Pop Evil - UP (Record Review)

The new record by Michigan rockers Pop Evil starts with a rather promising (previously released) track called Footsteps that certainly raises your hopes for the vibe of the rest of it. ‚Core’ continues to give it all a certain groove and feeling, setting the stone for a rather rhythm driven album. This seems incredibly fitting for the group, considering other tracks such as Boss’ Daughter and Deal With The Devil, which are some of my personal favorites of them. Sadly though, as promising as Core sounds at first, it also gets as redundant as quickly. In Disarray doesn’t really lift the mood either. This was the second song the quintett released prior to the record drop and it hadn’t impressed me back then either.
As the album processes the whole setting of it becomes more clear. In comparison to Onyx the riffs certainly got heavier and groovier, but Leigh’s voice doesn’t seem to be able to cover these fields just as well. Though songs like Take It All, Ghost Of Muskegon (which has a bit of a NIN feeling to me, at least in the beginning) and Ways To Get High will probably deliver better live, it is all missing power on record.

When I hoped for a bang to end the album with, there are three ballads instead. Not that I’m complaining, these fit together better again than the heavier bits, but it turns the whole thing way too slow despite its jumpy and energetic start.

I still love those guys, none the less, but I maybe expected just a little more from this one in consideration of their previous record Onyx. Still interested to see how they deliver these new songs live.

They’re preparing to tour the US soon with UP, as well as supporting Theory Of A Deadman, so make sure to check their site for a date near you.

Overall: 5/10

Favorite track(s): Footsteps, Ways To Get High

Cheerio xx