Review Summary: This is motherfucking control
On the one hand,
Population: Declining technically brings nothing new to the sonic table. By 2010, plenty of heavy rock groups were gruffly baring their souls over distorted riffage and huge choruses via quiet/loud dynamics and just enough of a radio-friendly gloss to net movie promo placements. Indeed, if one wanted for “white boy with problems” alternative metal, they certainly didn’t need to- and arguably still don’t need to- look far.
That said, they shouldn’t overlook Hail The Villain, because Villain injects copious amounts of adrenaline-spiked steroids into the radio metal formula, nearly blowing it up entirely. The overall intensity level on this record is closer to that of Korn than Nickelback, several of the texts read closer to Slipknot than Three Days Grace (i.e., “let me love you/scar and burn you” on “My Reward”), and there’s just enough complex songwriting here to echo Deftones and Tool. This isn’t purely a metal record, especially with the swaggering classic rock ethos of the likes of “16 Candles” and “Pyro”, but there are enough breakdowns and screamed vocals to warrant a radio blacklist for the unedited version of half the album.
Indeed, vocalist Bryan Crouch is absolutely unhinged for most of the project. To be sure, his baritone range allows him to darkly croon with the best of his contemporaries, but he spends much of
Population: Declining either harshly barking or wildly screaming out his lines. His frenetic and unbalanced energy perfectly embodies the anti-hero persona that Villain is so clearly going for here.
However, Crouch doesn’t carry the record on his back, not by a long shot. Guitarist Joseph Stump lays down riff after riff of thick, nimble, crunchy goodness and even a few solos. What he is playing is relatively simple, but it is engaging, catchy, and heavy as all ***. “My Reward” is almost entirely dependent on his complex, twisting work that really contributes to the pulsing tension of the song, while Stump adds mournful soul to the album’s lone ballad, “Swan Dive Suicide”.
Unfortunately, the rhythm doesn’t fare as strongly overall here, but when they shine, they really do glisten. Drummer Flavio Cirillo carries the relentless drive of “16 Candles” and propels the delicious hedonism of “Pyro”, while bassist Chad Taylor’s thick grooves perfectly complement the verses of “Take Back The Fear”.
And take back the fear, Hail The Villain do; this is a bleak, depraved jaunt through the turbulent life of our troubled protagonist. While not the deepest concept album,
Population: Declining beautifully tells the story of an anti-hero who is trying hard to do the right thing and redeem himself from his mistakes but still can’t quite escape his trauma and his shadow self. Ultimately, he’s just trying to survive in the deeply immersive, greyscale world that HTV painted for the listener. As someone who deals regularly with diagnosed depression and anxiety, and somebody who just went through a significant life change, I cannot help but feel a deep relation to the protagonist’s struggle.
Indeed, in many ways,
Population: Declining is a coming-of-age story (albeit one dressed in all black and drenched in whiskey) detailing insecurity (“Take Back The Fear”, “Runaway”), intentional self-destruction (“Pyro”), burnout (“16 Cradles”, “Swan Dive Suicide”, “Glad To Be”), and abuse (“My Reward”). Still though, even with the weight of the themes present, the music around the madness is just exciting enough to keep the proceedings from getting too dour.
Population: Declining won’t excite everyone. If you’re one of those who are dead set that all radio rock/metal sucks, or one who thinks that heavy music must exclusively be heavy, this project likely won’t change your mind. After all, even with its noticeable edge,
Population could likely fit on the local rock station (albeit with several of the screamed vocals gutted and the more acerbic lyrics edited). However, if you’re not allergic to ever-so-slightly radio-friendly heavy rock with a predominant metal bite, Hail The Villain have created the perfect world for you.
