Red (USA)
Rated R


3.5
great

Review

by Tyler White STAFF
October 11th, 2023 | 42 replies


Release Date: 09/29/2023 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Don't judge a book by its cover

Red’s career has been rather hit-or-miss in the last decade. After the flop of Release the Panic, they came back with one of their best in Of Beauty and Rage... only to follow that up with another downer, Gone. After going independent, the quality of music took a major hit on Declaration, opting for a heavier, abrasive sound that sacrificed much of what they were known for. Now, they return with Rated R and I wish we could just ignore that album title. Title aside, Red attempts once again to return to form, yet this time with somewhat mixed results.

Rated R is through and through the band’s darkest record to date. From the melodies to the riffs to the lyrics, there isn’t a moment that feels vibrant. On one hand, this gives way to some of the heaviest and most intense moments across Red’s discography, mixing an abrasive aggression with catchy grooves. The intro riffs of “The Suffering” and “Minus It All” are simple and crushing, opening the tracks with an intensity that persists throughout the songs. Likewise, the breakdowns across “Still Bleeding” and “Emergency” showoff a ferocity of the band that hasn’t been properly executed since their first few records with a mixture of screaming, pummeling riffs, and accentuating orchestral elements. Along with the heavier segments, Rated R’s darker elements seep through the melodic sections, creating moments filled with tense climaxes and eerie harmonies. “Your Devil Is A Ghost” and “Tell Me How To Say Goodbye,” the two pseudo-ballads, still feature powerful choruses with immense cohesion among the distorted chord progressions and emotional vocals. Tracks like “Still Bleeding” and “Last Forever” are filled with passionate performances that have catchy melodies and intense guitar progressions.

However, Rated R is consistently dark, almost to a fault. While each track is a solid effort individually, the tracks in context of the whole record begin to bleed together. Aside from energetic opener, “Surrogates,” and the rather intriguing electronic elements in the intro of “Tell Me How To Say Goodbye,” there isn’t much variation among the tracks. Because of this, a lot of moments on Rated R feel lackluster, not because they are, but because the impact is softened by how similar it is to the surrounding. The darker sound is dampened by the repetitive nature of the songwriting, leaving it somewhat void of meaning over time. Though the songwriting itself is impressive, some of their best on the individual track level, the overwhelming cohesion leaves Rated R hindered by the lack of variety across the tracklist.

While Rated R feels like a stronger return to form following Declaration and Gone, the band still feels like it’s reaching for what they’ve lost from the past. The orchestral elements are back, the production has improved, and Red has brought back their darker side, it doesn’t quite meet the same peaks as Innocence and Instinct or Of Beauty and Rage. Nevertheless, this is a step back in the right direction for the band as they bring back the elements and style they were once excelling at.



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user ratings (48)
2.8
good
other reviews of this album
Mateo Ottie CONTRIBUTOR (2.5)
R(estrain)ed...

Clifgard (3)
Still Red, just minus it all....

pizzamachine (2.5)
Rated B for boring....



Comments:Add a Comment 
tyman128
Staff Reviewer
October 11th 2023


4608 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Been a minute, but I needed to get back into reviewing!

This has grown on me a ton, and I've been listening to it a lot. My enjoyment is probably more than the rating entails, but I recognize a lot of the problems with the record.... but I just choose to look past them

The Suffering, Still Bleeding, and Last Forever are crazy fun

Purpl3Spartan
October 11th 2023


8992 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Now that everyone thinks they suck, they will release their best album in 10 years next time around as per usual

Digging: Tenue - Arcos, b??vedas, p??rticos

pizzamachine
October 11th 2023


27668 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

lol totes

Teal
October 11th 2023


613 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I feel like Red is always at war with themselves. There's one half of them that wants to write dramatic, soaring anthems complete with sweeping strings and there's another half that wants to write short, industrial/nu-metal jams with radio appeal. This album is like a weird mishmash of both styles and it comes across as clunky - the songs are too short and formulaic to let the first approach breathe and the songs are also too polished and melodic for the second approach to be gritty enough.

That said, I enjoy what they do and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jamming this a lot lately. It's a really, really awkward spot for the band to be in right now. It's like they're trying to thread the needle with both approaches and not really blowing either side of the fanbase out of the water.

00LoGFan00
October 11th 2023


43 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

@Teal, great take. I’m on the “write dramatic, soaring anthems” side and while I like some of these songs, overall it’s a let down.

pizzamachine
October 12th 2023


27668 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Great take agreed

mkmusic1995
Contributing Reviewer
October 12th 2023


2025 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I really don't think this is any worse or any better than anything else they've released. Each album has some distinct high points with some filler tracks sprinkled about and that about sums up my experience with this one.

Digging: EX GENERATION - The Napoli Exchange

Purpl3Spartan
October 12th 2023


8992 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I'd say this has the least amount of highs out of all their albums not named release the panic tho

MoM
October 12th 2023


5994 Comments


Are these guys like Poets of the Fall but shitty?

pizzamachine
October 12th 2023


27668 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Think Linkin Park Meteora era sorta

MoM
October 12th 2023


5994 Comments


That sounds like it could be pretty good. I’m not at all a fan of how a lot of bands handle strings, but if they do it well, that could be cool

pizzamachine
October 12th 2023


27668 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Start with their earlier stuff tho

Purpl3Spartan
October 12th 2023


8992 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I&I, End of silence, and of Beauty and rage are their best albums, I would start with those.

Beardog
October 12th 2023


5392 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Thank you man. Heard the record ones, liked two singles, but that was about it. Record did close to nothing for me.

Drifter
October 12th 2023


21008 Comments


where's bentheredfan when you need him

Purpl3Spartan
October 12th 2023


8992 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

frfr

MoM
October 12th 2023


5994 Comments


“where's bentheredfan when you need him”

I read their username as bernard at first,
Then Benadryl

Pikazilla
October 12th 2023


31198 Comments


wheres greenlinkinmuse

Emim
October 12th 2023


36054 Comments


Where's bodominflames

MetalMarcJK
October 13th 2023


1227 Comments


Is there a user named BonerPills?

Digging: Donald Trump - Guilty of having stage 4 rizz



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