By: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Starset made a huge appearance on the rock scene when they came out with their debut "Transmissions". It came seemingly out of nowhere, and it made waves in Christian and secular radio, each song garnering millions of views on YouTube. "My Demons" was the song that skyrocketed this atmospheric electronic rock group, but when looking at their debut you will see a lot more special and lyrically interesting tracks such as "Dark On Me", "Down With the Fallen", and "Let It Die". I really liked their debut, even if wasn't without some flaws such as the band sometimes taking a little too much influence from groups such as RED and Breaking Benjamin. Still, after that debut, I was excited to see where this band would go next. Let me just say, their return album "Vessels" is far from a sophomore slump, and ends up being an even better and more concise effort than their debut.
If there is one thing I appreciate about this album, it's the fact that Starset is staying true to the sound that made everyone fall for them. But, they are also going beyond that sound and experimenting with pop, bigger electronics, and even some metal territory. The thematic arc of this album can easily be described as relationship-centric. I am always hesitant when going into an album focused on relationships, but this album is very interesting in its focus on multiple types of relationships. Not only is there the typical boyfriend/girlfriend stuff, but there is also close friendships, broken relationships, and even some tracks that can be interpreted as being about God. After a really dynamic and interesting intro in "The Order", the listener immediately hears a track which is about lead singer Dustin Bates' relationship with God in the song "Satellite". This track gets the album off to a considerably positive start. It has the feel of something that could be on "Transmissions", but still manages to be its own song. The track also has an incredibly catchy chorus, which has some compelling lyrics where Bates is asking God to be constantly beside him: "My satellite/Are you here tonight?/Shine your light and set me free/Take the darkness out of me/Shine on me". I love the idea of comparing God to a satellite, as it is not only a unique comparison, but keeps the space theme of the album in tact.
A somehow better track appears in the hard-hitting "Frequency", which may be the most intense track Starset has ever done. I absolutely love this track; it's easily a highlight. The use of huge guitar riffs along with booming electronic elements makes for a track that will surely get a crowd extremely hype in a live setting. Bates also lets out the first screams I've heard from him, and they are extremely satisfying. I hope he utilizes those screams even more on their next release, because they are in sadly small quantity on this album. "Die For You" continues the streak of great songs, having some drumming that really shines, as well as some sincere lyrics about a person having so much love for another person that they would die for them. That theme has been done many times, but the way it's tackled in this song doesn't come across as cheesy; it feels like it has some real weight to it. Another major highlight comes in one of the singles "Richochet". This song is one of the most compelling on the album. Lyrically it discusses in pretty saddening detail a broken relationship that was clearly important to the character of this song: "We were one in the same/Running like moths to the flame/You'd hang on every word I'd say/But now they only ricochet/We were falling away/You left me with a bittersweet taste". You can feel the emotion coming out of Bates' voice, especially in the final moments of this song when he really lets his voice loose, even hitting some amazing falsetto notes. Musically, this song is mainly electronic, with guitars and drums being mostly absent. But the electronics actually really contribute to the emotion of the song along with the melancholic piano being played. At the end of the song when the guitars and drums do end up coming in, it makes for an effective climax. This song is nothing short of an epic, and is one of the best songs Starset has done.
"Starlight" isn't a particularly unique track, feeling typical of the style of the band, but it isn't a bad song by any means. It's another relationship-centric song, but the lyrics are pretty good, especially in using all sorts of space metaphors to make the relationship feel large and important. "Into the Unknown" really shines as a song that is once again pretty intense and brings back the screams that are so rarely in this album. It also holds back on the electronics, giving the guitars and drum work a great chance to shine. The lyrics are also refreshingly different. Instead of discussing a relationship, Bates is encouraging listeners to go into a different mindset to expand their thinking: "Take the path less traveled/Face the darkness on my own/Into the starlight will I go/Until the end I will roam". I like the ideology Bates is promoting here, that people should try to expand their thinking by looking into other people's points of view. It's a nice reminder during a time where we are divided as a country. "Last to Fall" feels like more of a pop-song, but it is an excellent ballad with some great piano playing and beautiful vocals from Bates. This song tackles the broken relationship theme again, but in a way that feels reflective: "And the world is cold/but it's beautiful/I wish you were here now/I miss your soul". The best song on this album comes in the track "Bringing It Down". This song hits HARD. The guitar riff the song starts on is extremely memorable, as well as the usage of strings and some pretty awesome electronics. This song is also so different from any other Starset song in the fact that it is lyrically so angry and aggressive: "I saw it in your eyes/I saw the creature deep inside/You opened up your cage/Pathetic insect/Drawn to flame". The song is clearly addressing someone who is not who they seem to be. The anger here emanating from Bates' voice as well as the lyrics really works and makes to be a song with honest emotion. This may well be Starset's best song to date; it's right up there with "Dark on Me".
The final few tracks on this album are all really awesome. "Unbecoming" is another darker song on the album with more interesting usage of electronics and pop elements. "Monster" was the first single from this album, and it's easy to see why. This song really defines what is the best of this album: awesome metaphorical lyrics, great usage of electronics, and some great vocals from Bates. This may well be Bates' best vocal performance on the album, as his vocals go all over the place, going to some intense screams as well as some gorgeous emotive falsettos. This song is lyrically interesting as well, as Bates is asking someone to save him from himself: "My heart's an artifice, a decoy soul/I’ll lift you up and then I’ll let you go/I've made an art of digging shallow holes /I drop the darkness in and watch it grow". Those lyrics right there are easily the best on the album, illustrating a sad picture of brokenness that really made me feel the emotion that Bates was trying to convey. It should also be mentioned that this song will get easily stuck in your head, especially the very catchy chorus. But don't let that catchiness distract you from the message of the song, which is the most important thing about this track. The album ends effectively with two more tracks in "Telepathic", and the quiet but epic-feeling "Everglow".
There are only a few weak songs off this album. "Back to the Earth" is probably the weakest track on the album. It's not necessarily awful, but the lyrics didn't catch my attention at all. The band also attempted to make the song mainly instrumental and let the instruments show the emotion of the song, but that ultimately didn't work for me. "Gravity of You" is not a bad song, but in comparison to the other relationship-centric songs on the album, this one doesn't work as well. I don't hate "Everglow" (in fact I pretty much like it), but I don't think the song needed to be eight minutes long. I guess another problem of the album for some will be the length of the album, which is understandable. But, it's not like the album is boring. It gets rid of the long musical transition sequences which made "Transmissions" sometimes feel overbearing, so it makes the album feel more concise despite its length.
"Vessels" is an improvement over the already good album "Transmissions". This album shows Starset is here to stay, that they weren't just a one-trick show who blew up just because of their space aesthetic. This band is sticking to what they do best, but it's clear they aren't afraid to expand their boundaries. They did a lot of experimentation with pop and metal here, and in almost every instant it worked. I honestly can say that I can't wait to see what this band does next, as I know they have the ability to make incredible impacts in both Christian and secular circles!
Favorite Songs: "Bringing It Down", "Richochet", "Monster", "Frequency", "Unbecoming", "Satellite"
Least Favorite Songs: "Back to the Earth", "Gravity of You"
