Review Summary: Before I say another word, Just know that my intentions were pure
Things change. The weather changes. Time changes. People change. I change my kid’s nappies.
So why do we expect bands not to change? Why do we throw up a stink whenever a much beloved band puts out an album that evokes change? Maybe it’s because we love what we love and GODDAMNIT don’t you touch it. Or maybe it’s because as we get older we are scared to take on new things and are afraid of being let down or hurt. But mostly it’s because we are all elitist and *** YOU for doing anything different to what we want you to do.
The Plot In You are a band. They were initially a Metalcore/Deathcore outlet for vocalist Landon as his time in Before Their Eyes came to an end. With three albums under their belt at the time of ‘Dispose’, it was easy to see the elements the band were adding into their releases that would lead us to where we are now. The biggest change for the band is Landon letting other band members contribute to the music writing itself.
Over time, as we all do, The Plot In You evolved. Electronic and industrial elements were added into their Metalcore sound and clean vocals became more of a staple in their releases. This leads us to ‘Dispose’ which has been stripped of the Metalcore/Deathcore sound and replaced with an Alternative Rock/Pop sound with some Post-Hardcore sprinkled throughout – ‘Paid In Full’ being the only occasion where Landon pulls out vocals that could have been found on earlier releases.
So what do you get when you take away the HEAVY? You get an emotional roller coaster of pop melodies, bass heavy music, the occasional chugging guitar, and an incredible vocal performance from Landon. ‘Rigged’ kicks off the album with am ambient opening followed by hard hitting bass and Landon’s voice moving effortlessly between cleans and screams. ‘Rigged’ really sets the platform for what you can expect. Soaring vocals over bass heavy instrumentals and lyrics that really do hit you in the gut. ‘Not Just Breathing’ and ‘The One You Loved’ have some damn catchy choruses. With a few tweaks to ‘The One You Loved’ it could be a pop hit for any of the countless pop stars flooding the airwaves.
Lyrically, the album details the ending of a dysfunctional relationship. Maybe it’s just me (just ended a similar relationship) but damn they hit hard. Throughout, Landon takes shots at his partner with the track ‘I Always Wanted To Leave’ basically encompassing everything I felt about my ex and that’s a testament to Landon being honest with himself with his lyricism. ‘Feel Nothing’ is the BIG song for the band. It was everywhere at one point and it’s easy to see why. Soaring chorus melodies, bass heavy music and lyrics that don’t leave a lot to the imagination, ‘Feel Nothing’ FEELS like the song that was the turning point for the band, and they realized that THIS is what they needed to do to hit the masses (and good for them).
The pinnacle of the album for me is ‘The Sound’. A heartbreaking Pop Ballad that relies on Landon’s breathy vocals, honest lyricism and some nice, plucked chords to carry it along. Again, due to personal reasons this album and in particular this song really hits the mark, with its opening two lines being the nail in any relationships coffin:
There was a time when I brought light to your eyes
Even the worst of days could not keep us apart.
There are a couple of downsides to the album, them being ‘Disposable Fix’ a very average track, that feels as though they are trying WAY too hard to throw something different in at the end and ‘Happy’ a pointless interlude that makes no sense being here. I can see why people don’t like this. I’m an idiot, but I am not THAT much of an idiot. It’s not what you expect from a band that dropped ‘Happiness in Self-Destruction’ or ‘First Born’. It’s not a Metalcore album, musically it’s not heavy at all, but god damn it this album is H.E.A.V.Y on the heart and easy on the ears.
Standout tracks:
The Sound
Paid In Full
I Always Wanted To Leave
Feel Nothing
