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Knocked Loose - A Different Shade Of Blue ALBUM REVIEW



Knocked Loose dropped their much awaited second LP last month and it's even heavier than their first. They bring back their signature sound from Laugh Tracks and throw in a few new sounds. I particularly like the incorporation of their guitarist's vocals and the more complex, death metal style riffing they do in songs like Forget Your Name and By The Grave. I think that's where the love ends for me though. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike this album. I don't think I'm particularly fond of it either though. Maybe I hyped it up too much in my head and that's why I'm disappointed. It just doesn't pull me in or make me want to listen to it back to back, over and over. There are individual songs I'm happy to put on, but as a whole it doesn't do it for me. While heavy riffs are awesome, A Different Shade Of Blue can feel very repetitive at times. I think the songwriting was actually a negative for me. Oftentimes it felt like it would roughly transition from one simple heavy riff to another. Simple doesn't mean bad, but I kept finding myself waiting for the next section because it just wasn't engaging enough. I think if this album was shortened to an EP length and a lot of the filler was taken out, this would be banging - there are great moments on this LP. I like the vibe they are going for and I'm definitely going to still follow these guys and see them when they come near me. I have no doubt this new stuff will crush live as well - there are breakdowns aplenty.

If you like heavy, beatdown styled hardcore I think you'll find something to love on this album. It's definitely worth a listen, and while I don't think it's genre defining or breaking new ground, it's a decent hardcore album from a band that has a lot of potential.

Top Three Tracks

Forget Your Name

I love the brutal, death metal inspired sections on this song. Right from the intro this song is a banger and definitely my favourite on the album. The guest vocals by Every Time I Die's Keith Buckley are the highlight here. The direction they went with this song is something I'd like to see Knocked Loose continue exploring in the future.

By The Grave

 This is another song that subverts what you would normally expect from Knocked Loose. A slower introduction transitions into a fun riff that's really hard to not headbang to.

 Misguided Son

 I like the atmosphere they create in the beginning of this song, and the utilization of their guitarist's vocals here are stellar. He sounds tempting, fatherly, and demonic and the same time - if Satan was the vocalist of Knocked Loose this is what I imagine he would sound like. The way they go back and forth between him and the main vocalist sets a really cool tone. This song also incorporates the best parts of their 'regular' sound. Heavy breakdowns, screams, and slow crunching riffs that get you amped up and ready to throw the fuck down.

 https://purenoise.bandcamp.com/album/a-different-shade-of-blue
http://knockedloosehc.com/


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