Pop Evil – Skeletons Review

This is immense. The sounds are huge courtesy of a first-class production from Drew Fulk who has worked with the likes of Disturbed, Papa Roach, and Motionless In White...

Modern Metal

MNRK Heavy / Mascot Records

Release Date – March 17th 2023

 

Line Up:

Leigh Kakaty – Vocals

Nick Fuelling – Lead Guitar

Dave Grahs – Rhythm Guitar

Joey ‘Chicago’ Welser – Bass

Hayley Cramer – Drums

 

Tracklist:

1 – Arrival

2 – Paranoid (Crash and Burn)

3 – Circles

4 – Eye Of The Storm

5 – Sound Of Glory

6 – Skeletons

7 – Worth It

8 – Who Will We Become

9 – Wrong Direction (Featuring Blake Allison)

10 – Dead Reckoning (Featuring Ryan Kirby)

11 – Raging Bull (Featuring Zillion)

 

 

 

Pop Evil was formed in 2001 in the wonderfully North Muskegon, Michigan. Throughout their varied 20+ year career they have suffered highs and lows like most bands, but unlike most bands, they had the balls to tear up their contract with a major label on stage. So, I would say that they have their way of doing things. Although they’ve been around for some time Pop Evil has kind of passed me by mainly because they have pretty much kept to the USA. Hopefully, on the strength of this release, they will get to the UK at some point soon.

A brief whooshing known as ‘Arrival’ gets us to the pounding angst-driven single ‘Paranoid (Crash And Burn)’. It’s all down-tuned guitars, melodic chorus, and electronic noises – all very modern and very energetic. Leigh Kakaty has a fine voice that goes from a melodic croon to a vicious roar. ‘Circles’ is a call to arms where drummer Hayley Cramer batters out a tasty rhythm for the battle to come, the guitars are the weapons of choice firing off riffs in all directions, and Kakaty is the general directing operations from the front. Stirring stuff that gets your fist pumping. Can’t wait to hear this live. ‘Eye Of The Storm’ is heavier, stops/starts, and reminds me of Skillet at their best, passionate and bombastic. ‘Sound Of Glory’ has a dose of Shinedown and another that will go down well live with its chant ‘Skeletons’ and ‘Worth It’ are two stunning powerfully positive ballads that hit the spot perfectly. ‘Who Will We Become’ gets shouty but you can’t help getting revved up with its energy then ‘Wrong Direction’ rocks hard with guitarists Nick Fuelling and Dave Grahs grinding away with Devour The Day’s Blake Allison helping with the vocals then we get Ryan Kirby from Fit For A King guesting on ‘Dead Reckoning’ which is a full-on blast of modern metal with a load of electronics swirling around but just get the huge chorus and another superb performance from Cramer. The final track ‘Raging Bull’ features Zillion (no, me neither) almost rap metal but not quite, and another absolute banger. 

This is immense. The sounds are huge courtesy of a first-class production from Drew Fulk who has worked with the likes of Disturbed, Papa Roach, and Motionless In White. Positivity oozes from the songs which mainly deal with mental health issues, something I know a bit about, they energize and make you feel a whole lot better. An essential purchase especially for these times. A masterpiece of modern heavy rock.

 

Score: 10/10

Reviewed by: Smudge

 

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