Lecrae "All Things Work Together" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Rap is a genre that I've always felt works incredibly well or entirely horribly depending on who the rapper is. There are actually several rappers that I love, but the one that was my gateway into getting into more rap was Lecrae. I've always had so much respect for this man, as he was the first Christian rapper to really begin bridging the gap between Christian and secular circles. Even in his early years when his lyrics were much more explicit about his faith, I would still find that my friends who didn't believe in God loved to listen to him. With his popularity increasing, it wasn't surprising to me that Lecrae began wading in the water of the mainstream with his album "Anomaly" in 2015. It's actually one of his best releases with a diversity of interesting content. If "Anomaly" was wading in the mainstream, Lecrae is taking a full dive into it with his new album "All Things Work Together". It's clear that Lecrae wants to reach a larger audience, and that makes some parts of this album work for the better. However, other parts of the album are weakened significantly in comparison to his previous releases.

This album starts off excellently with its first three tracks, all of which are significant highlights. While "Always Knew" isn't close to the best intro track Lecrae has done, I still enjoy it quite a bit. It has a nice, smooth backing beat to it which creates a relaxing atmosphere. Lecrae's familiar raps come in strong in this song, as he is humbly discussing how his success in the Christian and secular industries has made him be under more scrutiny. Lecrae is very honest in addressing how he should be considered a Christian, and just because he interacts with people like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, his faith shouldn't be invalidated. I love that Lecrae isn't trying to please anyone in this song, instead offering his opinions clearly. One of Lecrae's strongest tracks to date, as well as the best song on this album, comes in the song "Facts". I was blown away when I heard this song, as Lecrae is speaking incredibly boldly on racism and oppression. Now I will say that I critiqued Lecrae in the past on speaking about political issues in "Welcome to America", but that's because I felt the way that song was executed was awkward and one-sided. "Facts" gives the listener politics in context of personal experiences: "Know you never knew that, know you think I'm too black/I just think I'm too real, I grew up on 2Pac/You grew up thinkin' that the Panthers was some terrorists/I grew up hearin' how they fed my momma eggs and grits". I'll admit this song is a challenging listen. This song also really represents the controversy Lecrae has been under as of late because of being more outspoken on political issues. But I think Lecrae is a very important voice, and this song balances his politics with his faith. It's clear that his faith is what impacts all of his beliefs. That makes them more than just political assertions. Musically, this song has an intense beat, and Lecrae just spits out bars in incredibly interesting varieties. I love this song; it may be one of the best songs of the year.

"Facts" sets up a high bar for the rest of the album, and it actually made me excited to see if the rest of the album would be just as challenging and hard-hitting as that one. While it was a little disappointing to see this album significantly mellow out and become more R&B and trap influenced throughout the rest of its run time, the album still has several different highlights. If you had told me that "Broke" was a Lecrae track, I would've told you that you were wrong (that response goes for a lot of these songs, and I'll get to the bad side of some of the songs not sounding recognizably Lecrae's style later). This song really surprised me, as it's just a bit odd for him. But the off-kilter vibe of this song, particularly in the chorus, actually gravitated me towards it and makes it another favorite of mine. The subject matter of being rich in other ways despite being broke monetarily sounds a bit cliched, but the way Lecrae addresses it is fairly unique and interesting. Even though trap is probably my least favorite genre to come out of hip-hop, I still can admit that there's something strangely enjoyable about "Watchu Mean". Perhaps it's because this song doesn't really take itself seriously; it is legitimately a lot of fun. I also don't mind Aha Gazelle's feature at all; I may even listen to him at some point. "Can't Stop Me Now (Destination)" was a single that I initially dismissed, but coming back to it, I actually like it a lot better. It's inspirational without forcing it, and Lecrae sounds really natural on the track. His rapping style flows super well here.

