ALBUM REVIEW: Neon Inferno – One Morning Left
On their fifth studio album, Neon Inferno, ONE MORNING LEFT continue to redefine their musical boundaries. Whilst combining 80s rock with modern day metalcore might sound like a recipe for disaster, ONE MORNING LEFT make it work, causing them to have great success over the years, especially with their fourth album, 2021’s Hyperactive, which earned enthusiastic response from both fans and critics.
But Neon Inferno takes the band further in their experimentation. As soon as the synth opening of Emerald Dragon start playing, the audience know that they are in for something special. As always, their mix of modern metalcore and 80s rock work perfectly, but this time, there are synths, which work with both genres.
Whether it is the 80s synth-rock of Tonight and Ride Till I Die, or the synth-metalcore of the title track, ONE MORNING LEFT continue to redefine themselves. The best thing about them incorporating synths into their album is that they were a big part of 80s music and of modern metalcore, so they fit in perfectly. The album is also coherent, as each song leads into the next.
It doesn’t mean that all the songs sound the same, although this sometimes happens. They each have a unique identity, even though they do fall into three distinct genres: synths, 80s rock, and modern metalcore. For example, Maverik and Reunion sound like they stepped out of the 80s, which does unfortunately mean that they sound similar. 3, 2, 1, GO! is a fast-paced song that is its own beast entirely as it fits outside the genres that have been established.
This marks the start of the experimental stage of the album, which shows just how far the band can go in their experimentation. Michael, The Knight is a dizzying synth-heavy rock song that tells a story about its titular character, whereas Tokyo Love is a fast-paced rock-metal song and their unique cover of Beat It fits right into the album. The final two songs are remixes of Ruby Dragon and Summerlovin. Usually, remix versions of songs feel tacked on for no reason, but in this case, it works as it fits into the sound that ONE MORNING LEFT have established on Neon Inferno.
Overall, Neon Inferno by ONE MORNING LEFT is a great album. It’s not perfect as some songs can sound a bit similar to each other, but the uniqueness is brilliant. The band make blending modern metalcore and 80s rock look easy, and by adding synths – something that is prevalent in both genres that the band play – they smoothly experiment with their sound. However, it does sometimes sound like they’re playing it safe, which is why it is a relief when the truly experimental songs near the end of the album come in. As there has been a build up to them, they do not sound out of place.
Furthermore, the entire album sounds coherent thanks to the fact that each song leads into each other. The pacing of the album is slow-paced, as each song is between three to four minutes long, and a couple of them even extend to almost five minutes. Regardless of if you know who ONE MORNING LEFT are or not, there is no denying that Neon Inferno is one of the most unique albums of the year.
Rating: 8/10
Neon Inferno is out now via Arising Empire.
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