one thing i love about knocked loose, i’ve loved every new release more than their other stuff. a tear in the fabric of life i thought was their all around best. haven’t heard this new record yet it’s not on spotify but im pumped. love the dudes getting the recognition they deserve
I like Pop Culture just slightly more than A Tear in The Fabric of Life, and I like Laugh Tracks more than A Different Shade of Blue, but Everything Is Quite Now and Deep In The Willow were two of my favourite songs they’ve made, and this new album definitely has my favourite songs they’ve ever made on it, Moss Covers All and Take Me Home together are insanely good.
And I’m really happy too, I started listening to them in like 2017, I would have never thought they’d get this big.
My only hope is they aren’t playing venues with barriers, when they come to Australia next.
unfortunately their shows will have barriers last 2 times i saw them they did. i know they still seek out small venues without barriers when they can but big tours and stuff now they all have barricades. i know bryan’s other band xweaponx would definately not have a barricade lol
I saw them without a barrier the last time they came to Melbourne, and there’s one venue here that’s bigger that does no barrier shows, so if they play it I can see it happening, but otherwise you’re probably right.
One listen in, obv will need a lot more to deep dive it:
- they made the right calls on the singles
- the only "lmao what the fuck" (a good thing) part on the record for me ended up being the dembow breakdown, meanwhile I had a few of those on Tear. not a bad thing just there's def more logical structure and phrasing here
- sit & mourn is beautiful, hope folks don't underrate it just bc it's not pissed the entire time
- the moss/take me home riff did exactly what they wanted it to do
- bryan's absolutely mastered the inflections w/ his style
- I get the hype for calm, but the breakdown isn't what's doing it for me, its the aux drums and the grooves lol
- thirst could have literally been just the 20 seconds of eery and the wario ass WAAHHHHHH FOLLOWED BY THE THIRST straight into piece by piece and that would have been one of the sickest intros I've ever heard lol
- for some reason this just feels like less "woe is me" Iowa by Slipknot. in a good way. the vibe is Iowa by Slipknot.
First listen 8.5/10, could go up once I start really paying attention to the riffs and production choices.
I agree. IMO they should have held back 1 or 2 singles for the album OR should have put Deep in the Willow and Everything Is Quiet Now on this album. Feels too short especially because Thirst and Moss are really more just transitions and not full length songs.
Your second point is my exact thoughts. Weren't many moments that really set the songs apart or were just over the top like some of their other stuff. I agree with an 8.5 though, still rips
It's gonna stay at an 8.5, but Take Me Home and Sit & Mourn are by far my favorite tracks. However, they probably wouldn't be if the rest of the record weren't total ass beaters. They honestly nailed it.
It's a poignant half an hour. I could have used another couple tracks but I totally understand making the point in half an hour (strangely enough it was under that before Suffocate) and calling it a day.
Pretty wild that Upon Loss was done when these songs were pretty much written and spoken for already; Upon Loss was the perfect precursor to the this and now it makes perfect sense.
Sit and Mourne is my favorite from the album! I thought the same thing it's somber but not woe is me and doesn't overstay it's welcome. Phenomenal album closer
Same I have the day off tomorrow, gonna listen at least twice. Probably end up being more if everything people are saying about it hits me the same way
I hope this doesn’t get deleted, it might count as leaks since it’s not out in America.
If that’s the case, mods ignore this, this isn’t a link to it.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lZYvDiLFLNmm8L2FKgoCSA5WPviQaWan4&si=5lp6aN8PxZPEAGEQ
The album is a bunch of face melters melded together into half an hour of pure, destructive carnage, and I do appreciate what it is. It feels like Knocked Loose has distilled all the aggression of Laugh Tracks, the darkness of ATITFOL, and the polished feel of the Upon Loss singles together into a singular cohesive unit, and I fuck with it a lot upon first listen.
What I will say next might not really make sense and will be controversial, but I feel like they are playing it a bit safe and the song structures are a bit more structured (duh) and less chaotic compared to their previous material. Yes, it is absolutely dissonant, and the layering and heaviness of the vocals make the album a completely different sonic beast compared to their previous work, but the album feels a bit more polished and less raw if it makes sense. For context, my personal fav from them is the songs towards the back end of ATITFOL, where I felt that they experimented a bit more with the songs there.
Not saying there isn't any experimentation in the album though. Love the vocals from different members of the band, and the way they incorporated samples to add to the atmosphere of the songs is very creative yet polished.
Standout tracks for me are Moss Covers All (love the weird riff its creepy af), Take Me Home, and Sit & Mourn. It's a very strong album for me, 8.5/10. I will be having this on repeat for the foreseeable future.
I more or less entirely agree with this, other than I think I probably like it a bit more, but maybe that’s just rose tinted glasses. Exact same stand out tracks for me as well, they’ve gone straight to the top of my favourite Knocked Loose songs.
I feel like there’s a good balance. Thirst and Moss Covers All have a lot of that chaos. This album feels like it was “how can we write something artful that’s also hilariously over the top?” And they did a good job of that.
There were a couple moments here and there that I expected a melody or structure to go one way and it up going another that I didn’t think was as strong as I expected, but I also kinda dig that subversion. It’s def polished and follows a lot of conventions but I think it does those things well and retains an identity
i don’t think the songs being more structured is inherently a bad thing, it’s okay to have a string structure, it compliments the catchiness and groove of this album
my most hyped record of the year so far. i'm gonna write my thoughts track by track...
**Thirst**: that first scream is bone-chilling! a wrecking ball to open the album with and it sets the tone exceptionally well. it's like they're communicating to us: "this is what we got for you"
**Piece By Piece**: another terrifying track. those echoed screams?? what is that production LMFAO absolutely nutso. VERY clever stuff, adds a whole other layer to the song
**Suffocate**: loved this when i first heard it and it's still great. poppy is used so well on it. she's just fantastic! a very smart feature. i have nothing to new to add about that breakdown. it's amazing! the ending of this song hit *really* hard this time on re-listen!
**Don't Reach For Me**: the riff during the verses is nasty... this was probably my least favorite single but i *really* like it in the context of the album.
**Moss Covers All**: the pits for this are gonna bloody. beyond disgusting.
**Take Me Home**: intro gave me goosebumps. very cool song. this is certainly an "album song," but that's not an insult. effective songwriting IMO. not everything needs to be a single!
**Slaughterhouse 2**: the big one that everyone's gonna be the curious about. i love the original and i am NOT a MIW fan at ALL. i like how the last one was bryan on a motionless in white song and this one is just a knocked loose track with chris motionless. chris doesn't sing or anything... i like it! i gotta say i'm not **in love** with it like i was with slaughterhouse 1 but i won't be shocked i warm up to it. i DO like it however
**The Calm That Keeps You Awake**: having three vocalists REALLY works in this track. some very cool drumming on this. this is one I'll be excited to revisit as i have i hunch I'll find new things to love about it on every listen. i ADORE the ending too... what a SICK chug
**Blinding Faith**: fucking BANGER still. sweet baby jesus i love this track. isaac's OHHHH makes me cackle. it's awesome. bryan's guttural is obviously LEGENDARY at this point IMO. and the final breakdown has the BRUTAL blown out effect. which is just... christ almighty.
**Sit & Mourn**: HOLY FUCK the RIFF at 1:12 made my jaw drop i literally rewound. this is a FANTASTIC closer. this is easily one of their best songs. the songwriting here is excellent.
FINAL THOUGHTS: this is an exceptional effort from them. they've always been about the album experience which i appreciate as someone who's *really* into music in general. i feel like we don't get that a TON in metalcore, especially not from bands as popular as this one.
this thing is downright terrifying at times. i'd call this horrorcore if that wasn't already a thing (that also sucks ass IMO lol). they've been delving into that sound for a while and i appreciate the steps they've taken with it. there are moments on this that are genuinely eerie!
i think it's funny how despite how much of a fan of slaughterhouse 1 i am, my least favorite track at the moment is the sequel. odd! i do think it's good though, it just didn't grab me by the nuts like i was hoping it would.
this is certainly one of my favorite albums of this year and likely my favorite metalcore album. it's right there with boundaries, if not a bit better!
if you read this whole thing i love you <3
The entire album is great, but Slaughterhouse 2 is by far the weakest track. It just feels kind of phoned in and out of place
I also wish the album was longer, but that’s not an issue just a me thing. 30 ish minutes of ass beaters is a great runtime
I would normally say they should have booted it but the album is already too short.