Most of the closing tracks on this album are solid as well. "I'll Find You" is easily the strongest single on the album, as Lecrae and Tori Kelly have a great chemistry. Kelly's voice sounds great in the chorus, and Lecrae's rapping style evokes his album "Rehab" (my favorite Lecrae album, so definitely a good thing). This song has a clear Christian concept in its subject matter of God finding a person through their insecurities. It makes me happy that the track is getting so much mainstream attention. "Cry For You" is a powerful and haunting track, with Taylor Hill's vocals in the chorus giving me cold chills. This song provides some of the most powerful and Christ-centric lyrics on the album: "But somehow I end up killing everything/I cry for you/If you feel a dark, twisted, heart-wrenching, hate-to-see-your-own-reflection/Praying for an intervention, feeling guilt and feeling shame/I just call on Jesus' name". This song is another favorite of mine, as it provides some weight in an album that overall doesn't delve much into tough subject matter. The closing track "Worth It" has a nice gospel feel, and all the features on it are great.

There are some definite issues I have with this album that really keep it from being among Lecrae's strongest work. I think the negative side of Lecrae going into the mainstream is that this album is sometimes way too tame, both lyrically and musically. "Blessings" comes and goes without doing a single interesting thing. I don't know if I necessarily detest it. It's just completely unmemorable, so it is sort of bad in that sense. I know there was a lot of controversy with Ty Dolla Sign being featured on this song, and I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it either. I understand that he could bring more people to the song, and Lecrae is surely a good influence on these secular artists (he doesn't have a single Christian feature on this album, not even from 116, which was really disappointing for me). But on the other hand, it can seem like Lecrae is validating their lifestyles by having them featured. I'm a bit conflicted on it, but it doesn't factor significantly into my overall feelings about the album. Now that I'm done with that tangent, let's talk about what is one of my least favorite Lecrae tracks ever, "Hammer Time". Man, this song made me cringe when I listened to it. Lecrae is heavily autotuned- something that happens unfortunately several unnecessary times in the middle part of this album. I also can't stand 1K Phew's feature; the way he makes his voice have this high raspy quality at the end of all his verses is super annoying. The chorus also repeats way to much and has a droning, robotic feel to it that is just awful. Tracks such as "Come and Get Me" and "Wish You The Best" make the middle half of this release a bit generic, as these songs are clearly geared for Billboard Top 100. Nothing about these songs really caught my attention. "8:28" is disappointingly underwhelming as the title track of the album.

Overall, my opinion of "All Things Work Together" is very middle of the road. While this album boasts two of Lecrae's best songs to date in "Facts" and "Cry For You", I just can't say that many other songs on the album left huge impacts on me like a lot of songs from his backing work did. There are other certainly other good tracks on the album, but they aren't good enough for me to come back to them over and over again. Besides "Hammer Time", the weaker songs on here aren't terribly offensive, but they are not very memorable either. I would recommend giving this album at least one listen, as it is pretty interesting to see how very different this release is in comparison to other Lecrae albums. While this is easily Lecrae's weakest release, it isn't by any means horrible. And it's inspiring that, even when he's going mainstream, Lecrae still clearly has his passions in a particular place: turning other people towards the God he loves.

Favorite Tracks: "Facts", "Cry For You", "Always Knew", "I'll Find You",  "Broke"
Least Favorite Tracks: "Hammer Time", "Blessings", "8:28"

Nothing More "The Stories We Tell Ourselves" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

It's always refreshing to find a rock band that has a fresh and innovative feel to them in a world where generic radio rock often dominates the genre's conversations. Much like mainstream pop, mainstream rock has a hard time changing. Instead, bands constantly conform to rock trends so much it becomes tiresome. Thank goodness for Nothing More and their explosion into the scene with their self-titled fourth album and their single "Jenny" (which is easily one of their best songs). That album is one of the most interesting modern rock releases I've heard, and I still have it on repeat. So, I was certainly excited when the band announced "The Stories We Tell Ourselves". This album improves on the already excellent self-titled, as it has an ambitious conceptual structure, is full of catchy choruses, aggressive guitar riffs, and has some of the best vocal work I've heard from Johnny Hawkins.

