Review Summary: Red take the best parts of their first release and Start Again.
Red’s 2006 debut
End of Silence was a large disappointment to me. It wasn’t because I disliked the Linkin Park-esque sound; the brutal, distorted guitar riffs, the strained and screaming vocals and the surprising inclusion of violins. No, it was because there were hints of greatness in this band but in the end, it didn’t coalesce. Amazing aural moments were broadly interspersed amongst a dull sea of non-moments. Songs such as the opener “Breathe Into Me”, “Let Go” and “Pieces” were breathtaking, passionate nu-metal numbers executed with a style normally reserved for a band with more experience and knowledge than what’s normally contained on a freshman album. That in itself should be cause to stand up and take notice, but it’s
because these songs were such standouts from the rest of the track list that
End of Silence, while being the band’s first album, could’ve been so much more. Many of the later tracks seem to imitate each other, making the remainder of the release somewhat of a disinterested chore to grind through.
How fortunate I was to learn that Red ostensibly noticed this flaw and distributed
Innocence and Instinct. Everything that made
End of Silence so involving and engaging was pronounced and given the utmost attention in almost every song. The result is a smooth, cohesive 56 minute nu-metal/hard rock banquet (including the three extra songs) that rarely lets up or disappoints.
Something that became instantly apparent upon listening to
Innocence and Instinct is the presence of the strings section. While they were indeed included on
End of Silence and perhaps a reason why Red stood out, a greater focus has been placed on them the second time around. They merge and intertwine with the rest of the band as if they were a natural extension of the nu-metal sound, where in many other bands they are used simply as a pleasant but unfocused sonic layer. Songs like “Start Again”, “Never Be The Same” and bonus track “Forever” catalogue this perfectly. The resulting product becomes a deeper, intricate affair than that if they were absent and is certainly a trait that distinguishes Red from its (dwindling number of) contemporaries. This hasn’t come at the expense of the rest of the band, thankfully. The pronounced guitars in “Shadows” and “Confession (What’s Inside My Head)” steal the spotlight from the violins and supercharge weighty, distorted riffs upon a thudding drum line.
Michael Barnes’ voice has also been further refined and built upon from his previously stellar effort on
End of Silence. The edgy, gritty screaming in tracks like “Death of Me” and “Confession (What’s Inside My Head)” are engrossing and immediate, while “Mystery of You” and “Ordinary World” showcase his wonderful melodic quality that brings a beautiful contrast to the heavier vibe of the album. Unfortunately there’s nothing quite as haunting as the first album’s “Pieces” but “Never Be The Same” and “Take It All Away” are fantastic compensation. Barnes can also send his vocals soaring in impossibly catchy instances during the bridges of “Start Again” and “Mystery of You” while forging the irritatingly indelible chorus of “Shadows.”
Lyrically things are pretty similar. Staying true to the tenets of nu-metal, the same themes of hopeful pessimism and resolve through hardships are the basis of almost all songs, but it suits the tone and style of the songs. While they are often categorised as a Christian band, nothing in the wording of any song is uniquely applied to spirituality (although much of it certainly can be), so if preachy lyrics are an issue for you, there’s no need to be concerned.
Overall, if you found Red’s
End of Silence to be well executed symphonic nu-metal, there is no way you could possibly dislike this. Every aspect of
End of Silence has been tightened and polished to a mirror finish, with arguably little filler. They’re one of the few bands left that carry on the torch of nu-metal/hard rock while remaining invariably a treat to listen to. All in all, Red takes the best parts of their first release and Start Again.
