ALBUM REVIEW: New Empire, Vol 1. – Hollywood Undead
As they close in on 10 years of their career-defining American Tragedy, HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD are setting course for a completely new path in the next decade with their sixth studio album New Empire, Vol 1. Whilst it’s a refreshing change of pace in its instrumental part, the small hinges within the album are almost too easy to hook onto.
In their earlier works, HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD hasn’t always been known for intricate instrumental backings, especially in their more popular tracks like Bullet or Day Of The Dead because their focus has always been on the lyrics. To their credit, this album exceeds expectations by kicking in with three metal-centric anthems that lend from their previous nu-metal history and explore avenues of late 2010 metalcore, the easiest comparison in its instrumentals only being to FALLING IN REVERSE circa-2015. Time Bomb feels like a fitting and triumphant start to the album, upon first listen it immediately reminds you of a Fast & Furious type heist movie. The enthralling high-energy rhythm and gnawing bass are enticing, and the little notes of a repetitive guitar riff to emulate a ticking clock that only gets faster are appreciated. Time Bomb, Heart Of A Champion and Already Dead are a fiesty opening, which made the slump to Empire and Killin’ It all the more disappointing.
This album’s greatest success is also a massive downfall. At times tracks feel so instrumental based that they lack any other substance in the song, like a double-edged sword. Take for example Empire, that’s so electronic and bass-heavy it’s less verse focused which is painfully obvious for a band whose whole career is based in flawless rap verses. The same can be said for Killin’ It that was too generous in its inspiration from SoundCloud reminiscent of Purple Lamborgini by Skrillex and Rick Ross, but the repetitive choruses and electronic notes just drown out the song completely. Going from three metal-heavy tracks to two bold rap-centric tracks feels strange in the album’s track-by-track flow because it’s so offsetting and the bounce back is even more noticeable.
Granted, this is almost like a personal project that aims to just be as different and out-of-the-box as we expected so though it may not be your flavor, credit is due for their courage to try new things. Growth overall can be seen through the inner-workings of this project, most notably in their lyricisms. HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD still keeps to their outrageous, outspoken lyrical counterpart especially in tracks like Nightmare which have a profound emotional weight residing over them and move like an emotional powerhouse, similar to their tracks Bullet and I Don’t Wanna Die. But over the years HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD have moved away from dropping f-slurs like candy, helping in the gradual maturity of their music so the issues they vocalise are taken with the severity they deserve, best highlighted in Nightmare that’s a moving end to the album, rather than painful winces when the odd slur is dropped by a straight white man who shouldn’t really be saying them.
The features on this album come like a saving grace, with Kellin Quinn (in Upside Down) and Benji Madden (in Second Chances) swooping in for another round of catchy anthems. Both tracks feel fitting and vivacious, especially on Quinn‘s side where the track fits his style perfectly and becomes another shining moment of the album. Touching again on the metalcore style, whilst it’s new for HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, it’s not too far from what’s already been done. A lot of the style and electronic structure is reminiscent of metalcore circa 2013-2016 from BRING ME THE HORIZON to FALLING IN REVERSE. Since then metalcore has abandoned those foundations which makes this album feel almost too little too late in places.
Overall, New Empire, Vol. 1 is a great take for a band that has often been pigeon-holed by critics. However, if there is a follow-up to this record, by pushing the boundaries even further and leaning into the heavier sound, as well as focusing back on verses rather than instrumentals would benefit HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD to an even greater extent. New Empire is not bad and this album sounds commercially appealing but it needs more oomph to be a roaring success.
Rating: 6/10
New Empire, Vol. 1 is out now via Dove & Grenade Media/BMG.
Like HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD on Facebook.