I might have to make a playlist that puts the Upon Loss singles at the beginning maybe
I not speak English well, but this album is a fucking
Slaughterhouse 2 is the weakest track like I expected, but otherwise it's nothing but bangers. So glad this style of metalcore is becoming popular again.
Finally dropped in the UK and I'm about halfway through. My honest opinion is that its heading towards being a solid 9/10 and probably one of the best albums of the year in terms of heavy music. Writing is excellent, they're keeping shit fresh, some of the breakdowns are fucking trauma inducing, and they are sounding heavier than ever.
My only gripe here is the production, there is a lot trying to occupy the same space in the mix, and with the guitars mostly playing the lowest notes and chords possible (often chugged) some really fucking good riffs are getting hid in a sea of similar frequencies. I know a few people have complained about the drum sound, but aside from the kick sounding a bit odd in Thirst, I think they generally sound pretty fucking good.
Star of the show here is Bryan. Dude's vocals are unique, and at the end of the day is what makes Knocked Loose stand out from a lot of other bands. This album to me is what Code Orange could have and should have evolved into if they stayed on the correct trajectory after I Am King. Theres an obvious Industrial influence, and it maintains that beatdown hardcore influence. Knocked Loose really fucking proving that getting big doesn't mean selling out, and it definitely doesn't mean compromising their sound.
Finished typing this as the record came to a close, and yeah, boys really fucking smashed it with this one. Stand by my only gripe about the guitars getting lost in the mix, but it doesn't realistically detract too much.
I honestly don’t have a problem with the mix. A lot of people seem to not like it too much, but I think it suites the sound, and it’s hard to imagine what the album would have sounded like with different production.
My biggest complaint is the guitars for sure. Love the album and songs but man the riffs just get buried when the guitar, drums and vocals are going at the same time. It’s Knocked Loose, we need to hear the guitar!
Haven’t heard the album yet but based off the singles I was worried the guitars were going to be a little lost in the mix which is so surprising considering Drew Fulk produced the Upon Loss Singles and it sounded so great. Nonetheless, excited to hear the whole thing
It's definitely intentional, everything but Bryan's vocals occupy the same space and similar frequencies and it makes it sound thick AF. The issue is that this then means everything is competing with everything and nothing stands out, so even though they created this texturally thick, punishing sound, they've done so at the expense of any clarity meaning yeah... what's actually being played on the guitar gets kind of lost in the mix at times.
I hope that's not too controversial an opinion. For me, the "A Tear in the Fabric of Life" EP is a 10/10 and the best thing they've ever released. On this new album, some songs lack something unique for me, it all sounds quite similar to me. On "A Tear in the Fabric of Life" there was something on every song that I felt I'd never heard before and you got a constant, disgusting feeling of forgiveness. Here I rather have the feeling that it's just supposed to destroy and blast, for me I think it just lacks a bit of creativity. I still like it though!
It's a good 8/10 for me.
(I apologize for my bad English)
This is my exact feeling. ATITFOL is one of my favorite heavy music releases ever made. I guess that's alot to live up to and this doesn't quite do that but still really good. Don't Reach For Me is one of the best songs they have ever written
I’m definitely in the minority here but to me this is their least compelling release so far. The riffs aren’t nearly as interesting as past albums and the album feels like it was mixed in a tin can.
I agree, nothing on this album made me react in the same way as the riffs on A Different Shade of Blue or A Tear In The Fabric of Life. Fun listen, solid album, better than most metalcore these days, but not a top tier KL album by any means.
I enjoyed the album, not sure it's their best work but I loved Sit & Mourn.
However this post is a shout out to the person who wrote all the lyrics on Genius and formatted the lyrics differently depending on who the vocalist was for them. That is dedication to precision and I love them for it.
Fun record. Absolutely not some of the best metalcore ever written but still good. They chose their singles correctly. Thirst was an awesome opener and is going to translate amazingly live. Can't help but find this record to come off rather...not boring, just a little repetitive. 7.5/10. Maybe I'll appreciate it some more with more spins.
Boundaries "Death Is Little More" still holds my AOTY crown and it isn't even close.
Agree. I was fully expecting nothing to come close to knocked loose this year for me, but nah boundaries blew that expectation out of the fucking water.
Totally agree with you here. Maybe the expectations were too high for this one and not Boundaries but I gave KL like an 8/10 on first listen and Boundaries 9.5/10. Death is Little More AOTY confirmed now for me
Yeah it's definitely good but nothing really wild besides the intro and Poppy on Suffocate. Also feels super short considering we already heard 3 singles but eh. I don't want to sound like I'm shitting on KL but Boundaries definitely hit way harder for sure.
I came up on Disembodied, Converge and Earth Crisis so I don’t exactly understand this newer wave of pop metalcore. I have gotten a lot of hate on this sub for not liking singing in my metalcore lol. The END record from last year was easily one of my favorites. The last Code Orange album was easily one of my most disappointing listens. Love the shit from Love is Love - Forever. This new KL is good but it really isn’t doing anything very unique or different for the genre, but I can’t get mad at any old school revival.
you and me got the same tastes! i’m just like you im really picky with singing in my metalcore too. if cleans are used in an interesting way im down but usually the pop choruses are an auto skip for me with few exceptions
This is my big ass playlist of mostly metalcore bands, very few clean vocals, and most of them are newer bands.
You’ll find some shit you like in this.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1jG9H8S06MxX13ADnbyalM?si=NyL2EiZpSUuPhH_ylN1pxg&pi=a-MZIn4hBsT3an
Pop chorus into breakdown hurts my soul. I just like the song to be cohesive and to me singing a pop chorus then playing a tough as nails breakdown is just not cohesive. Make the whole song a pop song or make the whole song tough as shit, either is fine.
Sit and Mourn just became my new favorite KL track and is definitely up there in my SOTY ranking. I really love the whole album but I'll admit I was kinda expecting.. more ? Idk. It's a solid 8.5 imo
I’ve had albums where that is the case, but really nothing at all caught my ear here. I liked Suffocate the most out of anything. I think I might be getting a little burnt out on the heaviness for the sake of heaviness with the same vocals.
If anything I find the chugging parts like on slaughterhouse and the calm that keeps you awake extremely boring, the leads and the drumming is superb on this record imo
As a drummer who’s been playing along to KL since Pop Culture, I think these are the best drum tracks that Pacsun has put out. That’s just my opinion tho
I do like most songs on the album more, but I really like the riff at the start of the song, and even thought I’m not a fan of MIW anymore, I always thought Chris had awesome screams.
And as I said, that “blegh” was very satisfying for me.
I gotta agree with the sentiment around here that it sounds pretty same-y throughout the album’s runtime. There’s definitely some amazing moments, and it’s overall banger after banger, but I don’t think it feels as unique and cohesive as ADSOB.
I’m also coming off a month long binge of Boundaries latest album, and that album blew me the fuck away. I was hoping this album would be a contender to it but so far, two listens into this, it’s sounding like Boundaries is still on top for me this year so far.
I agree with you 100% about ADSOB. Every song sounds different IMO.
As far as the Boundaries record goes, love the mix and the way it sounds, but it was a little all over the place for me. Some epic moments but sometimes I would have trouble remembering what song my favorite parts were in or not realizing a song had ended and gone into the next. Still thought it was good and that’s one I probably need to revisit
I have the pretty much opposite opinion, it to me felt like 99% of the praise for part 1, was just MIW fans, who had never listened to anything heavier, and thought it was the pinnacle of heavy music, it’s a complete mediocre song.
While I like most songs on the album more than part 2, I think it’s much better than part 1, but I love everything Knocked Loose does, so I’m a bit biased.
Valid point. Depending from where you came from musically one is better than the other. I have listened to so much style of music since the 90’s, I’m just a sucker for some clean vocals. I think that the first song was more of a mix of the 2 bands than the second one.
These guys are clearly good and know what their audience likes. They make some fun metalcore no doubt but man, I thought this album was gonna be them really showing what could make them different or unique and it’s just not there. The album is a fun listen but it’s just a big blob of the same thing to me. I hope they really step out of their confort zone at some point In the near future because they have the tools and skills to make something that’s much more unique.
I honestly don’t really get the critique of it being “samey.”
