Lost Society‘s fifth album, If The Sky Came Down, will be released in all good shops this Friday, October 7th via Nuclear Blast. After successful performances at Motocultor and in Paris with Blind Channel, it’s time for me to dive into this new opus.
And it starts very strong with the single 112, it’s energetic and addictive! The Metalcore/Groove Metal mix works wonderfully here, the chorus in clear vocals is already taken up by the band’s fans live and Samy‘s screams fit perfectly with the whole thing. The two guitarists are a perfect duo in terms of melodies and the lyrics, many will probably recognize themselves as we are talking about mental health, the break where the lyrics are whispered are quite explicit:
« I don’t need no therapy
I just need a place to be
No, I don’t need no therapy
I just need a place to be
I don’t need no therapy
Oh wait, maybe I do »
The second track is What Have I Done, also completely made for the stage, which remains in the continuity of 112. Tapani Fagerström (drums) is particularly efficient when it comes to the guitar solo, is it worth mentioning that we are dealing with raw virtuosity here? Yes, my objectivity has gone out the window for this review, but what do you expect when quality is there? (We Are) The Braindead and its sampled intro which reminds us a lot of Slipknot (but a good and Old-School Slipknot… no, I still haven’t digested their last record) before the total explosion, even if the vocals at the beginning of the verses reminds us of Corey Taylor‘s vocals, well, the whole song (except the chorus and the melodies, fortunately Lost Society keeps its identity). We return to familiar territory with the single Stitches, the chorus is more melancholic in perfect contrast with the raw energy of the verses in perfect adequacy with the break. We still find Samy‘s whispered vocals that take the guts at the end of the first verse as well as 112, the song evokes mental health, the lyrics are strong and can inspire many artistic projects to illustrate some lyrics:
« Asymptomatic doesn’t mean that i’m not sick
Every single day I feel like I’m a ghost
And if I hear another human I may choke
I can’t keep meditating
I’m hyperventilating
And i keep on opening my wounds to watch them bleed »
Awake seems to start as a ballad but finally the massive riffs take place quickly and once again what stands out the most on this track is Samy‘s voice which brings here its share of emotions then the return of the more energetic tracks is done with Underneath before the strange beginning of Creature settles down for a darker but also a bit slower composition. The difference between the very quiet, very dark verses and the more energetic chorus is crazy before that guitar explosion at 2:14. Hurt Me has some very slight Nine Inch Nails influences and then the self-titled If The Sky Came Down takes place to reconnect a bit with the band’s Thrash roots. Do you know a Nu Metal or Metalcore album without a ballad? Well indeed Suffocating the last track on this new opus does, the kind of track that makes lighters light up in concert (or the torch mode on phones), here Samy is alone with a piano and some samples and it’s just…beautiful.
Lost Society has evolved, no matter what some people think! The band hasn’t lost any of its rage and energy and delivers a great album made expressly for the stage! Mosh-pit lovers, this is really for you!
Tracklist :
01. 112
02. What Have I Done
03. (We Are The) Braindead
04. Stitches
05. Awake
06. Underneath
07. Creature
08. Hurt Me
09. If The Sky Came Down
10. Suffocating