At eighteen tracks and an hour long, this album can easily be classified as a rock epic. The epic feel also comes from the album's consistent thematic arc of trying to navigate through life as flawed human beings. Out of this concept comes songs with complex themes that made me think. The release starts with an interesting introduction track in "Ambition;Destruction", which transitions seamlessly into "Do You Really Want It?". This song is delightfully aggressive with energetic guitar riffs and Johnny Hawkins absolutely goes off in the vocal department. I could feel the passion in his voice,  and it's clear from the chorus that he's very passionate about analyzing the human condition: "Everybody wants to change the world/But one thing is clear/No one ever wants to change themselves". This plays into the album's central idea that we often make false perceptions of ourselves because that is what is most comfortable to do. We all talk about wanting to change the world, but in order to do that we'd have to change the world. The next transition track "Convict/Divide" leads into "Let 'Em Burn". At this point, I'd like to note how clever I the transition tracks are. Their titles actually relate thematically to the subjects of the song/songs they are leading into. While I felt initially that "Let 'Em Burn" was a bit of a generic track, it has actually grown on me immensely, though I still think the chorus is a little too repetitive. It's once again the chemistry of the vocals and instrumentation that makes this song work. Hawkins sounds like he's enjoying himself, and the pounding drums and guitar riffs make for an entirely great rock song that is an effective single. It's nice to see this band actually saying how political leaders, both left and right, divide us on trivial things. Hawkins proposes that we should let radical ideals burn and instead come together and see what's similar about us.

The next three tracks are some of my absolutely favorites on the album. "Ripping Me Apart" starts off with a menacing guitar riff and Hawkins practically growling in his voice. I love the intensity of this song; it's so rare for rock songs to navigate between having a legitimate aggression while still being accessible. Nothing More works perfectly between these two extremes. This song can be enjoyed by general audiences while not taking away the intensity of the subject matter. The track discusses a toxic relationship, where a person knows they shouldn't be with another person, but no matter what, they can't resist them. Hawkins acknowledges this is another result of the human condition that is unavoidable. I love Hawkins' usage of screams as well as his lower vocal register; this song is an all around huge highlight. "Don't Stop" is another favorite of mine for just how weird and off the wall it is. There is not another song on the album like this, as this one combines heavy distorted electronics with crunchy guitar riffs. Hawkins' almost seems to embody an AC/DC flare in his vocals, and though I've never been a big fan of the aforementioned band, I still love this song. The track is straight up hype fuel, one of the first songs for rock that I could say would work for a college party of some sort. It's one of those songs that is just so easy to have fun with, and though its subject matter doesn't necessarily connect to the rest of the album, the song still works in its own unique way. I can't help banging my head along with it whenever it comes on.

My absolute favorite song on the album- as well as one of my favorite songs of the year- is "Funny Little Creatures". This track feels like it's at the heart of the album, as in the lyrics Hawkins discusses the very complex idea about he doesn't really know himself. That seems to be due to the stories that he tries to convince himself are true, and that is what ultimately creates a false perception. In the beautiful chorus of this song, Hawkins says "Blame is a coward but self righteous/A funny little creature hiding out in me/Hate is power with a price tag/A funny little creature screaming out in me". Often the hateful perceptions we make of ourselves turn into very real "creatures" who destroy who we essentially are supposed to be. I haven't heard too many songs with such a multi-faceted idea in mind. This song makes you think about what you are listening to while also just sounding good- the chorus is unbelievably catchy, and I just love the whole vibe of the song. Johnny Hawkins' vocal performance is natural and understated here; he isn't necessarily trying to show off his vocal register, but he still somehow gives his best vocal performance on the whole album in this track. This song leads effectively into another transition track "React/Respond" with a compelling spoken word segment that is just interesting to listen to.

The second half of this album is just as good as the first, and the songs are much serious in subject matter.  "The Great Divorce" is an absolutely wild nearly 5-minute rock song which leaves me breathless every time I listen to it. Johnny's vocals are unbridled, the guitar work is brutal, and the drums patterns are very complicated and fast-paced. This song musically is pitch-perfect, and the desperate diction of the lyrics help to bring the intensity home. For that reason, this song is a major highlight for me. "Still in Love" is a radio ready rock ballad, although it stands above many other radio ballad counterparts. Everything about this track feels genuine. It's a touching relationship-centric song, and even if it isn't one of my favorites, it still offers a soft relief in the middle of the album and works well in context. After the transition track "Alone/Together", the lead single "Go To War" plays. It's so easy to see why the band chose this track as the lead single, as this song is just so unbelievably catchy both lyrically and sonically. It feels perfect for an epic movie trailer of sorts. It's clever that, despite the song's war sounding musicality, the lyrics are actually very anti-war, and they are actually referring more to a metaphorical war of the heart than a war of flesh. The lyrics are passionate and heartbreaking: "Screaming at the ones we love/Like we forgot who we can trust/Screaming at the top of our lungs/On the grounds where we feel safe/Do you feel safe?" The catchiness of the song serves to make the lyrics feel more memorable and important, making this song a key track in the context of the whole album. After a few more transition tracks, we get the two ending tracks "Tunnels" and "Fade In/Fade Out". The former track is a solid darker feeling track that I really like the vibe of. The latter is one of the best songs on the album, an absolute rock epic which traverses the complexities of life and death. There's so much to analyze in this song that would take too long for this review; I just advise you to go listen to it and appreciate every second of this 6-minute master work.

