It's been awhile since I have actually done an album review...so here ya go!
It’s getting pretty hard to define what a genre is in today’s music scene. Lately, hardcore music has been thriving in more of an “electronicore” style, combining the party elements of EDM and the moshing atmosphere of heavy rock and roll, reeling in a more widespread group of listeners. Palisades are a rising group showcasing this unique sound, further proving their strength in this scene with their second full-length album, Mind Games.
Palisades have always been known for their electronic sounds and party tones within their heavy breakdowns, but Mind Games makes sure to capitalize on the mainstream elements of the record right out of the gate. Opener “Player Hater’s Ball,” featuring blackbear, explodes with sounds similar to I See Stars and Issues as they hit all the EDM, hardcore, and R&B points with each note. It’s a strong opener that directs the idea of the album, following in the footsteps of electronicore groups who have been at it even longer. “Mind Games,” featuring Champs, drives home a raging EDM beat, resembling the likes of Breathe Carolina, as well.
This raving introduction is quite the way to begin an album, but the songs that make it special are “No Chaser” and “Bad Girls.” The fun and jumpy beat is common, but the irresistible melodies on these tracks give Palisades that poppy niche, expanding the limits of the genre even further.
Palisades are beautifully consistent with the party vibe they have established for themselves, but start using different lyrical intentions halfway through the album. “Whatever You Want It To Be” is packed with the chaotically-heavy EDM strength, but is steered by the story of a personal relationship (“Selfish motivation’s what tore us up / And now you’ve seen enough”), rather than the expressive fixation on girls in a club as portrayed in “Bad Girls.”
They even gear themselves closer towards the hardcore scene rather than mainstream on tracks like “People Like Us,” which features Garret Rapp of The Color Morale. This highlight on Mind Games meshes together all the catchy vocals, electronic sparks, and smooth guitar riffs to create a cohesive song that can appeal to a large amount of music fans.
However, when a band of this particular scene is the life of the party, the road they take can lessen the appreciation of other musical elements. A raving lifestyle is usually captured with this sound of music, which is perfectly acceptable and applicable, but sometimes Palisades focus too much on explosive EDM rather than a melody that brings it all together, which happens on “Like A Drug.”
This lack of prominence is also on the disappointing closer, “Come Over And Watch Netflix.” The band’s attempt to be atmospheric and dreamy comes off as a soundtrack for a cheesy ad for a Caribbean vacation. They have the right ideas, but don’t always execute it properly. The song that really should have closed the record is “True Blood,” the penultimate cut. This powerhouse explodes in sound with its liberating melody and fierce elements, balancing everything that Palisades does right on Mind Games.
On their sophomore album, Palisades do a fantastic job of stabilizing their style and improving their skills. From what we’ve heard so far from this genre, there are a million different ways a band can go about their music uniquely, and it seems like Palisades is getting there. They prove their versatility on Mind Games, anticipating a strong and widespread acceptance, hopefully from fans from more than one genre.
sophomore release from electro-dubcore rockers, Palisades, is the most aptly named album released in the last few years. Mind Games tells it like it is pushing the genre boundaries to see just how many styles of metal can be successfully combined with the EDM and Top 40 world. This record will leave you asking yourselfJust what the hell am I listening to, and why do I like it so much?
The New Jersey sextet clearly draws inspiration from across the media sphere. The catchy pop clean vocals utilized on “No Chaser” belong more in a hit single dropped by The Wanted than on a metalcore album, but then are perfectly juxtaposed by the roaring guitars laid over a real drum and bass electro riff. When tracks like “True Blood” bump on your mp3 player, the disconnect of genres is even greater, yet just as enjoyable. Beginning with raw unclean vocals by Lou Miceli and a jazz influenced bass drop the only logical follow up is a jump into a strong clean vocal chorus that will get your head bobbing to the beat.
This clubby vibe continues with tracks like “Bad Girls” pairing Brandon Sidney’s soulful cleans to Miceli’s scratchy croons. The highlight of this track, though, remains the distorted vocal camouflaged into a back beat subtly telling us this girl’s “Got ‘em all whipped” flared off with a sample of Cher Lloyd’s “Want U Back.” “Bad Girls” is the perfect summary of Mind Games displaying how neither the vocals, instrumentals or electronics dominate or overpower the track. They all come together as one seamless mesh keeping listeners on their toes.
