This was perfection on my run yesterday. Complete solitude on the wooded trails surrounded by tree and the fading daylight. First time really listening to them besides when Clockwork came out. That song hooked me enough to come back and check the album out since it finally came out. I dig it!
My first point-of-entry to Northlane and this pretty much rips. Had it on repeat during yardwork last night and now I'm hooked. Is the next logical album to listen to Alien ?
At this point, if this is your starting point, I’d just go in direct reverse through their discog. Alien is a banger for sure. Oops, replied to wrong post… @almightykingdom
Definitely leaning into the Nu Metal vibes. I can see how people would describe this as "butt rock" but its more along the lines of alt metal and the better side of that spectrum. I could 100% see these guys opening for NIN. It does feel a bit "samey" but overall a nice progression.
the more ive sat w this the more ive come around on it. ive been pretty critical of marcus's first 3 albums with the band (huge fan of the first vocalist/first 2 albums) but this one's the first time theyve won me over fully since the old days. i think their decision to largely drop the core side has done wonders for them and i'd agree that they're now much more of like an alt metal/nine inch nails type band. seen a lot of complaints (not here but everywhere else) about the sequencing but i think this flows great. my biggest beef rn is just that the album's too long. wouldn't say all 13 tracks are winners but i respect them goin for it
The butt rock comparisons are not even close and inaccurate. I don't even see how someone would think that about this album. The only thing I can see people comparing are the choruses (I Googled Butt Rock definition to be sure). The choruses are huge, and maybe simpler lyrics, but the music encompassing them as well as the style & melody of them in and of itself are anything but. If this is butt rock I'm all in. The album rules.
Butt rock doesn’t always mean “bad”. I love Stabbing Westward (whom they share comparisons with) and they are awesome. Also, someone googling butt rock made my day.
I think the closest thing to “butt rock” they’ve done is Bloodline from Alien… at least I remember feeling that way about it at first… those kind of grungey, “drab” melodies and chords, or whatever… or maybe something from Mesmer, idk. But in time I grew to not really feel that way at all. That tune goes hard… Really, Northlane kind of feels more like a metal-core extrapolation of Linkin Park or Incubus to me, than something that might be considered more stereotypically “post-grunge” like idk, a “Shinedown” or “3 Days Grace” or something…
I think 'Is This A Test?' might be my least favourite Northlane song since Marcus joined, but the rest of the album is great. Doesn't quite match 'Alien' for me, but I'll definitely be coming back to it. I actually think it has a lot of similarities to Bad Omens' new record.
Nooo I love Inamorata and how it sounds like a long lost Karnivool song, down to the vocal performance. I do find Cypher and Dark Solitaire to be meh. Both feel underdeveloped for some reason.
Is This A Test fucking whips, honestly wish it was longer, would have loved to hear them lay into that groove even more