There are only a few tracks that I think don't work. I feel as though some of the transition tracks could've been cut, even though I do appreciate how title wise they fit the subject of the songs that come after them. But the track I probably have biggest issue with is "Who We Are". In an album full of super interesting tracks, this one just doesn't fit. From the typical title to the pseudo-inspirational lyrics, this song checks off every box for radio-ready rock. While the song isn't particularly offensive, it just isn't interesting either, and it really just didn't work with how complex the rest of the tracks are. The same can be said for "Just Say When", which is a bit of a cheesy ballad in my opinion. Unlike the one other ballad on this track, this one doesn't do much to distinguish itself from other rock ballads.

Even with the weaker tracks, I'm still excited to see that this year we have yet ANOTHER album I consider to be a masterpiece for the rock world. I have to say that once again in 2017, the albums I've hated I have REALLY hated, but the albums I've loved this year I have been absolutely passionate about. Nothing More proves with "The Stories We Tell Ourselves" that they are still enthusiastic about being an accessible rock band that has the ability to change the generic radio rock scene. I can't wait to see what this band does next!

Favorite Tracks: "Funny Little Creatures", "The Great Divorce", "Fade In/Fade Out", "Don't Stop",  "Ripping Me Apart", "Go To War"
Least Favorite Tracks: "Who We Are", "Just Say When"

"The Big Sick" Movie Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars

If there is one movie genre that I've never felt particularly connected to, it's romantic comedies. I guess they just aren't for me, as I tend to enjoy movies with a darker edge to them. So, when I saw trailers for "The Big Sick", I really didn't really think too much of it, until it got an impressive underground and eventually larger mainstream following. This film tells the true story of how Pakistanian comedian Kumail Nanjiani met and fell in love with Emily Gardner. Emily eventually gets very sick, and Kumail has to interact with her parents, while also dealing with pressure from his parents, and his conflicting feelings on whether to choose family or Emily.

This movie really surprised me in the best way possible. While it certainly has elements that fit within the genre of romantic comedy, there are a lot of parts of it that are quite unconventional for this genre as well. One of the things that impressed me most about this film was the focus Kumail's deep struggle on whether to choose his family and his culture or to choose Emily. For the rest of Kumail's family, their Muslim culture is very important to them: for example, they pray five times a day and they believe in arranged marriages. Kumail is at a crossroads of whether he actually believes in his family's religion anymore, and the audience sees that struggle play out in sometimes uncomfortable ways, whether it's very tense conversations between family members or Kumail getting into an intense argument with Emily. It's not often you see American movies exploring a religion like Islam, and since this movie was written by someone who was involved in this religion (Kumail himself), I really feel like I was able to gain some knowledge on it. It's clear the film has more on its mind than just focusing on the romance.

Of course, it is important for one to like the main romantic couple in the movie for this genre to work. And I've gotta say, I loved Kumail and Emily, thanks to great writing and superb acting. Nanjiani is actually playing himself in the movie, which sounds like something that could be easy. But I don't think it possibly could be, as he is brutally honest about the very flawed and human parts of himself. He puts them on display for moviegoers to see, and it left me astounded at just how fully fleshed out Kumail was. I always find it hard to write anything about myself without glossing over stuff, and Kumail could've easily taken that route, but he doesn't, and that only makes the likeable parts of him even more apparent. He just seems like a likeable person in general, and I loved following him in the movie. Though Zoe Kazan as Emily is really only in the movie at the beginning half and ending moments, she still shines in her role as well. She just exuded her emotions to the fullest extent, I felt she was always full of life and fully invested in everything she did. That's why it hurts so much for me when I saw her becoming increasingly upset at Kumail, as it feels so realistic when she's angry. Her human emotions never feel like acting; Kazan just disappeared into her role. The chemistry between our to leads is impeccably well executed. They felt like an entirely real couple every moment they were on screen together. My favorite performance actually has to go to Ray Romano as Terry, Emily's father. I haven't gotten the opportunity to see Romano in more serious roles, but he really just nails it here. In his comedic moments, I couldn't stop laughing, Romano still has great comedic timing and delivery. He really brought so much to this character, and to see Terry beyond just being Emily's parent is an interesting idea. In rom coms, I feel as though usually parent figures are put to the side or are stereotypes. That is not the case here. The same goes for Holly Hunter as Beth. Her character starts out as someone who seems unlikable, but she becomes entirely charming and interesting as the movie goes on. Other highlights include a surprisingly subdued performance by Bo Burnham as CJ, and Zenobia Shroff as Kumail's mother Shareef.