The real gems on this album come from the almost entirely radio-friendly nature of several tracks. “Afraid” would only be looked away from the public eye because of its fall back on distortion pedals leaving it with a true punk goes pop style all its own. In a similar fashion, the album’s title track, featuring Champs, represents one of Mind Games‘ strongest moments. Though it uncharacteristically neglects musicianship in favor of electronic dance beats-it is the only track to rely so heavily on that side–it’s highly catchy chorus will be stuck in your head all week. “I thought you were crazy in love/but you were just crazy, oh oh” would fit right into a DJ’s set blasted at a New York nightclub. And when Champ’s rap-to-breakdown comes in, the hardcore kid in you will spaz in joy.
For a predominantly strong record showing that Palisades has found a method to tactfully combine so many currently relevant genres, they fall a little flat with tracks like “Like A Drug” and the album’s anchor, “Come Over and Watch Netflix.” Both tracks try a little too hard to uphold the pretty flawless transitions between metal, dubstep, and mainstream pop carried throughout the rest of Mind Games and feel slightly too forced compared to the solid production of the album overall.
Mind Games is a record that will pump you up, whether you’re pre-gaming, road tripping, or just jamming on your couch with your friends. These New Jersey rockers really hit the nail on the head by summarizing the entire nature of the music world right now: one big mesh of “I don’t know how to classify this.” From classic hardcore breakdowns to Ultra-worthy bass drops to boy band hooks, Mind Games is sure to ignite a good time and a great direction for Palisades to trek through.
To say that I was blown away by Mind Games would be an understatement. The effort that Palisades have put forth with this release is astonishing, from the production to the vocals to the catchy choruses and melodies. Everything about Mind Games is on point, full of incredible energy, and balanced perfectly. The bass work, the electronic parts and the drums all mesh amazingly on top of the great guitar work and stellar vocals.
The “Electronic Hardcore” genre has been on an up-rise lately, with bands such as I See Stars and Issues in the forefront of the music scene, and without a doubt, Palisades deserve to be right up there with them, if not paving the way for this genre. Within the first few seconds of the first track on Mind Games, “Player Haters’ Ball,” it’s apparent that this group of musicians know exactly what they’re doing. While some bands may strive for excellence in this genre, Metal and Electronic are definitely not easy to mesh together if you don’t do it right. That being said, Palisades are absolutely doing it right. “Player Haters’ Ball,” has some incredible energy (which is a staple in Metalcore) as well as an explosive, melodic chorus. The electronic parts in this track only serve to accent the already incredible songwriting and lift it up even higher, rather than bringing it down or making it muddy or “too much.” Palisades find a perfect balance between the Hardcore sound and Electronic beats, and the result is phenomenal.
And that’s just the first track.
Following “Player Haters’ Ball” is “No Chaser” which a slightly more mellow track, but it definitely isn’t lacking in the songwriting department. The vocals are a high point on this track, especially in the catchy chorus, and the electronic parts only serve to accent it. The into of the following track, “Bad Girls” is absolutely killer. “Bad Girls” has a definite Hip-Hop influence, and it’s a nice change to really shake things up from the first two songs. In fact, no two songs sound the same on this album, which is an incredible feat considering how easy it would be to fall into comfortable songwriting patterns with this genre.
“Mind Games” is a total electronic dance track, while “Whatever You Want It To Be” is a more raw, guitar driven song. “Afraid” is a slower and more melodic song and “People Like Us,” featuring Garret Rapp of The Color Morale is a dancy, catchy anthem. “True Blood,” is one of the hardest hitting songs on Mind Games with very strong unclean vocals, contrasting incredibly with the final track, “Come Over And Watch Netflix,” which is a total dance song with virtually no guitar work.
Mind Games is just the perfect mix of Hip-Hop, Electronic and Metalcore. The thing is, with bands of this genre, there’s a lot of potential with the meshing of Electronic and Metalcore, but many artists seem to drop the ball in the execution. That doesn’t happen with Mind Games, though. Palisades have absolutely mastered the sound in this album, creating ten tracks that are loud, aggressive and in your face while still remaining catchy and danceable.
To be honest, I really don’t have one bad thing to say about Mind Games. Every move that Palisades makes musically on this album is absolutely mind blowing. I couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face while listening to it the first time though, simply because Mind Games is everything I’ve ever wanted from a band like Palisades. Every musical choice is well thought out and flawlessly executed. Mind Games keeps the anger and energy of Metalcore music but also the catchy beats and danceable aspects of Hip-Hop and Electronic music, and I think it’s safe to say that this is just the album that this music scene needed. Without a doubt, I can say that Palisades’ Mind Games is a game-changer.