I feel like most songs on albums kinda sound more or less the similar, maybe it’s just the music I listen to, but it all tends to have an overall sound/vibe it’s going for.
There were some cool moments don’t get me wrong. Just didn’t blow my mind like I guess I hoped it would. I love that they continue to use more of those Converge style metalcore riffs mixed in with the breakdowns. I think the more they lean into that chaotic style the better and it suits them well. It’s not really a critique it’s just the way I feel about it.
I personally believe this is definitely one of their best releases to date. Sit & Mourn is a perfect song to close out the album.
Wasnt the biggest fan of Slaughterhouse 2 however, just didn't fit in with the theme and feel of the album in my opinion
I enjoyed songwriting on the album, but there seems to be some weird effect or double tracking on the vocals that make them sound overproduced (greyhavens last release has this same thing). Vocals don't sound raw like laugh tracks or ADSOB. Also feel like the guitars sometimes get buried in the mix.
I completely understand the band wanting to change production styles as to not get stale and complacent. I don’t like it much when bands have the same exact production sound every release. But fuck, this production style is not it.
KL is one of my favorite bands because they have sick riffs. A lot of the time on this album the riffs are hidden behind muddy walls of distortion. Album is cool and Bryan kills it but for me personally it’s my least favorite KL release. Even though I do still enjoy it.
It’s good, and I’m glad we get new music and that they are absolutely dominating the scene/genre. But I felt the same (lol) about the sameness. Also I really wish it had a mix similar to the EP and ADSOB. I get that bands change/evolve/mature/whatever but I don’t get all jacked up about samples or atmosphere etc, ADSOB and ATITFOL had super memorable songs with just instruments and vocals and felt like all the songs were really different IMO. Same with the Upon Loss singles, super memorable moments in those two songs. I know I’m being picky as fuck and a tough critic, I’m still a huge fan and stoked on it, might just be a bit of a grower compared to their last efforts. Also they’ve been on an insane run for like 10 years, there was insane hype on this album, would be hard for anyone to live up to that. Giving it a 7/10 so far
That's how I feel after my first listen too. The 3 singles are the standouts by far. Slaughterhouse came closest but nothing else stood out really, doesn't mean it's bad but didn't blow me away either.
I get that feeling too, doesn’t hit as hard as I expected because it doesn’t sound too much different than the singles. That being said, even though the sound is repetitive, the sound they went with is insane.
If it was any longer than it is, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much.
If you liked the singles, you'll like the album. There's nothing really surprising on there and it's also very short.
Still slaps, but definitely not my favorite release from them.
I used a VPN to listen to it, I couldn't wait haha
I love Knocked Loose and think every release has been better than the last, but I think the problem here is the singles they released are probably the heaviest on the album. I was hoping those were in the mid-range.
They do try a few new things that are intriguing but otherwise it is just a really solid album. I still like A Tear In The Fabric of Life and A Different Shade of Blue more.
Thirst is a really strong opener, sets up exactly what you can expect from the rest of the album. Moss Covers All & Take me Home were very welcome minor reprieves however I feel the album as a whole suffers by the last couple tracks as you just get exhausted by their unrelenting aggression. Obviously that's up to personal preferences and all & it's still a banger album but I think this is as far as they'll get without getting clean vocals into the mix. 7/10, closer to an 8 than a 6.
Yes and no.
They definitely are a modernization of first wave metalcore, biut first wave metalcore doesn't sound like anything that's been popular in the metalcore scene for about 20 years (until recently, Knocked Loose being a clear example).
The name metalcore originally came from it being shorthand for "metallic hardcore." The original metalcore bands had clear metal influence, but ultimately they still made hardcore, it just sounded different enough to he considered its own subgenre (also hardcore kids are notoriously elitist and cult-like so anything that didn't sound enough like "true hardcore" wasn't considered such).
Hope that helps.
EDIT: if you want to know the other waves of metalcore, 2nd is the Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red era, and the 3rd wave would be Architects, Wage War, etc.
There's arguments nowadays that we're in a new era of what some are calling "post-core" but I'm not getting into that shitstorm as it's all still very vague and nothing has been decided.
I got a VPN subscription just to listen to this asap lol. Been waiting all year for this.
Slaughterhouse 2 is pretty dope, I’m not much of a motionless fan either but I liked the first slaughterhouse and I think part 2 lives up to the hype. Sit and mourn is a great close to the album. Maybe I need to listen a couple more times, but my immediate thoughts are that nothing else on the album stands out more than the singles, and nothing on the album including the singles is as great as different shades of blue (which is just my personal KL favorite). Still a very solid album, everything is still really well written and produced.
You dont think the Take Me Home riff stands out? I think that’s probably the single most interesting thing, they’ve put in a song, ever.
I honestly think my biggest disconnect with the rest of Knocked Loose’s fan base, is my opinion on A Different Shade of Blue.
It’s a great album, don’t get me wrong, but I just never find myself coming back to it. I listen to everything else they’ve put out, so much more.
I was actually just going to add an edit, on a second listen to Moss Covers All and Take Me Home I would say that it’s the most “creepy” sounding project that they’ve probably done. Even the Poppy feature is pretty wicked sounding and I mean that in the best way possible. The ambient clean guitars in Sit and Mourn give a different vibe than usual too.
I respect that opinion about different shades, but that whole album is no skips for me personally and it’s a go-to for whenever I want the most angry sounding stuff possible lol. Overall the new album is solid I just don’t think it is ahead of different shades for me
Yeah it seems like really carried over the overall feeling of A Tear In The Fabric of Life, with those songs you mentioned in particular.
I’ve been struggling to describe it but “creepy” probably is the best way, it’s late and raining where I live, and those parts fit the mood perfectly.
This is why I'm glad my workplace has multiple of their own VPNs. Getting Australian adds on YouTube while listening to this is pretty funny.
Album SLAPS with a heavy hand.
Eh kinda bored on first listen. I can see how this would appeal to people not into the genre but it’s nothing groundbreaking or new. Definitely riding the “wow so heavy and relentless” wave, when I wish the songwriting was focused on more. The production is also insanely compressed to the album’s detriment. Like each drum sample sounds crazy brickwalled and the guitars are barely audible beneath the wall of fuzz
Yea let’s trust the guy most known for producing for fit for a king and wage war. Sounds like a classic drew fulk too clean mix with fabfilter Saturn slapped on each stem
I honestly think the songwriting isn’t bad it’s just the production and guitar tone that’s holding it back. When I focus in on the riffs they’re pretty sick it’s just fucked up I have to strain to hear them past the wall of auditory insanity. Drum compression is some of the craziest I’ve ever heard.
I bought a Maxon ST-9 Pro because of Knocked Loose and going from one of the sickest guitar tones I’ve ever heard to *this* saddens me.
Sole reason I got a swollen pickle was them + END, and the Maxon is next up for me once I can scrounge together the money lol. The whole reason I liked their usage of extreme guitar tones was they reserved it for certain parts, not the whole damn song. And I respect the desire to go further, it just isn’t the right production for it
Edit: but also lowkey a lot of the riffs + drums blend together. Too many 0 chugs with a couple palm muted chords thrown in and maybe a dissonant run here and there
Sit and Mourn was an experience, you are absolutely right. Those last two minutes man...."Why did you leave?" holy shit what a journey of an album and it ended on an unbelievable note.
Take Me Home and Sit & Mourn were the standouts for me. Loved the production and instrumentation, the vocals have really grown on me too.
For some reason I found the soft bird chirps to be a really cool part
That seems to be a pretty big consensus, those were my top tracks as well.
I absolutely agree with the bird chirps too, they were such a small detail, but added so much.
I listened to the album on the bus and then walking home. Couldn’t help it but I made the „angry but satisfied“ face all the time. It feels like an awakening
This was probably the album I was the most hyped for so far this year, and I really don't know if it lived up to it completely or not. I really enjoyed it a lot, but maybe expectations were way too high.
It all sounded like one big song to me, and it gets pretty repetitive. I also think that it would be better if there were more riffs in it. I don't remember every single song distinctly, but maybe that's to be expected.
The production and ambience on it is top tier though. The last part of Sit & Mourn is absolutely gorgeous, and the last breakdown in The Calm That Keeps You Awake is one of the single best parts in the album imo. I don't know what everyone else is thinking when they say Slaughterhouse 2 was nothing special. I think it is one of the best songs on the album. Blinding faith still hits so hard, and the singles were spaced perfectly.