There are only a few issues I have with this movie. One of them is that the movie can stay in one tone for too long. In the comedic moments, it can sometimes be complicated to catch all the jokes because of how they keep on coming, and there's just quip after quip. Now granted, this isn't a huge problem, but it was still something I noticed. The same can be said for the darker moments, as they can almost made the movie feel a little too sad in some moments, and actually made me forget that I was watching a comedy. The serious moments were always executed well, but it just felt like they could've been cut down a bit. I also felt as though the ending of the movie went on a little bit long.

I can now definitely understand why this movie got so much attention. It's just so irresistibly charming, thanks to the very real feeling conversations between characters and the superb performances by a dynamic cast. The movie can occasionally falter with focusing on one tone for a little too long, but it was never such an issue that stopped me from just having a fun time with this movie. "The Big Sick" both stays and defies the conventions of rom coms, making it accessible for the audience it's going for as well as applicable to an entirely new audience. I definitely see Kumail having a bright future ahead of him as a writer and a comedian. 

Should We Separate the Artist From Their Art?

By: James Southworth

The year 2017 has not been an easy ride by any means. It feels like more controversies than ever have arisen, and people are becoming more divided and conflicted by issues that they feel to be important. One of the biggest issues that I think I could talk about on my website because it has to do with art is this: should we separate the artist from their art? It feels like such a loaded question. But I'm going to look at several different relevant artists from this year. No matter how I feel about these particular artists' works, I won't let that get in the way of my legitimate opinion. My personal opinion will come at the end of this commentary/discussion.

We'll look firstly at the most recent example, and the one that I quickly established an opinion on. The biggest YouTuber of all time, gamer/comedian PewDiePie, aka Felix, just got huge backlash after a live stream. Now what did he do on this live stream that got so much controversy? Well, he dropped the n-word, with a hard "r" at the end of it. Essentially, in the first-person shooter game he was playing, he got killed by someone, and clearly got frustrated. In that moment, he surprisingly just blurted out the n-word, and briefly apologized afterwords before resuming his stream. I'm not sure whether Felix deleted that part of the stream or anything. However, on the upload he put on YouTube of streaming highlights, it sure wasn't there for obvious reasons. The actual stream is on Twitch, but that doesn't matter. It makes sense why so many YouTube creators are concerned for their job positions. There has already been a shortage of ads on YouTube, which was ignited by another PewDiePie controversy where Wall Street Journal basically tried to call him a racist Nazi (I personally did not agree with what the WSJ did, it was a totally shady move and took all his videos out of context). So, Felix making yet another mistake (this one is debatably worse in my eyes because it wasn't associated with a comedy bit) has some pretty heavy implications to it. The creator of the game "Firewatch" has already stated that he's going to do a take down of all the videos Felix did of his game. In general, a lot of people do not like what he said, because the n word obviously has a lot of history attached to it. Many are calling for him to be deleted off YouTube or to just boycott his channel. Should this be a time where the artist is separated from the art? I think  that if people still want to watch Felix's videos, there's nothing wrong with it. I don't think the guy is a racist, but he made a big mistake. He shouldn't be crucified for it, but it's no surprise that he will have to suffer consequences. Still, I really think that some people are blowing this out of proportion.

