on the album more than I thought I would be. So fast and heavy, a real punk-rock headbanger, with a simple, but catchy chorus. And yeah, we know who this is about again, but I think it's easier to connect to other people, any leader, dictator or just to a 'bad man' who you hate. Also, it sounds awesome live and great opportunity for people steam their rage out.
10. Catching Fire
It shows again that Deryck can write lyrics if he really makes the effort and spends time for it. I could actually see that he could release a soft solo album, just him with a guitar and piano, 'cause they fit him very well, I'd really want to see what he could create. Anyway, this song contain more than those, and I love that little electric guitar piece at the beginning and how it builds to something more with the drums as well. It also has some haunting, but hopeful vibe, big applause from me to Deryck for his producing skills. The melody is super-catchy again, the vocals are top-notch (even with all those effects). And I know it's common to say that it's about Chester, but I don't think it. Yeah, it could affect the writing, some lyrics part are easy to connect with that tragic event, but I don't think Deryck and Chester were that close friends, I don't think they had any connection other than hang out a little bit when they had a show together… I might be totally wrong and I don't want to sound disrecpectful, but even though Chester was a huge impact for the music industry, not everything is about him, we don't have to tie everything to him. There were other suicide tragedies in recent years that shook Deryck and I believe he's spoken about them. And most of all: Deryck has told the story many times, that he wrote this song when his wife was out, he was alone, and he got this sad feeling that what it would be like for him to lose her. It's a song about love. And that's what I would like to hang on, it's much more appealing to me. Anyway, a beautiful ballad that shows again how amazing can be the band's soft side.
All in all: the more I listen to this album, the more I love it, can't stop listening to, and although I can't rank them, it's definitely one of my favourite from Sum 41. My only complaint is ironically the same: I love the album, but as a whole piece. There's not a highlight standout track, a single, that I would pick and just listen to that individually. If I should recommend to a stranger only one song that define Order in Decline, I couldn't choose, I prefer the whole thing together. I guess it's a good and also a bad thing: kudos for the band how cohesive it is, the whole pack stands together greatly, but I also miss some standout track that I could proudly pick out and say: that's may favourite!
Whatever, I'm still a proud Skumfuk!
Really good opener, I love how it builds up slowly, first just piano, a little guitar, but when the vocals begin the instrumentals go soft in the background and then everything gets harder until the true Sum 41-ish chorus. The melody reminds me Breaking the Chains, with faster tempo of course. I especially love the part where Deryck sings 'I don't even want to try' with outstretched 'try', it just gets me everytime how good it sounds. I also think this song holds itself better than the opener songs from previously: I mean Reason to Believe is one of my favourite and I like A Murder of Crows very much, but they feel like they were created for the purpose to be an album opener than an actual standalone song.
2. Out for Blood
I said some bad stuff about this song earlier, but honestly it's grown on me big time! I still don't like the lyrics, but musically the more I listen to it, the more I like it. The variety of its structure is phenomenal, how it changes highlighting the guitar riffs, then drums, then vocals, then they all blend together… In the end, I learned how to love this song.
3. The New Sensation
I think this the biggest surprise of the album. I mean, I don't remember anyone talked about this song, I don't think the bandmembers mentioned or made a note about it, despite the fact how awesome it is! The rhythm of the whole track is super-catchy, I can't stop headbanging, and they way Deryck changes up the vocals between the two verses is great! I feel some similarity to There Will Be Blood, also some Muse vibe, but the bridge part where the vocal is lower, dark, then gets stronger screamy-like is totally reminds me of Marliyn Manson and I'm totally loving it! I think this song can easly become a fan-favourite, it has even an athem feeling that the crowd could singalong through a live show.
4. A Death in the Family
As with Out for Blood, I like its music structure and how Deryck tries some different vocals. I've listened to this song now many times and it wears out a little bit, I'm not that excited about this song when the album comes to it. I like the chorus, but towards the end it gets tiring, I feel it should have needed some shake-up.