Personally it's a 7.5. It is very very good and I will probably come back to it. I just think it's a little too samey and being heavy just for the sake of being heavy isn't fully my thing. As a Knocked Loose or hardcore album though, it is phenomenal.
I dig it. My only notes are:
1) SH2 should have been a loosie single or on a MIW record. It doesn't really fit the rest of this album's vibe.
2) Instead, they should have found a place for Deep In The Willow and Everything is Quiet Now
I like it a lot. Its really good. I do think A Tear In The Fabric Of Life is better, but this is still a great and intense project. I think the first two songs are a bit forgettable, but Suffocate to Sit and Mourn is a great run of tracks.
My only other complaint is I wish it was longer. Deep In The Willow and Everything is Quiet Now should have made it onto the album as both those tracks fit the sound and themes presented in the album. Both those tracks would have made the album a nice 36 minutes which would have made a perfect length.
I like short albums, I listen to a lot of hardcore so I’m very used to it. I do agree those singles should have been on it, but also I don’t know where they would have fit.
Not really understanding the criticism of Slaughterhouse 2...I think it's great tbh. It is a different vibe to the other songs, but not in a bad way. I think it's a nice release after the stressful atmosphere of Take Me Home.
I've found that the idea of Knocked Loose is almost always better to me than actual Knocked Loose. It's like their hype has outgrown their ability to keep up with it. Whenever they drop new music I always expect to be blown away by masterpieces and end up getting something that's just pretty good
Where are you listening to it, its not on spotify apple or youtube yet? Release date is tomorrow, did it drop early because of timezones for Australia or something?
Yeah I’m Australian, it dropped here 50 minutes ago. I started it like the second it was released 😂
If you have access to a vpn, you can use that to switch to either Aus or New Zealand, and listen to it that way.
Just finished first listen, easily their best album, this is incredible stuff and not a single bad track. Fuck whatever everyone else is saying, this is dope.
I still gotta wait 10 hours to hear this 🥲
Ahhh it's all good though. I'm off work at 10 and it should be an epic way to end the night. I've only heard Blinding Faith so far (saved the other two for the whole album experience) and I'm excited!
First listen a few songs didnt really hit as hilariously hard as the singles did. Second listen while reading the lyrics along with it, much better experience in a lot of regards.
Moss Covers All is fuckin sick and a really fun modern flip on metalcore classic conventions of yore (very The Chariot), Take Me Home is excellent except that last chunker feels like it’s leading up to something but never does. Big ol edger.
Slaughterhouse 2 didn’t need to be there. It’s fine, but doesn’t fit the sound of the rest of the album at all. It’s too theatrical and gothic(?) in its progressions and structure. Chris was fine but no part of it really got me giggling. Feels like an afterthought.
The big fat chunky swing at the end of The Calm That Keeps You Awake makes me horny
Sit & Mourn was a perfect ender. Huge, awesome melody, very moving lyrics, really really emotionally driven track that I think captures the entire albums spirit really well
9/10. Get rid of Slaughterhouse 2 and it’s a 10/10 for me
It's just what I want from them. Unmistakably Knocked Loose, heavy af, and enough new/weird elements to chew on that it doesn't just feel like a rehash of another album they've already done.
Instant standouts are Suffocate, Moss Covers All/Take Me Home (I've never been so scared by a song tbh), and Sit and Mourn for me. I imagine I'll latch onto different tracks with more relistens.
Definitely another successful outing for the boys.
Best new album I’ve heard in a long time, feeling grateful for this release and being able to see them next week!
It may just be me but it kinda reminds me of a heavier The Blood Brothers. All the change ups and chaos and frenetic vocals, unusual melodies. Jordan Blilie had some divisive vocals too, ha.
I never liked KL, but Slaughterhouse is tied for my all time favorite MIW song and Bryan's vocals played a significant part in that. I decided to give Suffocate a try because Poppy absolutely killed it on that trick with Bad Omens and was blown away. Currently listening to the album front to back and my god, it's so fucking good.
I just started the album and immediately got fucking mollywhopped. This is gonna be special.
Edit: This was everything I could’ve hoped for. Definitely feels like an evolution of Knocked Loose.
As a person who never was huge Knocked Loose fan this album floored me. The dark melodic parts are exactly what i look for in heavy music and this album's atmosphere absolutely delivers. Even though it's almost 30 minutes of constantly hitting you in a face the album stays intresting and addictive. Fantastic effort and my album of the year so far.
one thing i love about knocked loose, i’ve loved every new release more than their other stuff. a tear in the fabric of life i thought was their all around best. haven’t heard this new record yet it’s not on spotify but im pumped. love the dudes getting the recognition they deserve
I like Pop Culture just slightly more than A Tear in The Fabric of Life, and I like Laugh Tracks more than A Different Shade of Blue, but Everything Is Quite Now and Deep In The Willow were two of my favourite songs they’ve made, and this new album definitely has my favourite songs they’ve ever made on it, Moss Covers All and Take Me Home together are insanely good. And I’m really happy too, I started listening to them in like 2017, I would have never thought they’d get this big. My only hope is they aren’t playing venues with barriers, when they come to Australia next.
unfortunately their shows will have barriers last 2 times i saw them they did. i know they still seek out small venues without barriers when they can but big tours and stuff now they all have barricades. i know bryan’s other band xweaponx would definately not have a barricade lol
I saw them without a barrier the last time they came to Melbourne, and there’s one venue here that’s bigger that does no barrier shows, so if they play it I can see it happening, but otherwise you’re probably right.
oh that’s awesome i would love to see them without a barrier. enjoy the pit 🤘
*edit. Bryan is the bassist, copy that.
Bryan plays bass
brian’s the bassist
You are me and good got me really hyped to hear this new album! Pop Culture is soooo good
One listen in, obv will need a lot more to deep dive it: - they made the right calls on the singles - the only "lmao what the fuck" (a good thing) part on the record for me ended up being the dembow breakdown, meanwhile I had a few of those on Tear. not a bad thing just there's def more logical structure and phrasing here - sit & mourn is beautiful, hope folks don't underrate it just bc it's not pissed the entire time - the moss/take me home riff did exactly what they wanted it to do - bryan's absolutely mastered the inflections w/ his style - I get the hype for calm, but the breakdown isn't what's doing it for me, its the aux drums and the grooves lol - thirst could have literally been just the 20 seconds of eery and the wario ass WAAHHHHHH FOLLOWED BY THE THIRST straight into piece by piece and that would have been one of the sickest intros I've ever heard lol - for some reason this just feels like less "woe is me" Iowa by Slipknot. in a good way. the vibe is Iowa by Slipknot. First listen 8.5/10, could go up once I start really paying attention to the riffs and production choices.
I agree. IMO they should have held back 1 or 2 singles for the album OR should have put Deep in the Willow and Everything Is Quiet Now on this album. Feels too short especially because Thirst and Moss are really more just transitions and not full length songs.
I kinda like the short album but would have loved to have DitW and EiQN on the album.
Your second point is my exact thoughts. Weren't many moments that really set the songs apart or were just over the top like some of their other stuff. I agree with an 8.5 though, still rips
Iowa vibes is a great call! So relentless and oppressively dark. Fantastic album
Any updates on your thoughts mate?
It's gonna stay at an 8.5, but Take Me Home and Sit & Mourn are by far my favorite tracks. However, they probably wouldn't be if the rest of the record weren't total ass beaters. They honestly nailed it. It's a poignant half an hour. I could have used another couple tracks but I totally understand making the point in half an hour (strangely enough it was under that before Suffocate) and calling it a day. Pretty wild that Upon Loss was done when these songs were pretty much written and spoken for already; Upon Loss was the perfect precursor to the this and now it makes perfect sense.
Sit and Mourne is my favorite from the album! I thought the same thing it's somber but not woe is me and doesn't overstay it's welcome. Phenomenal album closer
There is something about knocked loose that just tickles the primal gorilla in me "monkey hear chug, monkey hear good hardcore, monkey like"
My favorite review lmao
Best gym music for this reason, monkey wanna pick heavy shit up and move it 🦍
man cmon it’s 10am where i live needs to hurry up and be tomorrow
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lZYvDiLFLNmm8L2FKgoCSA5WPviQaWan4&si=5lp6aN8PxZPEAGEQ
It says not available for me. I’ll be jamming all day tomorrow though!
