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.