And there you have it folks, this album is a must listen.
It’s getting pretty hard to define what a genre is in today’s music scene. Lately, hardcore music has been thriving in more of an “electronicore” style, combining the party elements of EDM and the moshing atmosphere of heavy rock and roll, reeling in a more widespread group of listeners. Palisades are a rising group showcasing this unique sound, further proving their strength in this scene with their second full-length album, Mind Games.
Palisades have always been known for their electronic sounds and party tones within their heavy breakdowns, but Mind Games makes sure to capitalize on the mainstream elements of the record right out of the gate. Opener “Player Hater’s Ball,” featuring blackbear, explodes with sounds similar to I See Stars and Issues as they hit all the EDM, hardcore, and R&B points with each note. It’s a strong opener that directs the idea of the album, following in the footsteps of electronicore groups who have been at it even longer. “Mind Games,” featuring Champs, drives home a raging EDM beat, resembling the likes of Breathe Carolina, as well.
This raving introduction is quite the way to begin an album, but the songs that make it special are “No Chaser” and “Bad Girls.” The fun and jumpy beat is common, but the irresistible melodies on these tracks give Palisades that poppy niche, expanding the limits of the genre even further.
Palisades are beautifully consistent with the party vibe they have established for themselves, but start using different lyrical intentions halfway through the album. “Whatever You Want It To Be” is packed with the chaotically-heavy EDM strength, but is steered by the story of a personal relationship (“Selfish motivation’s what tore us up / And now you’ve seen enough”), rather than the expressive fixation on girls in a club as portrayed in “Bad Girls.”
They even gear themselves closer towards the hardcore scene rather than mainstream on tracks like “People Like Us,” which features Garret Rapp of The Color Morale. This highlight on Mind Games meshes together all the catchy vocals, electronic sparks, and smooth guitar riffs to create a cohesive song that can appeal to a large amount of music fans.
However, when a band of this particular scene is the life of the party, the road they take can lessen the appreciation of other musical elements. A raving lifestyle is usually captured with this sound of music, which is perfectly acceptable and applicable, but sometimes Palisades focus too much on explosive EDM rather than a melody that brings it all together, which happens on “Like A Drug.”
This lack of prominence is also on the disappointing closer, “Come Over And Watch Netflix.” The band’s attempt to be atmospheric and dreamy comes off as a soundtrack for a cheesy ad for a Caribbean vacation. They have the right ideas, but don’t always execute it properly. The song that really should have closed the record is “True Blood,” the penultimate cut. This powerhouse explodes in sound with its liberating melody and fierce elements, balancing everything that Palisades does right on Mind Games.
On their sophomore album, Palisades do a fantastic job of stabilizing their style and improving their skills. From what we’ve heard so far from this genre, there are a million different ways a band can go about their music uniquely, and it seems like Palisades is getting there. They prove their versatility on Mind Games, anticipating a strong and widespread acceptance, hopefully from fans from more than one genre.
sophomore release from electro-dubcore rockers, Palisades, is the most aptly named album released in the last few years. Mind Games tells it like it is pushing the genre boundaries to see just how many styles of metal can be successfully combined with the EDM and Top 40 world. This record will leave you asking yourselfJust what the hell am I listening to, and why do I like it so much?
The New Jersey sextet clearly draws inspiration from across the media sphere. The catchy pop clean vocals utilized on “No Chaser” belong more in a hit single dropped by The Wanted than on a metalcore album, but then are perfectly juxtaposed by the roaring guitars laid over a real drum and bass electro riff. When tracks like “True Blood” bump on your mp3 player, the disconnect of genres is even greater, yet just as enjoyable. Beginning with raw unclean vocals by Lou Miceli and a jazz influenced bass drop the only logical follow up is a jump into a strong clean vocal chorus that will get your head bobbing to the beat.
This clubby vibe continues with tracks like “Bad Girls” pairing Brandon Sidney’s soulful cleans to Miceli’s scratchy croons. The highlight of this track, though, remains the distorted vocal camouflaged into a back beat subtly telling us this girl’s “Got ‘em all whipped” flared off with a sample of Cher Lloyd’s “Want U Back.” “Bad Girls” is the perfect summary of Mind Games displaying how neither the vocals, instrumentals or electronics dominate or overpower the track. They all come together as one seamless mesh keeping listeners on their toes.