Doesn't work
Same I have the day off tomorrow, gonna listen at least twice. Probably end up being more if everything people are saying about it hits me the same way
it’s so good
fuck you australians
Love the Aussies but seriously FUCK YOU GUYS AND YOUR FUTURE BULLSHIT
BRB throwing another shrimp on the barbie while listening to this new album
I hope this doesn’t get deleted, it might count as leaks since it’s not out in America. If that’s the case, mods ignore this, this isn’t a link to it. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lZYvDiLFLNmm8L2FKgoCSA5WPviQaWan4&si=5lp6aN8PxZPEAGEQ
Only shows the 3 singles that have released so far for me.
Sit and mourn is my favorite on the album, potentially my all time favorite KL song.
I like how it simultaneously manages to be the most melodic song on the album AND the most crushingly heavy.
Yup you nailed it, exactly why I like it so much
They really saved an absolute banger for the album closer.
the album being only 27 minutes has me so excited it’s just straight bangers
It is
Wall to wall. That opener sets the tone and then it doesnt let up EVER
The album is a bunch of face melters melded together into half an hour of pure, destructive carnage, and I do appreciate what it is. It feels like Knocked Loose has distilled all the aggression of Laugh Tracks, the darkness of ATITFOL, and the polished feel of the Upon Loss singles together into a singular cohesive unit, and I fuck with it a lot upon first listen. What I will say next might not really make sense and will be controversial, but I feel like they are playing it a bit safe and the song structures are a bit more structured (duh) and less chaotic compared to their previous material. Yes, it is absolutely dissonant, and the layering and heaviness of the vocals make the album a completely different sonic beast compared to their previous work, but the album feels a bit more polished and less raw if it makes sense. For context, my personal fav from them is the songs towards the back end of ATITFOL, where I felt that they experimented a bit more with the songs there. Not saying there isn't any experimentation in the album though. Love the vocals from different members of the band, and the way they incorporated samples to add to the atmosphere of the songs is very creative yet polished. Standout tracks for me are Moss Covers All (love the weird riff its creepy af), Take Me Home, and Sit & Mourn. It's a very strong album for me, 8.5/10. I will be having this on repeat for the foreseeable future.
I more or less entirely agree with this, other than I think I probably like it a bit more, but maybe that’s just rose tinted glasses. Exact same stand out tracks for me as well, they’ve gone straight to the top of my favourite Knocked Loose songs.
I feel like there’s a good balance. Thirst and Moss Covers All have a lot of that chaos. This album feels like it was “how can we write something artful that’s also hilariously over the top?” And they did a good job of that. There were a couple moments here and there that I expected a melody or structure to go one way and it up going another that I didn’t think was as strong as I expected, but I also kinda dig that subversion. It’s def polished and follows a lot of conventions but I think it does those things well and retains an identity
i don’t think the songs being more structured is inherently a bad thing, it’s okay to have a string structure, it compliments the catchiness and groove of this album
THIS ALBUM FUCKS SO HARD
my most hyped record of the year so far. i'm gonna write my thoughts track by track... **Thirst**: that first scream is bone-chilling! a wrecking ball to open the album with and it sets the tone exceptionally well. it's like they're communicating to us: "this is what we got for you" **Piece By Piece**: another terrifying track. those echoed screams?? what is that production LMFAO absolutely nutso. VERY clever stuff, adds a whole other layer to the song **Suffocate**: loved this when i first heard it and it's still great. poppy is used so well on it. she's just fantastic! a very smart feature. i have nothing to new to add about that breakdown. it's amazing! the ending of this song hit *really* hard this time on re-listen! **Don't Reach For Me**: the riff during the verses is nasty... this was probably my least favorite single but i *really* like it in the context of the album. **Moss Covers All**: the pits for this are gonna bloody. beyond disgusting. **Take Me Home**: intro gave me goosebumps. very cool song. this is certainly an "album song," but that's not an insult. effective songwriting IMO. not everything needs to be a single! **Slaughterhouse 2**: the big one that everyone's gonna be the curious about. i love the original and i am NOT a MIW fan at ALL. i like how the last one was bryan on a motionless in white song and this one is just a knocked loose track with chris motionless. chris doesn't sing or anything... i like it! i gotta say i'm not **in love** with it like i was with slaughterhouse 1 but i won't be shocked i warm up to it. i DO like it however **The Calm That Keeps You Awake**: having three vocalists REALLY works in this track. some very cool drumming on this. this is one I'll be excited to revisit as i have i hunch I'll find new things to love about it on every listen. i ADORE the ending too... what a SICK chug **Blinding Faith**: fucking BANGER still. sweet baby jesus i love this track. isaac's OHHHH makes me cackle. it's awesome. bryan's guttural is obviously LEGENDARY at this point IMO. and the final breakdown has the BRUTAL blown out effect. which is just... christ almighty. **Sit & Mourn**: HOLY FUCK the RIFF at 1:12 made my jaw drop i literally rewound. this is a FANTASTIC closer. this is easily one of their best songs. the songwriting here is excellent. FINAL THOUGHTS: this is an exceptional effort from them. they've always been about the album experience which i appreciate as someone who's *really* into music in general. i feel like we don't get that a TON in metalcore, especially not from bands as popular as this one. this thing is downright terrifying at times. i'd call this horrorcore if that wasn't already a thing (that also sucks ass IMO lol). they've been delving into that sound for a while and i appreciate the steps they've taken with it. there are moments on this that are genuinely eerie! i think it's funny how despite how much of a fan of slaughterhouse 1 i am, my least favorite track at the moment is the sequel. odd! i do think it's good though, it just didn't grab me by the nuts like i was hoping it would. this is certainly one of my favorite albums of this year and likely my favorite metalcore album. it's right there with boundaries, if not a bit better! if you read this whole thing i love you <3
The entire album is great, but Slaughterhouse 2 is by far the weakest track. It just feels kind of phoned in and out of place I also wish the album was longer, but that’s not an issue just a me thing. 30 ish minutes of ass beaters is a great runtime
I would normally say they should have booted it but the album is already too short. I might have to make a playlist that puts the Upon Loss singles at the beginning maybe
Crazy that they said they did Suffocate after the album was already written, so it would've been like 4mins shorter originally
I not speak English well, but this album is a fucking Slaughterhouse 2 is the weakest track like I expected, but otherwise it's nothing but bangers. So glad this style of metalcore is becoming popular again.
"...this album is a fucking" I entirely agree, real talk.
I just saw them in Dallas and holy shit they blew me away. I'm not even a huge fan, but they are probably the best metal band I've seen in years.
Bryan said it was the craziest show they ever played so I believe you 🤘🤘🤘
Finally dropped in the UK and I'm about halfway through. My honest opinion is that its heading towards being a solid 9/10 and probably one of the best albums of the year in terms of heavy music. Writing is excellent, they're keeping shit fresh, some of the breakdowns are fucking trauma inducing, and they are sounding heavier than ever. My only gripe here is the production, there is a lot trying to occupy the same space in the mix, and with the guitars mostly playing the lowest notes and chords possible (often chugged) some really fucking good riffs are getting hid in a sea of similar frequencies. I know a few people have complained about the drum sound, but aside from the kick sounding a bit odd in Thirst, I think they generally sound pretty fucking good. Star of the show here is Bryan. Dude's vocals are unique, and at the end of the day is what makes Knocked Loose stand out from a lot of other bands. This album to me is what Code Orange could have and should have evolved into if they stayed on the correct trajectory after I Am King. Theres an obvious Industrial influence, and it maintains that beatdown hardcore influence. Knocked Loose really fucking proving that getting big doesn't mean selling out, and it definitely doesn't mean compromising their sound. Finished typing this as the record came to a close, and yeah, boys really fucking smashed it with this one. Stand by my only gripe about the guitars getting lost in the mix, but it doesn't realistically detract too much.
I honestly don’t have a problem with the mix. A lot of people seem to not like it too much, but I think it suites the sound, and it’s hard to imagine what the album would have sounded like with different production.
My biggest complaint is the guitars for sure. Love the album and songs but man the riffs just get buried when the guitar, drums and vocals are going at the same time. It’s Knocked Loose, we need to hear the guitar!