5. Heads Will Roll
It's good that after some heavy sounds we come to something different. It starts with some blues/country feeling and I think Deryck's voice fits with it perfectly. I like its melody and rhythm, but I miss some changing-up, some parts get stronger and harder, but overall it's draging out the same notes and gets monotone.
6. 45 (A Matter of Time)
I'm not really into politics, and here, Trump barely affects my weekdays, I only know about him by the news and late night shows which always mock and make a fun of him. So I get the anger towards him, and we have a similiar right-wing leader, but I only know this side of him and as I see there're some actual supporter of him, so I wouldn't jump into the obvious politic part, the lyrics… I just like the heavy, energetic instrumentals, the aggresive vocals and the overall anger of the song that needs to come out from the band. I actually prefer the verse than the chorus, the latter sounds a little bit flat to me, like we've heard it many times before in many Sum 41 songs. Btw, what I noticed in the videoclip immediately is the animated character looks exactly like a Rick&Morty character. It just funny to me.
7. Never There
Such a beautiful ballad, gorgeous melody, it got me instantly. I'm not sure, but I think Deryck spent so much more time to write this lyrics compared to the others, its personal and really honest and it shows how much he worked on this one. ALthough, as I said before, I can't relate to it, I've tried to find someone in my life that I could connect the song's words to, but I don't think there is, nevertheless Deryck's feelings are reflected undoubtedly, so even without his experience I can enjoy it too. I also want to highlight the last 'That we're left, stuck with a broken house' singing part, where Deryck sings as a louder shouting voice, I just love it!
8. Eat You Alive
The only song I can't really dig. After many listens I get to like the intrumental parts, the heavy sounds, but I really miss some good melody, it's just plain for me and the vocal parts don't do anything interesting either. I don't say I skip this song, but I almost completely forget about it when it ends.
9. The People Vs…
Another surprise to me. I mean I've heard it live, it was ok, but I enjoy it on the album more than I thought I would be. So fast and heavy, a real punk-rock headbanger, with a simple, but catchy chorus. And yeah, we know who this is about again, but I think it's easier to connect to other people, any leader, dictator or just to a 'bad man' who you hate. Also, it sounds awesome live and great opportunity for people steam their rage out.
10. Catching Fire
It shows again that Deryck can write lyrics if he really makes the effort and spends time for it. I could actually see that he could release a soft solo album, just him with a guitar and piano, 'cause they fit him very well, I'd really want to see what he could create. Anyway, this song contain more than those, and I love that little electric guitar piece at the beginning and how it builds to something more with the drums as well. It also has some haunting, but hopeful vibe, big applause from me to Deryck for his producing skills. The melody is super-catchy again, the vocals are top-notch (even with all those effects). And I know it's common to say that it's about Chester, but I don't think it. Yeah, it could affect the writing, some lyrics part are easy to connect with that tragic event, but I don't think Deryck and Chester were that close friends, I don't think they had any connection other than hang out a little bit when they had a show together… I might be totally wrong and I don't want to sound disrecpectful, but even though Chester was a huge impact for the music industry, not everything is about him, we don't have to tie everything to him. There were other suicide tragedies in recent years that shook Deryck and I believe he's spoken about them. And most of all: Deryck has told the story many times, that he wrote this song when his wife was out, he was alone, and he got this sad feeling that what it would be like for him to lose her. It's a song about love. And that's what I would like to hang on, it's much more appealing to me. Anyway, a beautiful ballad that shows again how amazing can be the band's soft side.
All in all: the more I listen to this album, the more I love it, can't stop listening to, and although I can't rank them, it's definitely one of my favourite from Sum 41. My only complaint is ironically the same: I love the album, but as a whole piece. There's not a highlight standout track, a single, that I would pick and just listen to that individually. If I should recommend to a stranger only one song that define Order in Decline, I couldn't choose, I prefer the whole thing together. I guess it's a good and also a bad thing: kudos for the band how cohesive it is, the whole pack stands together greatly, but I also miss some standout track that I could proudly pick out and say: that's may favourite!
Whatever, I'm still a proud Skumfuk!