ALBUM REVIEW: Versatile – Pop Evil

To be versatile is to be able to adapt to many different situations. In attempting that, there’s a risk of being jack of all trades, master of none. US rock cruiserweights POP EVIL release their sixth album Versatile on May 21st. Will versatile be fitting for these hard rockers or do they fail to adapt?

Let The Chaos Reign is a boisterous anthem of rage. The heavy chug of Michigan’s machine propels the band through the fray. Blending rock with rap is a tried and true method to curate adrenaline. With bands such as RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and STUCK MOJO, there’s a reason it’s worked so well. POP EVIL are chomping at the bit to escape their cage. Now they have the freedom, what will they choose to do with it?

Versatile aims to spread its thematic self as far as it can. Breathe Again’s white knuckle riffage resembles the quagmire of mental health. Catchy choruses battle for supremacy against suffocating rhythm sections. POP EVIL examine the dark side of humanity with the seductive Human Nature. Layering vocal hooks with enticing guitar riffs makes for addictive listening. Mental health prevails as the majority theme of Versatile. Adapting to various curve balls from mental illness creates a library of inspiration.

With those schematics in mind, Work becomes a stand alone. Murky vocals slither over rolling drums. In a song which pulls from early SEETHER, Work broods to the point of discomfort. An affront to the grind mentality, Leigh Kakaty‘s vocals seethe in their delivery. Disjointed transition riffs display a fracturing mind. The second verse slides down the steep decline. Breaking point for POP EVIL introduces the universal sound of unease: nursery rhymes. Screams of rage give the listener the jump scare as the mind goes off the deep end.

The danger in vying to show versatility is falling into the trap of repeating yourself. Unfortunately, POP EVIL does fall into it. Stronger (The Time Is Now) marinates in depressing atmosphere. Bogged down by the black dog, the vocals sound tired. A slow crawl of drums symbolise the climb out of the jaws of the beast. Survivor, while following Stronger (The Time Is Now), finds itself regurgitating things. The biker bar at the side of the highway vibe is alluring. It goes unappreciated, the listener distracted by the thought they’ve heard this already. “Knock me down, it makes me stronger” becomes “I’m a survivor”, POP EVIL could have saved some space for another subject.

POP EVIL are, at their core, a radio friendly heavy band. This would mean they fall into territories where certain subjects are a no-fly zone. Acknowledging their toxicity in a relationship, Worst In Me, sates a craving for edge. Once it gets going, Worst In Me is relentless. Once again, the band pulls from rap rock, using a beat typical of rap or hip-hop for the song’s skeleton. A vibrating bass line adds meat to the bone as the chorus rattles rib cages. The life and soul of Worst In Me is the salaciously thick breakdown.

POP EVIL know what they are and what works for them. It’s to this end, Versatile becomes formulaic. Many bands before have made their bread and butter from staying in their respective lane. The idea of POP EVIL branching out to defy their genre was an exciting one. In some instances, their experimenting paid off. Versatile is another solid effort. Following the groundwork, it should be the catalyst to push POP EVIL further.

Rating: 7/10

Versatile is set for release on May 21st via eOne Heavy.

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