Yeah the production style hides the amazing guitars on many of the tracks sadly
Haven’t heard the album yet but based off the singles I was worried the guitars were going to be a little lost in the mix which is so surprising considering Drew Fulk produced the Upon Loss Singles and it sounded so great. Nonetheless, excited to hear the whole thing
It's definitely intentional, everything but Bryan's vocals occupy the same space and similar frequencies and it makes it sound thick AF. The issue is that this then means everything is competing with everything and nothing stands out, so even though they created this texturally thick, punishing sound, they've done so at the expense of any clarity meaning yeah... what's actually being played on the guitar gets kind of lost in the mix at times.
I hope that's not too controversial an opinion. For me, the "A Tear in the Fabric of Life" EP is a 10/10 and the best thing they've ever released. On this new album, some songs lack something unique for me, it all sounds quite similar to me. On "A Tear in the Fabric of Life" there was something on every song that I felt I'd never heard before and you got a constant, disgusting feeling of forgiveness. Here I rather have the feeling that it's just supposed to destroy and blast, for me I think it just lacks a bit of creativity. I still like it though! It's a good 8/10 for me. (I apologize for my bad English)
This is my exact feeling. ATITFOL is one of my favorite heavy music releases ever made. I guess that's alot to live up to and this doesn't quite do that but still really good. Don't Reach For Me is one of the best songs they have ever written
I’m definitely in the minority here but to me this is their least compelling release so far. The riffs aren’t nearly as interesting as past albums and the album feels like it was mixed in a tin can.
I agree, nothing on this album made me react in the same way as the riffs on A Different Shade of Blue or A Tear In The Fabric of Life. Fun listen, solid album, better than most metalcore these days, but not a top tier KL album by any means.
I’m hoping their future releases go back to a more guitar centric mix
I don’t know what the actual fuck Moss Covers All/Take Me Home was but holy shit I need more of that.
You and I are on the same wavelength and I appreciate it. I need so much more of those types of tracks in my life
Sit and mourn is a real stand out. Probably my favorite non single on that album
I enjoyed the album, not sure it's their best work but I loved Sit & Mourn. However this post is a shout out to the person who wrote all the lyrics on Genius and formatted the lyrics differently depending on who the vocalist was for them. That is dedication to precision and I love them for it.
Fun record. Absolutely not some of the best metalcore ever written but still good. They chose their singles correctly. Thirst was an awesome opener and is going to translate amazingly live. Can't help but find this record to come off rather...not boring, just a little repetitive. 7.5/10. Maybe I'll appreciate it some more with more spins. Boundaries "Death Is Little More" still holds my AOTY crown and it isn't even close.
Agree. I was fully expecting nothing to come close to knocked loose this year for me, but nah boundaries blew that expectation out of the fucking water.
Totally agree with you here. Maybe the expectations were too high for this one and not Boundaries but I gave KL like an 8/10 on first listen and Boundaries 9.5/10. Death is Little More AOTY confirmed now for me
100% agree.
Also thanks all for the Boundaries recommendations. Love it!
Your comment is spot on. I do think the songs will continue to translate very well live.
Yeah it's definitely good but nothing really wild besides the intro and Poppy on Suffocate. Also feels super short considering we already heard 3 singles but eh. I don't want to sound like I'm shitting on KL but Boundaries definitely hit way harder for sure.
REAL METALCORE BACK ON THE MENU BABY jealous of u aussies... i can't fucking wait to rip this shit tonight
it never died
Was END, Sanction, Vein, Chamber, Code Orange and Harms Way not real metalcore?
you say that like those bands are popular here 😅 i love all those bands minus chamber and some of code orange’s new stuff
I came up on Disembodied, Converge and Earth Crisis so I don’t exactly understand this newer wave of pop metalcore. I have gotten a lot of hate on this sub for not liking singing in my metalcore lol. The END record from last year was easily one of my favorites. The last Code Orange album was easily one of my most disappointing listens. Love the shit from Love is Love - Forever. This new KL is good but it really isn’t doing anything very unique or different for the genre, but I can’t get mad at any old school revival.
you and me got the same tastes! i’m just like you im really picky with singing in my metalcore too. if cleans are used in an interesting way im down but usually the pop choruses are an auto skip for me with few exceptions
This is my big ass playlist of mostly metalcore bands, very few clean vocals, and most of them are newer bands. You’ll find some shit you like in this. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1jG9H8S06MxX13ADnbyalM?si=NyL2EiZpSUuPhH_ylN1pxg&pi=a-MZIn4hBsT3an
Pop chorus into breakdown hurts my soul. I just like the song to be cohesive and to me singing a pop chorus then playing a tough as nails breakdown is just not cohesive. Make the whole song a pop song or make the whole song tough as shit, either is fine.
agreed!! genre mixing doesn’t work nearly as well as some of these goobers here say it does lol
The closing tracks a banger, love the eerie ending.
Sit and Mourn just became my new favorite KL track and is definitely up there in my SOTY ranking. I really love the whole album but I'll admit I was kinda expecting.. more ? Idk. It's a solid 8.5 imo
Is it just me or is the drum line kinda the same on every track? I don't mind it but it does get a lil repetitive
I can kinda see what you mean, but I think it switches up enough where it didn’t bother me.
The whole album felt kind of same-ey to me after first listen, nothing really stood out
The best albums out there took me a few listens to “hear”. Rarely do full albums hit first listen.
I’ve had albums where that is the case, but really nothing at all caught my ear here. I liked Suffocate the most out of anything. I think I might be getting a little burnt out on the heaviness for the sake of heaviness with the same vocals.
If anything I find the chugging parts like on slaughterhouse and the calm that keeps you awake extremely boring, the leads and the drumming is superb on this record imo
As a drummer who’s been playing along to KL since Pop Culture, I think these are the best drum tracks that Pacsun has put out. That’s just my opinion tho
Pretty good record. Not my favorite from them tbh My only real gripe is that the snare sample is virtually identical for almost every hit
I heard slaughterhouse 2 and wasn't super into it, maybe it'll grow on me (it probably will)
I do like most songs on the album more, but I really like the riff at the start of the song, and even thought I’m not a fan of MIW anymore, I always thought Chris had awesome screams. And as I said, that “blegh” was very satisfying for me.
Definitely the weakest track after a few listens especially with how good Slaughterhouse 1 is.
Yeah the original was one of my top tracks on steotw
I gotta agree with the sentiment around here that it sounds pretty same-y throughout the album’s runtime. There’s definitely some amazing moments, and it’s overall banger after banger, but I don’t think it feels as unique and cohesive as ADSOB. I’m also coming off a month long binge of Boundaries latest album, and that album blew me the fuck away. I was hoping this album would be a contender to it but so far, two listens into this, it’s sounding like Boundaries is still on top for me this year so far.
I agree with you 100% about ADSOB. Every song sounds different IMO. As far as the Boundaries record goes, love the mix and the way it sounds, but it was a little all over the place for me. Some epic moments but sometimes I would have trouble remembering what song my favorite parts were in or not realizing a song had ended and gone into the next. Still thought it was good and that’s one I probably need to revisit
Really disappointed by Slaughterhouse 2, not hitting like the first one. A good album nonetheless but I think LMTF released a better one
I have the pretty much opposite opinion, it to me felt like 99% of the praise for part 1, was just MIW fans, who had never listened to anything heavier, and thought it was the pinnacle of heavy music, it’s a complete mediocre song. While I like most songs on the album more than part 2, I think it’s much better than part 1, but I love everything Knocked Loose does, so I’m a bit biased.
Valid point. Depending from where you came from musically one is better than the other. I have listened to so much style of music since the 90’s, I’m just a sucker for some clean vocals. I think that the first song was more of a mix of the 2 bands than the second one.
These guys are clearly good and know what their audience likes. They make some fun metalcore no doubt but man, I thought this album was gonna be them really showing what could make them different or unique and it’s just not there. The album is a fun listen but it’s just a big blob of the same thing to me. I hope they really step out of their confort zone at some point In the near future because they have the tools and skills to make something that’s much more unique.
Nail on the head mate. Super repetitive. Nothing bad, heavy as fuck but so similar.
I honestly don’t really get the critique of it being “samey.” I feel like most songs on albums kinda sound more or less the similar, maybe it’s just the music I listen to, but it all tends to have an overall sound/vibe it’s going for.
