Review Summary: Following the crowd
Within recent years, Grayscale Season has increased their popularity within the nu-metalcore scene. Although they don’t bring anything new to this saturated genre, the band has maintained their consistent output of palatable heavy riffs and intermingled melodic sections. Their newest output,
Slow Emotions, shows the band engaging in auto-pilot, riding on the waves of formula put forth by nu-metalcore pioneers without going beyond expectations, following the crowd and getting lost in it. The self-titled opener perfectly displays this by combining moments of aggressive groove which is juxtaposed by softer clean sections and melodic chorus passages. These differing moments seem to come from nowhere, making the track itself feel unnatural. One minute, you’re enveloped by intense, low-tuned guitars, and the next you’re thrusted into a section of subdued melody. This is a pattern seen throughout the duration of the record; songs no longer feel like fully fleshed ideas, but rather concepts stitched together in the hopes of forming a track.
Slow Emotions sadly feels like a project unable to find their identity. Throughout each moment, Grayscale Season simply mirrors the melodic/aggressive tropes of the genre, piecing together every influence they could grasp at and forming a riff or chorus out of it. Whether it’s the post-hardcore intro of the title track, the “thall” breakdown of “Side Effects,” or the nu-metal grooves of “Champagne Tears,” they feel like they’re rehashing old ideas instead of establishing something they can call their own. This isn’t said to detract from the genuinely intriguing and enjoyable moments of
Slow Emotions. The second half of “Luxury Depression” displays Grayscale Season at their best, embracing their heavy side and crafting something unique. Their blend of blackened deathcore with the intense ambiance shows a side of the band that branches out from the more typical patterns of nu-metalcore. Moreover, the concluding moment of “Human Resources” builds upon this captivating heaviness and leaves a lasting impression. However, these brief moments of eloquence are almost completely undermined by the lack of identity found throughout the rest of the album. While the project does have some fun and catchy moments, they are fleeting in the midst of formulaic patterns and inability to break from monotony. With
Slow Emotions, Grayscale Season has filled the nu-metalcore mold, and now it’s time for them to break it.
