Palisades "Palisades" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Palisades is a band that has been active on Rise Records since 2013. And wow, my opinion has changed on them a lot over the years. Their debut album "Outcasts" was what really got me interested in the band. While they stylistically reminded me of Memphis May Fire at some points, there was still enough creativity in the debut to keep me paying attention. The album is far from perfect, but it was a good start. Then the band took a huge nose dive with one of the worst albums I've ever listened to, "Mind Games". This cringe-worthy combination of EDM and metal did not impress me at all. The only song I remotely enjoyed was "Player Haters' Ball", and even that song couldn't match up to any of the songs on their debut. I was very discouraged, as I'd thought this band had real potential. I was very hesitant going into their third album. But, I was pleasantly surprised to find what is their most mature release to date, a great modern rock record, and one of the best albums to come from the Rise label.

Palisades' self-titled release gets off to an incredible start with the hard-hitting single "Aggression". This song was what got me interested in the album, and fortunately, this song does a good job at establishing what the rest of the album will sound like. Everything about this song seriously works. The first thing I noticed was a huge change in lead singer Louis Miceli's vocals. His sound has seriously matured, to where his vocals sound smooth and work well with the rock styling. The slight pop tendencies of his vocals make his voice sound very unique. The best thing about "Aggression" is how well it does at using its huge soft and intense elements. It work for this emotional piece asking when the senseless violence in America will end: "Murder machine/Death is routine/What's the reason/They dance over graves/Lay bombs like bouquets/While we're grieving". This might be the best lyrics the band  have penned, as the clearly have a lot of passion behind them. After this song we get what is in my opinion the best track on the album, "Cold Heart (Warm Blood)". This has Miceli's best vocal performance by far, as he goes from some beautiful singing in the verses to some brutal screams in the chorus. The song is clearly about a break up, but the emotion that comes from the lyrics feels seriously legitimate: "What's in a promise you couldn't keep?/It's always something, talk is so cheap/Maybe I'd hear you if you were home tonight/I wanna hate you, tear you apart". The song is also incredibly catchy. The combination of subtle electronics along with hard rock elements makes for perhaps what is the best song of this year so far.

The album continues on a huge winning streak with "Better Chemicals", which talks about someone suffering with drug addiction in heartbreaking detail. The musical tone of the song perfectly accompanies the lyrics, and Miceli once again has a voice that very naturally works with the style. "Fall" is another single that came out from the album. This one reminds most of something that could have come off the band's debut, and that is not a bad thing by any means. The more obvious usage of electronics is effective, and the chorus is one that will get easily stuck in your head. This isn't one of the best songs on the album, but I could see this one doing well on rock radio stations. "Let Down" has even more prominent usage of electronics and EDM effects. If more songs had been done in this style on "Mind Games", I would've enjoyed that album a lot more. The EDM elements are not done for some cheap manipulative end game. Instead they contribute to the emotion of the song, and also meld really well with the guitar work. The lyrics are about another break up, and while not as compelling as they could be, still work in portraying the message the band wants.

"Through Hell" is another huge highlight on the album, as it easily the most intense song on the album. This song is pure metal, and it's a pretty euphoric listen, especially as Miceli really lets his vocals go to all sorts of intense places. The way he uses his anger is awesome, and it makes the listen all the more fun. The lyrics also have some compelling content as Miceli acknowledges how he messes up a lot of good things in his life and ends up putting them "through hell": "Broken/I know I did this myself/Cause I find the prettiest things/And then I put them through hell". This admission is powerful and honest, and that makes this song that much better. If you don't find yourself banging your head along to the beginning part of this song, I'm not sure what's wrong with you. What makes the song even more interesting is how it ends on a subdued note with some gorgeous strings. The song almost becomes an epic of sorts, and because of the song's content, it feels earned. After this we get an extremely catchy song in "Memories", where the band takes some risks by going a more pop/rock route. The style works for this song well, especially in the memorable chorus which will get easily stuck in your head. "Hard Feelings" is another brutally honest song. Miceli's voice goes to some great emotional heights, especially in the powerful chorus. The lyrics are great hear in describing all some strong emotions: "There's blood in my mouth from biting my tongue/I'm grinding my teeth, that's what it's become/I'm holding my breath till my face turns white/I'm losing my voice no matter how I try". "Dancing With Demons" has subject matter that has been done so many times, but I still can't help but love the song and sympathize with the lyrics as they discuss overcoming personal evils. The electronics here might work better than on any other song, and the chorus brings back the delightful screams that Miceli belts so effectively. The song actually turns out to be one of the most memorable. This self-titled release ends out on a memorable note with the fun, hard-rocking "Personal".

The only song on here I had any sort of problem with is "Dark". The chorus is a bit too repetitive, and the song is actually pretty unmemorable in comparison to the rest of the dynamic tracks here. It tries to be an emotive ballad, but it just doesn't work. But that song can't possibly put a damper on the rest of the great tracks here. Palisades have crafted something that feels like it should come from a veteran band. Everything about this album surprised me, from the mature usage of electronics to how significantly Miceli's vocals improved. Whereas he was the hugest detractor of the band in "Mind Games", he is now the highlight of this essentially new type of group. This record is clearly self-titled for a reason: I personally believe this is the type of style the group is going to pursue from now on. If that's the case, then I will be enthusiastically championing this band as one that deserves to be watched.

Favorite Songs: "Cold Heart (Warm Blood)", "Aggression", "Through Hell", "Better Chemicals","Hard Feelings", "Dancing With Demons"
Least Favorite Songs: "Dark"