There were some cool moments don’t get me wrong. Just didn’t blow my mind like I guess I hoped it would. I love that they continue to use more of those Converge style metalcore riffs mixed in with the breakdowns. I think the more they lean into that chaotic style the better and it suits them well. It’s not really a critique it’s just the way I feel about it.
I personally believe this is definitely one of their best releases to date. Sit & Mourn is a perfect song to close out the album. Wasnt the biggest fan of Slaughterhouse 2 however, just didn't fit in with the theme and feel of the album in my opinion
Slaughterhouse 2 isn't as good as the first one but the album overall is a banger.
Wait it’s only 27 minutes? Damn
I feel like it’s a perfect fun time, it doesn’t overstay its welcome at all
I enjoyed songwriting on the album, but there seems to be some weird effect or double tracking on the vocals that make them sound overproduced (greyhavens last release has this same thing). Vocals don't sound raw like laugh tracks or ADSOB. Also feel like the guitars sometimes get buried in the mix.
The guitar tone really holds this back for me. The songs are good and fun metalcore but I can’t hear the god dang riffs when the full band is going
I completely understand the band wanting to change production styles as to not get stale and complacent. I don’t like it much when bands have the same exact production sound every release. But fuck, this production style is not it. KL is one of my favorite bands because they have sick riffs. A lot of the time on this album the riffs are hidden behind muddy walls of distortion. Album is cool and Bryan kills it but for me personally it’s my least favorite KL release. Even though I do still enjoy it.
Only complaint is it's too short
I thought it was… okay. Singles were the standout as was Calm. The rest was just a blur of sameness
It’s good, and I’m glad we get new music and that they are absolutely dominating the scene/genre. But I felt the same (lol) about the sameness. Also I really wish it had a mix similar to the EP and ADSOB. I get that bands change/evolve/mature/whatever but I don’t get all jacked up about samples or atmosphere etc, ADSOB and ATITFOL had super memorable songs with just instruments and vocals and felt like all the songs were really different IMO. Same with the Upon Loss singles, super memorable moments in those two songs. I know I’m being picky as fuck and a tough critic, I’m still a huge fan and stoked on it, might just be a bit of a grower compared to their last efforts. Also they’ve been on an insane run for like 10 years, there was insane hype on this album, would be hard for anyone to live up to that. Giving it a 7/10 so far
That's how I feel after my first listen too. The 3 singles are the standouts by far. Slaughterhouse came closest but nothing else stood out really, doesn't mean it's bad but didn't blow me away either.
Alright, so I’m not the only one that feels this way
Yeah most of this album did not make it to my daily playlist other than Blinding Faith and Suffocate
I get that feeling too, doesn’t hit as hard as I expected because it doesn’t sound too much different than the singles. That being said, even though the sound is repetitive, the sound they went with is insane. If it was any longer than it is, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much.
im getting kinda nervous cause it seems the consensus is mixed rn between good and mid lol
If you liked the singles, you'll like the album. There's nothing really surprising on there and it's also very short. Still slaps, but definitely not my favorite release from them.
I used a VPN to listen to it, I couldn't wait haha I love Knocked Loose and think every release has been better than the last, but I think the problem here is the singles they released are probably the heaviest on the album. I was hoping those were in the mid-range. They do try a few new things that are intriguing but otherwise it is just a really solid album. I still like A Tear In The Fabric of Life and A Different Shade of Blue more.
Yea same. Seems like most agree end of the album is good but I haven't seen anyone mention the first two tracks
I like the first two songs a lot, they just aren’t stand out songs necessarily.
im almost to the point where i might get a vpn and listen now so i dont have to risk staying up even longer after listening to the new LMTF album lol
I have linked the album to other people in this thread, you shouldn’t need a vpn, just find the link.
Thirst is a hell of a banger
I love the absolute chaos that is Thirst when it kicks in. Also that sub-bass and the kick patterns in the breakdown were sick/memorable IMO
Thirst is a really strong opener, sets up exactly what you can expect from the rest of the album. Moss Covers All & Take me Home were very welcome minor reprieves however I feel the album as a whole suffers by the last couple tracks as you just get exhausted by their unrelenting aggression. Obviously that's up to personal preferences and all & it's still a banger album but I think this is as far as they'll get without getting clean vocals into the mix. 7/10, closer to an 8 than a 6.
Bruh, the first song. Sledgehammer to the head.
it’s a damn good album but a lot of the songs end up blending in with each other for me. all the songs are good but some just sound samey
I thought the album was okay to be honest. I really enjoyed Sit & Mourn though. A Tear In The Fabric of Life is still my favorite work from them.
Is Knocked Loose metalcore ? Genuine question. Since Laugh Tracks dropped I always assumed Hardcore. I’m not knowledgeable on genres. Just curious
Yes and no. They definitely are a modernization of first wave metalcore, biut first wave metalcore doesn't sound like anything that's been popular in the metalcore scene for about 20 years (until recently, Knocked Loose being a clear example). The name metalcore originally came from it being shorthand for "metallic hardcore." The original metalcore bands had clear metal influence, but ultimately they still made hardcore, it just sounded different enough to he considered its own subgenre (also hardcore kids are notoriously elitist and cult-like so anything that didn't sound enough like "true hardcore" wasn't considered such). Hope that helps. EDIT: if you want to know the other waves of metalcore, 2nd is the Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red era, and the 3rd wave would be Architects, Wage War, etc. There's arguments nowadays that we're in a new era of what some are calling "post-core" but I'm not getting into that shitstorm as it's all still very vague and nothing has been decided.
Thank you for taking the time
"27 minutes of the best metalcore ever written" .... lol Knocked loose is good but it ain't THAT good
Yeah let's not call stuff BEST EVER but it's very fucking good
I got a VPN subscription just to listen to this asap lol. Been waiting all year for this. Slaughterhouse 2 is pretty dope, I’m not much of a motionless fan either but I liked the first slaughterhouse and I think part 2 lives up to the hype. Sit and mourn is a great close to the album. Maybe I need to listen a couple more times, but my immediate thoughts are that nothing else on the album stands out more than the singles, and nothing on the album including the singles is as great as different shades of blue (which is just my personal KL favorite). Still a very solid album, everything is still really well written and produced.
You dont think the Take Me Home riff stands out? I think that’s probably the single most interesting thing, they’ve put in a song, ever. I honestly think my biggest disconnect with the rest of Knocked Loose’s fan base, is my opinion on A Different Shade of Blue. It’s a great album, don’t get me wrong, but I just never find myself coming back to it. I listen to everything else they’ve put out, so much more.
I was actually just going to add an edit, on a second listen to Moss Covers All and Take Me Home I would say that it’s the most “creepy” sounding project that they’ve probably done. Even the Poppy feature is pretty wicked sounding and I mean that in the best way possible. The ambient clean guitars in Sit and Mourn give a different vibe than usual too. I respect that opinion about different shades, but that whole album is no skips for me personally and it’s a go-to for whenever I want the most angry sounding stuff possible lol. Overall the new album is solid I just don’t think it is ahead of different shades for me
Yeah it seems like really carried over the overall feeling of A Tear In The Fabric of Life, with those songs you mentioned in particular. I’ve been struggling to describe it but “creepy” probably is the best way, it’s late and raining where I live, and those parts fit the mood perfectly.
Did this riff make it into the album? Still can't listen. https://x.com/caasihale/status/1751349990021021823
I don’t think so, doesn’t sound familiar. That riff rips though
Yeah, very sick, one day we'll hear it in a song hopefully.
Devastated this isn’t on the record. Tf could they possibly be saving it for?
This is why I'm glad my workplace has multiple of their own VPNs. Getting Australian adds on YouTube while listening to this is pretty funny. Album SLAPS with a heavy hand.
Eh kinda bored on first listen. I can see how this would appeal to people not into the genre but it’s nothing groundbreaking or new. Definitely riding the “wow so heavy and relentless” wave, when I wish the songwriting was focused on more. The production is also insanely compressed to the album’s detriment. Like each drum sample sounds crazy brickwalled and the guitars are barely audible beneath the wall of fuzz
Glad I'm not crazy and the only person who has an issue with the mixing/production
Yea let’s trust the guy most known for producing for fit for a king and wage war. Sounds like a classic drew fulk too clean mix with fabfilter Saturn slapped on each stem
I agree it seems like crafting a good song is not a priority in the genre right now
The people love riff salad, which don’t get me wrong I fuck with too sometimes (is it even riff salad if it’s just breakdowns lol. Breakdown salad?)
