Album Review: Motionless In White - 'Scoring the End of the World'
Metalcore mainstays Motionless in White return this week with their sixth studio album, ‘Scoring the End of the World’.
Well over a decade into the band's career. Their previous record, Disguise lead on from it’s predecessor, Graveyard Shift sonically but with broader use of electronics and production. Returning to the band’s discography late last year as I did, it provided enough of what I remembered of the band’s earlier records while pushing their gothic little envelope. Broadening the sonic scope. Scoring the End of the World, as the name might suggest, carries that torch well.
Opener Meltdown was only ever going to be the first track. The signature “Bleh”, the whirling synths, pounding guitars and a lyrical layout of the record's themes. It’s all there. The breakdown is colossal as it trudges and stutters through towards an empowered final chorus. Porcelain is a different track on the record. It’s not necessarily soft but the way it laces strings into its palate. The way the instrumental and vocals weave with and against each other through the chorus. It’s a highlight of the record for me, an addictive listen I can’t stop hitting repeat on just to figure out how it ticks.
Burned at Both Ends II continues the band's tradition of sequel songs, as a huge fan of the original I certainly won’t complain. The sequel, coming a decade after the original, is tied in by lyrical links and a similar sense of desperation in the choruses reaching vocals. B.F.B.T.G. Corpse Nation follows (continuing from Disguises’ Broadcasts From Beyond The Grave) and it’s another very political track. We Become the Night is similarly vocal, something MIW have always been but it's been more apparent on both this record and Disguise.
The title track, Scoring the End of the World, closes things out rather aptly. Lyrically it's reflecting that album title and theme once again. The hand of featured artist Mick Gordon (producer of soundtracks for Doom, Wolfenstein and more) is felt all over this track in that it feels so very cinematic throughout its runtime. This is the kind of closer that an album like this sorely needs.
Scoring the End of the World carries on MIW traditions while keeping things fresh. It’s outspoken, well written and immaculately produced. There's plenty here for old and new fans alike, a solid bit of metalcore that’s well worth a listen. You can trace the development on from Disguise very easily, if you particularly enjoyed Disguise then Scoring the End of the World will not disappoint!
Words by Nathan Blackstone
