Review Summary: Future Palace resurface with another mainstream metal gem.
Although Future Palace have always kept the slickly produced blend of post-hardcore and pop as the core of their sound, their previous records showed a gradual increase in heaviness. After a pleasant, relatively light debut, they soon spiced up the formula with down-tuned guitars, more aggressive drumming and monstrous screams while further honing their mainstream appeal, all of which culminated in the beefy slab of octanecore titled
Distortion. Two years later, that record seems to have defined the band’s course for the foreseeable future as their newest album
Resurgence is not far removed from its predecessor. If anything, it delves even further into what possibilities this style has to offer.
Maria Lessing, the group’s highly acclaimed vocalist, continues to showcase her skillset with but one issue at play. Despite an impressive screaming range, on the new record she abuses her high register with not enough lower notes to efficiently counterweigh it. The harsh vocals still pose a welcome contrast to the singing, but they might get tedious after a while. At the same time, her charming cleans, soaked in digital effects and fittingly layered, still constitute a plethora of exceedingly strong pop hooks that are so vital to the band’s sound. The lyrics underwent a huge improvement though: less angsty alternative metal clichés, more vibrant metaphors and even genuine poetry, which lend songs like “Deep Blue” a new level of relatability.
What happened to our proximity? / We’re so distant, it's quite painful / The abyss seems near, it's speaking to me / Tugging me down in these vast waters
Similarly to
Distortion,
Resurgence is driven by waves of bouncy rhythms and an opaline electronic palette, which is even more prominent this time around. The synths enrich the record in many ways, coming in warm layers that either provide additional colouring in the background or crystallize into engaging leads. While clean riffs are scarce and almost always subdued in the mix, Manuel Kohlert’s guitar work, together with Johannes Früchtenicht’s impeccable handling of the kit, create gratifying heaviness, especially during the strategically distributed breakdowns. This stripped down, rhythm-oriented approach on the axe with lead functions mostly relegated to the synths might prove frustrating to some, yet works surprisingly well overall and comes with a few treats to avert staleness.
The album keeps consistently high energy throughout its 42-minute runtime. “Deep Blue” is the initial showcase of the established formula, driven by distressed, freakishly hooky synth and vocal melodies, and a powerful pop chorus as it deals with the sense of abandonment and internal decay. Various levels of anguish reflect in the following songs, channelled through similar means with a couple of readjustments – “The Shades” for instance, employs rapping reminiscent of the previous album’s “A Fool on the Devil’s Reins”, albeit with a less interesting flow. “Disintegrate” is the most similar to the opener in being a tight, bouncy hit, in this instance even more drenched in synths and equipped with a massive post-chorus. Eventually, the anthemic lead single “Cyclone” ends the record with the final wave of heaviness as Maria vividly conveys a struggle to find inner peace.
In the eye of the gale, I can ease my concerns / This silence is cleansing / Only seconds to go 'til the squall breaks the calm /And my peace will be ending
At the same time, the record houses a fair amount of experimentation. “Supernova” starts like a standard Future Palace song, but completely shifts the mood with the introduction of acoustic guitar; “Tidal Waves” goes even further by relying on this instrument for its entirety. While this is not the first time that Future Palace try their hand at power ballads (as evidenced by their phenomenal track “Wounds” from 2022), they have never utilised acoustic passages so prominently and the results are beautiful – especially since the latter song’s uplifting nature allows a break from
Resurgence’s overall tormented state. The title track plunges deep into nu metal with tight start-stop grooves, bass-driven verses and a high dose of disc scratches in the background; the reverberated screams and, again, the lush panorama of synths only add to the appeal. “Nixy” is an unique exercise in hybridizing the faster, biting brand of post-hardcore a la As Everything Unfolds with heavy influence from 80s synthpop, resulting in a piece as aggressive as it is danceable. Meanwhile, “Nightfall” towers over the record as both the longest and perhaps the heaviest track ever produced by the band. Relying less on hooks and more on the pacing, it brings to mind the more elaborate cuts from modern Spiritbox, such as “A Haven with Two Faces”. While it doesn’t possess the same immediacy as the neighbouring songs, it’s an interesting experiment and I would love to see the band doing this again in the future.
Future Palace still play overproduced mainstream metal, but it’s far from being a flaw. They're a band with a clear artistic direction and confident execution, doing things a bit differently with each release.
Resurgence is an accomplished album: satisfying delivery of essential pop-core components, skilful usage of synths, stylistic and, to an extent, structural experimentation and the improved lyricism all coalesce into a fun, diverse whole that further proves the German trio’s consistency and competence at what they’re doing. If you’re not a fan of this type of music,
Resurgence is unlikely to change your mind; if you are, contact with this record will likely be rewarding.