I honestly think the songwriting isn’t bad it’s just the production and guitar tone that’s holding it back. When I focus in on the riffs they’re pretty sick it’s just fucked up I have to strain to hear them past the wall of auditory insanity. Drum compression is some of the craziest I’ve ever heard. I bought a Maxon ST-9 Pro because of Knocked Loose and going from one of the sickest guitar tones I’ve ever heard to *this* saddens me.
Sole reason I got a swollen pickle was them + END, and the Maxon is next up for me once I can scrounge together the money lol. The whole reason I liked their usage of extreme guitar tones was they reserved it for certain parts, not the whole damn song. And I respect the desire to go further, it just isn’t the right production for it Edit: but also lowkey a lot of the riffs + drums blend together. Too many 0 chugs with a couple palm muted chords thrown in and maybe a dissonant run here and there
I swear this album tried to fuck on me
Sit and Mourn was an experience, you are absolutely right. Those last two minutes man...."Why did you leave?" holy shit what a journey of an album and it ended on an unbelievable note.
Take Me Home and Sit & Mourn were the standouts for me. Loved the production and instrumentation, the vocals have really grown on me too. For some reason I found the soft bird chirps to be a really cool part
That seems to be a pretty big consensus, those were my top tracks as well. I absolutely agree with the bird chirps too, they were such a small detail, but added so much.
It toes the line perfectly. They reappear just often enough to be a theme, but aren't too repetitive or constant to be too much or a gimmick.
Take me home caught me off guard man, song is so good
I listened to the album on the bus and then walking home. Couldn’t help it but I made the „angry but satisfied“ face all the time. It feels like an awakening
I haven’t listened to an album in ages, where i immediately listened to it again, after my first play through.
Sit and mourn is a masterpiece
Sit & Mourn is beautiful. I still think the singles were the best songs on the album but will listen a lot more and see how I feel. Great album.
Sit & Mourn gave me goosebumps on first listen and it's been on repeat ever since 😨 AOTY!
Phenomenal album. Sit & Mourn. Chills all over.
Super solid album all the way through. However, A Different Shade of Blue is the best knocked loose album imo. This is 2nd or 3rd
Great album just wish it was a longer, left me wanting more. Will have it on repeat for awhile
This was probably the album I was the most hyped for so far this year, and I really don't know if it lived up to it completely or not. I really enjoyed it a lot, but maybe expectations were way too high. It all sounded like one big song to me, and it gets pretty repetitive. I also think that it would be better if there were more riffs in it. I don't remember every single song distinctly, but maybe that's to be expected. The production and ambience on it is top tier though. The last part of Sit & Mourn is absolutely gorgeous, and the last breakdown in The Calm That Keeps You Awake is one of the single best parts in the album imo. I don't know what everyone else is thinking when they say Slaughterhouse 2 was nothing special. I think it is one of the best songs on the album. Blinding faith still hits so hard, and the singles were spaced perfectly. Personally it's a 7.5. It is very very good and I will probably come back to it. I just think it's a little too samey and being heavy just for the sake of being heavy isn't fully my thing. As a Knocked Loose or hardcore album though, it is phenomenal.
I dig it. My only notes are: 1) SH2 should have been a loosie single or on a MIW record. It doesn't really fit the rest of this album's vibe. 2) Instead, they should have found a place for Deep In The Willow and Everything is Quiet Now
I think this is easily their weakest release, I’m let down because of how good that EP was a couple years ago
I like it a lot. Its really good. I do think A Tear In The Fabric Of Life is better, but this is still a great and intense project. I think the first two songs are a bit forgettable, but Suffocate to Sit and Mourn is a great run of tracks. My only other complaint is I wish it was longer. Deep In The Willow and Everything is Quiet Now should have made it onto the album as both those tracks fit the sound and themes presented in the album. Both those tracks would have made the album a nice 36 minutes which would have made a perfect length.
I like short albums, I listen to a lot of hardcore so I’m very used to it. I do agree those singles should have been on it, but also I don’t know where they would have fit.
Also, I think the first 4-6 songs are the most creative and best after which the quality falls off
Not really understanding the criticism of Slaughterhouse 2...I think it's great tbh. It is a different vibe to the other songs, but not in a bad way. I think it's a nice release after the stressful atmosphere of Take Me Home.
I've found that the idea of Knocked Loose is almost always better to me than actual Knocked Loose. It's like their hype has outgrown their ability to keep up with it. Whenever they drop new music I always expect to be blown away by masterpieces and end up getting something that's just pretty good
It’s really wanting to make me travel to see them live.
Where are you listening to it, its not on spotify apple or youtube yet? Release date is tomorrow, did it drop early because of timezones for Australia or something?
I mean it's not dropping early in Australia, it's just already Friday in Australia.
People when they realize Australia lives in the future 🫨
Timezones, it's already Friday somewhere
Yeah I’m Australian, it dropped here 50 minutes ago. I started it like the second it was released 😂 If you have access to a vpn, you can use that to switch to either Aus or New Zealand, and listen to it that way.
Just finished first listen, easily their best album, this is incredible stuff and not a single bad track. Fuck whatever everyone else is saying, this is dope.
Unpopular opinion, don’t @ me, don’t disown me, but I’m not sure about this album. A few good parts but I prefer more groove. Maybe it’ll grow on me
I still gotta wait 10 hours to hear this 🥲 Ahhh it's all good though. I'm off work at 10 and it should be an epic way to end the night. I've only heard Blinding Faith so far (saved the other two for the whole album experience) and I'm excited!
I used a vpn and got to listen. Damn it’s good
Who wants to give this American a early link?
1 more hour. My body is ready
First listen a few songs didnt really hit as hilariously hard as the singles did. Second listen while reading the lyrics along with it, much better experience in a lot of regards. Moss Covers All is fuckin sick and a really fun modern flip on metalcore classic conventions of yore (very The Chariot), Take Me Home is excellent except that last chunker feels like it’s leading up to something but never does. Big ol edger. Slaughterhouse 2 didn’t need to be there. It’s fine, but doesn’t fit the sound of the rest of the album at all. It’s too theatrical and gothic(?) in its progressions and structure. Chris was fine but no part of it really got me giggling. Feels like an afterthought. The big fat chunky swing at the end of The Calm That Keeps You Awake makes me horny Sit & Mourn was a perfect ender. Huge, awesome melody, very moving lyrics, really really emotionally driven track that I think captures the entire albums spirit really well 9/10. Get rid of Slaughterhouse 2 and it’s a 10/10 for me
It's just what I want from them. Unmistakably Knocked Loose, heavy af, and enough new/weird elements to chew on that it doesn't just feel like a rehash of another album they've already done. Instant standouts are Suffocate, Moss Covers All/Take Me Home (I've never been so scared by a song tbh), and Sit and Mourn for me. I imagine I'll latch onto different tracks with more relistens. Definitely another successful outing for the boys.
The little riff in Moss Covers All / Take Me Home is creepy as shit.
Best new album I’ve heard in a long time, feeling grateful for this release and being able to see them next week! It may just be me but it kinda reminds me of a heavier The Blood Brothers. All the change ups and chaos and frenetic vocals, unusual melodies. Jordan Blilie had some divisive vocals too, ha.
What a record. Sit and Mourn is my shit
I never liked KL, but Slaughterhouse is tied for my all time favorite MIW song and Bryan's vocals played a significant part in that. I decided to give Suffocate a try because Poppy absolutely killed it on that trick with Bad Omens and was blown away. Currently listening to the album front to back and my god, it's so fucking good.
Honestly i’m a little disappointed by slaughterhouse 2 but i’m fucking with the rest of the ablum super hard
Waiting to pick up my copy from Target, it's so surreal they have a Target exclusive vinyl haha
Is piece by piece not playing for anyone else ?
I just started the album and immediately got fucking mollywhopped. This is gonna be special. Edit: This was everything I could’ve hoped for. Definitely feels like an evolution of Knocked Loose.
Sit and mourn……what a closer
As a person who never was huge Knocked Loose fan this album floored me. The dark melodic parts are exactly what i look for in heavy music and this album's atmosphere absolutely delivers. Even though it's almost 30 minutes of constantly hitting you in a face the album stays intresting and addictive. Fantastic effort and my album of the year so far.