The next example is a little tougher for me to fully decide on, as it's regarding Taylor Swift. Not only am I not a big fan of Swift's music, but I'm also not a fan of her personality. She seems like a person who just can't be trusted, as she thrives on having drama with other women in the industry, particularly Katy Perry. Her drama with men is in no shortage either, as she likes to make songs that target her exes. I also don't particularly like her new song "Look What You Made Me Do"; in fact, I detest it. I will still try to be fair to her, though, in some of the backlash she's gotten. A lot of people have called out a specific part of her new single's music video as racist. It is a little suspect to see that most of the white people are on one side and black people are on the other side in this dancing formation. An even bigger controversy that has arisen, however, is people think that Swift needs to speak more on politics as one the biggest female artists out there. Many think she has lived in a privileged shell for far too long. In a way, I see where they're coming from, but in another, why do they care so much that Swift doesn't speak on her politics? She is a singer, not a politician. Her songs have never been political, so I don't see why it's necessary for her to speak on any political topic. I have a feeling if she did say anything, the Swift dissenters would still attempt to destroy her anyway. I think people hate her media image, and I once again see where they're coming from. But to the people saying they don't listen to Swift's music because she doesn't speak on politics: why? Why does her opinion really matter that much to you if you want her to be irrelevant in the first place?

I'm going to put the last three artists together, because all three of them are somewhat similar cases in the fact that they are all criminals/alleged criminals. It fascinates me that any of these three are controversial or that their art is supported: Chris Brown, XXXTentacion, and Tim Lambesis (of the band As I Lay Dying). The first two artists have a history of abusing women, and both have been arrested for it. Lambesis might even be worse, as he hired a hit man to murder his wife, and just got released from prison this year. And yet, there are STILL people out there who say that the artist should not be equated with their art. Defenders of the first two artist tend to claim their music is good, so why shouldn't they just enjoy it? Because it gives literal criminals validity. You are supporting the art of people who should be in jail. It just blows my mind that there are actually some people who are perfectly okay with listening to their music. I used to like As I Lay Dying. But when I heard what Lambesis attempted to do to his wife, I became disgusted and couldn't listen to anything the band put out; it made me feel dirty to even think about listening to them. I do think artists like this perhaps deserve a second chance, but a second chance doesn't mean supporting them in a way that will get them a lot of money.

The question of whether the artist and the art should be separated is a loaded one. Here's my opinion: I think the more extreme the situation, the more the artist should not be separated from their art. I think art reveals a lot more about the artist than we think. We have to be careful. Art is valuable, and when artists become controversial, it is entirely possible that the art can become a perverted version of itself.

Wage War "Deadweight" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Out of the huge slew of new generic metalcore bands that are out there, Wage War has been one of the few exceptions to stand out of the pack. Their debut album "Blueprints" is one of the most memorable debuts of any modern band to date. It has many memorable jams and some songs that tackle pretty heavy subject matter (especially "Twenty Three" and "Youngblood"). With their sophomore album "Deadweight", the band gets a bit more accessible with more clean vocals. However, with subject matter having a thematic arc of how one gets over being broken and having a false perception of the self, this album is a considerably heavy listen in another way. "Deadweight" is an incredible progression for WW, and it's a release I may even regard as a metalcore masterpiece.

The album begins off in a relatively similar way to "Blueprints" with the intro song "Two Years". This track is a pretty great instrumental to hype you up for the rest of the album, especially in its crunchy guitar riffs and aggressive drumming. The intro transitions effectively into what is a superb opening track for the album, "Southbound". This song really has a nice punk/metal feel to it (in part due to the production work by Jeremy McKinnon of A Day to Remember) that will have your head nodding along in no time. Briton Bond's reliable unclean vocals come in strong and have a great sense of control. But the highlight of this song is definitely Cory Quistad's clean vocals- he really shines throughout the whole album. His vocals work perfectly with this track, and it helps that the chorus is unbelievably catchy. The next song is lead single "Don't Let Me Fade Away", a very powerful track with the compelling lyrics "We all hide behind a mask/We all want to be set free". This song is a clear cry out to God, with the band asking God to not let who they really are fade away. I could really feel the emotion in this song. Bond's unbridled screams and Quistad's raw cleans collide in an indescribably beautiful way in the bridge, which serves as the effective climax of the track. The winning streak the front half of this album goes on continues with one of the most brutal tracks, "Stitch", which has a clear nu-metal influence. I didn't think a song could make me head bang as much as "The River", but this one does the job. The guitar riffs in this track are just delightful, and the multiple breakdowns come in at unexpected points in the song; guitarist Seth Blake kills it here. Seth Kluesener's drumming patterns here only serve to make the song more interesting.

