Review Summary: The future is now old man
Every now and then, I think about how I first felt when I heard The Armed—initially when I was introduced to their album Ultrapop. I remember feeling overwhelmed by the deafening noise and brutality of it, and I quickly wrote it off as something that just wasn’t for me.
Then, slowly but surely, it snuck up on me. I found myself wanting to revisit it and listen more because the melodies were catchy, and the brilliant production and musicianship started to really shine through. I began discovering the rest of their discography, and I need not tell you how good Untitled and Only Love (which seem to be referenced throughout this) are, because if it weren’t for them, you probably wouldn’t be reading this.
A couple of years after Ultrapop, they were faced with the impossible task: the follow-up to that album. Would it surpass it in quality? Would they continue advancing and developing that sound? Sadly, the answer to both questions was no. That doesn’t mean Perfect Saviours wasn’t a competent album—it sure was. It just wasn’t what the fans wanted, and with The Future Is Here…, it seems like it wasn’t exactly what the band wanted either.
The hype and expectations weren’t as high as they were after Ultrapop, but when the singles started coming out, fans quickly realized that the band was back with a vengeance.
From the get-go, opener Well Made Pay hits you in the face like a brick, with its sonic violence, wild saxophone, and screeching vocals. It’s reminiscent of the style of the previously mentioned acclaimed hardcore releases.
Traces of Perfect Saviours are also scattered throughout tracks like Purity Drag, Sharp Teeth, and the vocals on Kingbreaker, but here they’ve been perfectly crafted to touch on all the styles the band has ventured into.
A sense of lyrical cohesiveness also starts to reveal itself just a few tracks in, with lines like “You are blind to your own reflection” and “Your privilege, my presence. Nothing is my fault, nothing is my fault.” The sense of unease and discontent with society and the way the world is moving becomes more and more apparent—like in Grace Obscure, with the line “every ***ing day and all ***ing year.” This song also has hints of jazz in its unhinged yet controlled chaos.
The worldly discontent all comes to a boil with the masterful, synth-driven Broken Mirror, which almost becomes so abrasive it’s borderline overwhelming for the casual listener. This sentiment continues on the next track, which, in title and some aspects of execution, could be a song by a band like IDLES: “I Steal What I Want.”
One of my personal favorites, Gave Up, feels like it could have been taken straight from Ultrapop, without ever actually being there. It has the perfect blend of violent chaos and melody.
The longest track on the album, Heathen (no, it’s not a Deafheaven cover), incorporates electronic elements in a way I haven’t heard executed since perhaps Dillinger Escape Plan’s Dissociation. Another highlight, this song features beautiful vocals, saxophone, and distant distortion amid the electronic beats and synths.
To contrast the beauty of the previous track, the album closes with another brutal cut that punches you straight in the face. As abruptly as the record started, it now comes to a close. If there’s one thing I can say after listening to this record, it’s that The Armed is back on top—and they show no signs of slowing down.
