Review Summary: No errors detected, The Warning add another fantastic album to their catalog
Growing up in the internet age has been an interesting experience as far as music goes. No longer is discovery limited to cassette tapes passed around or concert posters or word of mouth. Instead, we have the successor to MTV, the grand space of YouTube. Where once there were random music videos on the TV channels to stoke attention, now we have videos appearing in our recommended sidebar, giving us new bands to potentially check out or skip over, if the thumbnail suitably interests us.
And in 2014, a little cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” captured the attention of millions. The cover was performed by a 3-piece band of sisters from Mexico, known as The Warning. At the time, the oldest member, lead guitarist and vocalist Daniella Villarreal Vélez, was only 14 years old.
It’s a testament to the power of the internet, and the connectedness of the music community, that these three sisters were soon propelled to stardom off the back of this one cover. It’s because of them that their third album,
Error, was released to such rabid acclaim from their fanbase, and the rock world at large.
Of course, acclaim from the masses and the acclaim of a supposed critic can mean very different things, so let’s review this album, shall we?
Error is perhaps The Warning’s tightest, most focused album to date. Merging classic rock power trio sounds with modern lyrical sensibilities, and just generally talented musicianship, it stands head and shoulders above the already impressive two albums that the band had released prior to this.
“Disciple” kicks things off in fine fashion with a bass line courtesy of youngest member Ale, and by the time the song hits its chorus, you’ve already discovered this album’s biggest strength: The Warning know damn well how to write incredible riffs and choruses. Lead singles “Choke”, and “Evolve” demonstrate this in fine form, as does the incredible driving riff that propels “Money”’s chorus forward.
This is complemented by Daniella’s powerful voice, soaring above the pounding drums and electric riffs (see, again, “Disciple” and “Money”, but also “Error”, “Animosity”, and especially the high flying finale of “Amour”). Not to be outdone, drummer Paulina manages to inject vocals of her own that nicely switch up the formula, be it her verse in “Disciple”, her earth-shattering scream that signals the bridge of “Evolve”, and even her taking the lead on “23” to fantastic results.
Of course, stumbling blocks do exist. The second half of the album is noticeably slower than the first, with “23” and the gorgeous ballad “Martirio” (the only song on the album sung in Spanish), being notable exceptions. While still good, none of the other songs match up to the album’s initial stretch. In addition, some of the lyrics are painfully on the nose. “Z” and “Kool Aid Kids” especially suffer here. While I will never bemoan political lyrics, especially in rock music, the lack of nuance compared to other tracks on this album really bog down the listening experience for certain tracks.
The joy of
Error, and The Warning’s output as a whole, is that these three sisters work perfectly in tandem, a cohesive whole that executes their songs with precision, power, and especially heart. From YouTube to the big stages, it’s clear that The Warning have a bright future ahead of them. Here’s to the next rock generation.