In an album with so many awesome tracks, it can be hard to identify one as the best. But there's no doubt in my mind that "Witness" takes the cake for the best track. This one shifts effectively between the soft dynamics of Cory's vocals to the intensity of Briton's screams. The musicality of this song is really tight; everyone is at their absolute best here. Lyrically, this song is a gem as well, with the band having the mature realization that in order to become a better person they have to get brave through the hardest parts of their lives: "Now I see/I was broken to be made a better me/Had to learn to let it go and let it be/Sometimes we’re too blind to see". Cory's vocal delivery of those lyrics is hauntingly gorgeous, and he lets the deep implications of those words really sink in. This track is nothing short of powerful, and is easily one of the best songs of the year. The title track comes next, and it is definitely the most intense song here. It is probably the most fun track on the album; it's so easy to jam along to. I know this one is going to work well in a live setting, especially in the shout-along chorus that is accessible and enjoyable to all metal fans. The following track "Gravity" is the softest song Wage War has done to date. They actually take a risk here by going more of a soft rock route, and Cory takes over the vocals for most of the song. The payoff is nothing short of incredible, as this song is another major highlight. Cory proves yet again that he is one of the most capable clean voices in the modern metalcore scene. His delivery here is filled with emotion, especially in the chorus as he says "Pull me close I feel the water reach around my neck/Don't let go just show me that there's better days ahead/Make me see I'm only half the person I should be/Pull me close set me free from this gravity". I could feel the desperation in this song, as this is another clear plea to get close to God, because without him we are broken. I love that Wage War is delivering this much needed message, and it's done so in a way that isn't cheesy or overblown. The lyrics are written in a subtly so they can relate to a wide variety of people. Musically, it's fitting this song stays soft for the most part, although the brief shift to more intense guitar riffs works naturally.

"Never Enough" feels like it could fit naturally onto the more intense "Blueprints". This song is a bit more of a traditional metalcore track, but it works well where it is in the context of the album. "Disdain" really stands out in the latter half of the album due to the clear influences it draws from Slipknot. This song is only about two minutes long, but I felt its intensity for every second. This song is the most angry on the album, as Briton expresses his uncompromising hate for violence. I think pretty much everyone can relate to the well-written commentary on this track. Also, the breakdown  is a delight to behold. Another major highlight appears in the tragic "My Grave is Mine to Dig". This song conceptually goes back to the idea of brokenness being a result of us not living up to the full potential of who we could be. While the band acknowledges that brokenness can be a result of outside influences, oftentimes our perception of ourselves can lead us to willingly digging our own grave: "Death to self is much easier said than done...I had to go through Hell to find what's best in me". The journey to changing self is not easy, but the lyrics powerfully show how we do have potential to be more than just broken. Musically this song excels in combining the intensity of Briton's vocals with softer guitar tones. The album ends on an interesting note with "Johnny Cash". While not being one of the stronger tracks on the album, I still respect how different it is for Wage War, and would be interested for them to pursue songs like this in the future.

The one song on here I'm not a big fan of is "Indestructible". In its title and lyrics, it's pretty generic. It's one of those pump-up songs about rising above obstacles, and I've heard this subject done so many times. It's not an awful song, but it does not stand out in the album, as even musically it follows metalcore tropes. But, that one song does not detract from this album being an excellent release. I find myself coming back to it over and over again, and I still haven't tired of it. I think an album with a thematic arc of overcoming brokenness is needed in this world. It's clear the band feel passionately about delivering the message that we can overcome false perceptions of ourselves if we trust in God and unify with each other. "Deadweight" is right up there with other masterful metalcore albums such as FFAK's "Slave to Nothing" and While She Sleep's "You Are We" (which also came out this year- we have been spoiled with excellent metal music this year). If you haven't heard this album yet, you're really missing out!

Favorite Tracks: "Witness", "Don't Let Me Fade Away", "My Grave is Mine to Dig", "Gravity",  "Stitch",  "Southbound"
Least Favorite Tracks: "Indestructible"