The real gems on this album come from the almost entirely radio-friendly nature of several tracks. “Afraid” would only be looked away from the public eye because of its fall back on distortion pedals leaving it with a true punk goes pop style all its own. In a similar fashion, the album’s title track, featuring Champs, represents one of Mind Games‘ strongest moments. Though it uncharacteristically neglects musicianship in favor of electronic dance beats-it is the only track to rely so heavily on that side–it’s highly catchy chorus will be stuck in your head all week. “I thought you were crazy in love/but you were just crazy, oh oh” would fit right into a DJ’s set blasted at a New York nightclub. And when Champ’s rap-to-breakdown comes in, the hardcore kid in you will spaz in joy.
For a predominantly strong record showing that Palisades has found a method to tactfully combine so many currently relevant genres, they fall a little flat with tracks like “Like A Drug” and the album’s anchor, “Come Over and Watch Netflix.” Both tracks try a little too hard to uphold the pretty flawless transitions between metal, dubstep, and mainstream pop carried throughout the rest of Mind Games and feel slightly too forced compared to the solid production of the album overall.
Mind Games is a record that will pump you up, whether you’re pre-gaming, road tripping, or just jamming on your couch with your friends. These New Jersey rockers really hit the nail on the head by summarizing the entire nature of the music world right now: one big mesh of “I don’t know how to classify this.” From classic hardcore breakdowns to Ultra-worthy bass drops to boy band hooks, Mind Games is sure to ignite a good time and a great direction for Palisades to trek through.
To say that I was blown away by Mind Games would be an understatement. The effort that Palisades have put forth with this release is astonishing, from the production to the vocals to the catchy choruses and melodies. Everything about Mind Games is on point, full of incredible energy, and balanced perfectly. The bass work, the electronic parts and the drums all mesh amazingly on top of the great guitar work and stellar vocals.
The “Electronic Hardcore” genre has been on an up-rise lately, with bands such as I See Stars and Issues in the forefront of the music scene, and without a doubt, Palisades deserve to be right up there with them, if not paving the way for this genre. Within the first few seconds of the first track on Mind Games, “Player Haters’ Ball,” it’s apparent that this group of musicians know exactly what they’re doing. While some bands may strive for excellence in this genre, Metal and Electronic are definitely not easy to mesh together if you don’t do it right. That being said, Palisades are absolutely doing it right. “Player Haters’ Ball,” has some incredible energy (which is a staple in Metalcore) as well as an explosive, melodic chorus. The electronic parts in this track only serve to accent the already incredible songwriting and lift it up even higher, rather than bringing it down or making it muddy or “too much.” Palisades find a perfect balance between the Hardcore sound and Electronic beats, and the result is phenomenal.
And that’s just the first track.
Following “Player Haters’ Ball” is “No Chaser” which a slightly more mellow track, but it definitely isn’t lacking in the songwriting department. The vocals are a high point on this track, especially in the catchy chorus, and the electronic parts only serve to accent it. The into of the following track, “Bad Girls” is absolutely killer. “Bad Girls” has a definite Hip-Hop influence, and it’s a nice change to really shake things up from the first two songs. In fact, no two songs sound the same on this album, which is an incredible feat considering how easy it would be to fall into comfortable songwriting patterns with this genre.
“Mind Games” is a total electronic dance track, while “Whatever You Want It To Be” is a more raw, guitar driven song. “Afraid” is a slower and more melodic song and “People Like Us,” featuring Garret Rapp of The Color Morale is a dancy, catchy anthem. “True Blood,” is one of the hardest hitting songs on Mind Games with very strong unclean vocals, contrasting incredibly with the final track, “Come Over And Watch Netflix,” which is a total dance song with virtually no guitar work.
Mind Games is just the perfect mix of Hip-Hop, Electronic and Metalcore. The thing is, with bands of this genre, there’s a lot of potential with the meshing of Electronic and Metalcore, but many artists seem to drop the ball in the execution. That doesn’t happen with Mind Games, though. Palisades have absolutely mastered the sound in this album, creating ten tracks that are loud, aggressive and in your face while still remaining catchy and danceable.
To be honest, I really don’t have one bad thing to say about Mind Games. Every move that Palisades makes musically on this album is absolutely mind blowing. I couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face while listening to it the first time though, simply because Mind Games is everything I’ve ever wanted from a band like Palisades. Every musical choice is well thought out and flawlessly executed. Mind Games keeps the anger and energy of Metalcore music but also the catchy beats and danceable aspects of Hip-Hop and Electronic music, and I think it’s safe to say that this is just the album that this music scene needed. Without a doubt, I can say that Palisades’ Mind Games is a game-changer.
And there you have it folks, this album is a must listen.