Album Review: Palisades - 'Reaching Hypercritical'
Primed and ready for a mosh pit near you Palisades return with their powerful new record Reaching Hypercritical.
Their fifth studio album marks the beginning of a new era after the departure of lead vocalist, Lou Miceli Jr. The four piece are no strangers to line-up changes but have still managed to maintain a heavy yet accessible sound throughout the years and this album continues in that vein. A band that has its roots in the nu-metal, post hardcore scene, Palisades new lead vocalist and bassist, Brandon Elgar, steps up to the plate and delivers a confident debut as the bands sole front man. His voice is well suited to the bands overall tone which is understandable as his vocals were present on their 2017 eponymous release and in 2018’s acclaimed album Erase the Pain.
The band has displayed an eclectic, experimental, capacity with many of their most famous tracks such “Let Down” and “Fall” exploring the use of electronic beats and pop-like verses between thrashing drums and jarring riffs. We get glimpses of this style on Reaching Hypercritical, most notably in the new single “Sober”, and the track “Invincible (Die Down)”. However, make no mistake about it, this album is a powerhouse of post hardcore hits that leans on the heavier and darker side of the band’s ability. Reaching Hypercritical harkens back to the peak years of post-hardcore rock with an album that would not be out of place in the early 2000’s. If you were wearing a Hybrid Theory T-shirt, baggy jeans and playing Tony Hawk on PlayStation 2 around that time, then this album may just be the nostalgic treat your ears need right now.
The thunderous opening song “My Consequences” lays out a clear musical direction that the album follows throughout. This version of Palisades is loud, the lyrics are gritty, and the tempo is fist bumpingly fierce. The continuity audible in Reaching Hypercritical gives the album a seamless flow and allows the heaviest tracks ``Your Misery”, “Better” and “Sick of the Attitude” to meld perfectly with the softer “Without You”, “Fray” and “Fade Away”. Brandon Elgar’s vocals are at times captivating, melodical and markedly savage when the moment calls for it. Each song is emotionally charged as the album explores the depths of addiction, loss and suffering that highlights the band members personal and collective struggles.
“Sober” stands out as one of the album's most memorable songs. Its brutally honest verses and catchy chorus are a plea for the return of any sort of emotion and the dissipation of residual numbness. Reaching Hypercritical pairs the band's painful and insecure lyrical content with hard hitting drums and guitar mixes that make you want to lose yourself in the mosh pits. The post pandemic environment has been an anxious time for many. Palisades have captured that anxiety while managing, at the same time, to unleash tensions in a manner that only a good Rock album can do. The final song “Closure”, with its steady tempo and violin overtones, reminds us that not all demons can be vanquished and it’s better to live with the darker side of yourself than not live at all.
Reaching Hypercritical is a definitive statement of intent by Palisades. The release allows them to stake their claim as one of the most exciting rock groups of 2022. Despite not being as experimental as previous efforts, their new album tips its hat to the past, provides a heavy escape from the present and could pave the way for more success in the future.
Words by Joe Higginbottom
