Review Summary: "A force united we will crush you all"
With success comes trial and error. As a band grows larger they either experiment to attract new fans, or play it safe and potentially soften their sound; which is a regular occurrence. However, a band such as Molotov Solution have no option other than to either ‘get heavier’ or ‘more technical’ or split it right down the middle. Molotov Solution are a perfect example of playing it safe, yes their third effort ‘Insurrection’ is more or less what we were given with ‘Harbinger’, it’s essentially ‘Harbinger 2.0 & then some’.
However, the abundance of breakdowns, chug fills and similar production effects present an honest answer, Molotov Solution are comfortable with their sound but with that comfort comes safety, it acts like a blanket and a band, or solo artist can become too reliant on this blanket. Molotov Solution would benefit from some blistering solos, complex time signatures and even some melodic passages; however I doubt Molotov Solution will ever offer you that, instead with ‘Insurrection’ they give us a plateful of Deathcore, that has been done time and time again but with more finesse and polish.
‘Insurrection’ is familiar from the word go, as the first track gets started you immediately have a sense of déjÃ* vu, and then the powerful vocals enter, and it hits you… this is deathcore; nothing more and nothing less. 'Insurrection' features the typical bellowing lows that could shake the earth and the high shrieks that could shatter glass. The vocals are top notch on ‘Insurrection’ as no less would be expected of a band such as this in a competitive modern day genre. There is plenty of vocal layering and the annunciation is clear and precise. The vocals aren’t abrasive and are fairly easy to enjoy. There are better vocalists out there of course, but Molotov Solution offer a more than competent competitor.
Instrumentally, again we tread marked territory. You have your rhythmic chugs, ‘dweedle do’ riffs and of course, the bone-breaking breakdowns with a sprinkling of tone effects. The drums push their way through the mix, as you can hear hit cymbals and snares being clanged and smashed. The pacing and fills are precise and executed well. Instrumentally, it’s a fun album to listen to, if you go into it expecting deathcore then that's what you’ll get. If you go into this expecting a complete reform or something nearing technical death metal, you’ll be disappointed. Instead of looking, or sighing at the sound of breakdowns and similar riffing, just nod your head and say, ‘at least they’re doing it well’. I commend Molotov Solution for being concentrated with their instruments, they could of quite easily offered a sloppy, lazy mess yet they were kind enough to offer a dish best served heavy. Lyrically, ‘Insurrection’ is about what is wrong with the United States/rest of the world politically, ranging from corruption to beliefs and so forth. They break the mold slightly for being one of the very few radically minded bands in this genre, most choose to scream about ‘bitches’ or torturing poor souls.
Overall, ‘Insurrection’ is a record that has been written, produced, mixed and performed well. The final product is nothing genre changing and it certainly won’t turn heads. Yet, Molotov Solution use the tried formula to their advantage; honing in on what makes them better than others, passion, power and their song writing. Many will see this as nothing but dumb and they're entitled to and are in fact, probably correct to some degree. However, Molotov Solution is a cut above the rest, so there you have it, ‘Insurrection’ is definitely one to add to your catalogue.
