ALBUM REVIEW: The World Is Almost Over – Black Suit Youth
BLACK SUIT YOUTH have ripped up the rulebook since the release of their 2010 album, Meet Me In Death Valley. Over the past decade, they’ve added different rock genres such as punk and classic rock to their collection, signing to 59 X Records after the release of 2017’s False South. That album showed a more mature side of the band, but still kept their unique selling point of ripping up the rulebook. The World Is Almost Over provides a welcome follow-up, leaning more into the world of punk, and further showing off the diversity of the group.
This is especially true of opening song, Raised By Wolves. It’s a fast-paced punk song that sounds like MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE meets FOO FIGHTERS. The band also dip their toes into pop-rock on this album, as on the fun and catchy second track Chimes At Midnight. Despite all the genre hopping on the album and how short it is, the flow of the record as a whole is consistent. The 90s-esque title track is a sing-along song about having another drink as the end of the world approaches. The descriptive verses contrast with the chorus, which is a fun way of showing how unbothered the narrator of the story is by the end of the world.
Sayonara Motel continues the end of the world theme with the same sound. However, this is not a bad thing, as the song sounds like a sequel to the previous track. Thankfully, Night Sweats takes the band one step further. With brash guitars and drums that kick the song off, it grabs the audience by the collar and forces them to give it their full attention. Considering that the album is only nine songs long, and this is song number five, BLACK SUIT YOUTH have to give it their all. The flow of the album is consistent and this is thanks to the production, which makes each song memorable.
However, because the album is only nine songs long, you feel like the band are limiting themselves on what they show off. This is especially frustrating because the songs have a very short runtime. The majority only clock in at around three and a half minutes. Obviously, an album is judged on quality and not quantity, something BLACK SUIT YOUTH prove with standout song Survivor’s Guilt. This one is a gorgeous acoustic track that further showcases the talent that the band have.
On the other hand, because of the shortness of the album, the band make sure that every song does not feel wasted. This includes the closing track, Last Rites, which sounds like a song out of an early 2000s teen film. This is a complement as it is as fun and bouncy as the opening song, successfully bringing the album full circle.
Overall, The World Is Almost Over successfully showcases BLACK SUIT YOUTH‘s ever-growing talent on a short but very sweet album. The band aren’t afraid to pick and choose the best from different rock genres. Despite the limitations of only having nine songs, they make sure each one is worth the runtime. The songs are all brilliant and stand out on their own. This is a superb album for fans of FOO FIGHTERS, AGAINST ME! and MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE.
Rating: 8/10
The World Is Almost Over is out now via 59 X Records.
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