Secrets "Secrets" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

When there are so many generic bands on Rise Record, it can be hard and tiresome to find a diamond in the rough. Thankfully, I was still able to find Secrets. They had a truly interesting sound on their superb sophomore release, "Fragile Figures", that didn't adhere to the Rise formula. I still come back to that album often, as it has so many excellent songs. Their debut is pretty good as well, even if it's a little rough around the edges. The band's third album "Everything That Got Us Here" is not an awful album, but it was a noticeable change to the Rise formula. There was still enough talent in the band to keep the album from being an entire waste, but it was disappointing that Rise was forcing the band's hand. I think Secrets didn't like that either, as they have now left them and are on an independent record label. This was a great choice for them to make. The band's self-titled fourth album shows the band back to form, and even changing up their sound to have an overall effective punk/rock backbone. The release still sometimes leans towards generic tendencies, but this is overall one of the most fun albums I've listened to all year.

The beginning half of this album is especially strong, full of memorable tracks and even a couple I would consider among the band's best work. "Sixteen" starts out the album great with this ominous atmosphere, done by combining some intriguing guitar riffs, electronics, and well-utilized distorted vocals from clean singer Richard Rogers. Rogers is such a talented vocalist, and it made me smile to hear him once again, as even on the band's previous album, he was still a shining beacon. This song screams classic Secrets from beginning to end, with the verses boasting impassioned screams from new unclean vocalist Wade Walters (who thankfully has a very similar screaming style to the previous screamer). The chorus soars with Rogers really seeming to enjoy himself. You can tell that's a common theme of the album. Last album everyone seemed to be on automatic, so it's nice to see all the band members having chemistry and enjoying what they're doing. There's interestingly another number named song after this one, "Fourteen". This track really caught me off guard the first time, as this song is almost entirely in the genre of punk/rock. It is very different for the band, but I like that they changed up their sound. In fact, this style works very well for them, especially in the Walters' screaming segments. There are some pop/punk influences that appear in the chorus, with Rogers really just going all in against that genre. This song is not one of my favorites necessarily, but I do appreciate it for taking such a bold risk.

This album goes on a huge winning streak with its next several tracks. "Incredible" was a great choice for the lead single. It's hard to not be hooked in by this track. It once again has a punk vibe to it, but I like the way the band combines it with metal and rock. Rogers sounds awesome in the pre-chorus. The build-up to the chorus in general is actually really awesome. We then get to the chorus, which is actually just Rogers singing/shouting out the title of the song over and over. It sounds like a pop cliche, but I think it works because the build-up was preparing us for the pay off. Things get even better, because after that, Rogers just really shows off his singing talent with some great lyrics: "Through the pain and all the guilt/You’re all I needed to rebuild/We never knew but it was so inevitable/You brought to life inside of me/The man I never thought I'd be/A place I know that I can call incredible". I like how sincere this song is in Rogers expressing love for someone else bringing him out of a dark place. This song is absolutely triumphant. My favorite song, though, is "Strangers". This song has to be one of my favorites of the year. This track goes through several genre shifts, constantly shifting from pop to rock to metal effortlessly. There are some moments of this track that are the most radio friendly that the band have ever gotten, and there is a breakdown in the song that is certainly the most brutal the band has gotten. And oh man, is that chorus killer. If you're not singing along to the chorus, then I'm not sure what's wrong with you. This is without a doubt one of Rogers's best vocal performances to date.

Another freaking awesome track comes in "Five Years". This is the most intense song on the album by far, and it is all the better for it. Walters lets his screams go to some incredible heights. This song is full of unrestrained anger and passion, and I love it for that reason. Rogers even lets his normally more poppy vocals have some rock influence here as his voice becomes a little bit more gritty and raw. The breakdown in this song put a smile on my face, and this song as a whole left me impressed as it goes out with a bang. "Mouth Breather" brings back the punk influence in the chorus,. This track in general is one of the more interesting moments of the album. The guitar work doesn't quite match up to Rogers vocals, creating an odd but effective dissonance between these two elements. I think this cut does actually boast some of the best guitar work from Michael Sherman. "Lost Cause" and "Last Time" are two effective songs to come one after the other, because both of them boast excellent choruses that will have you singing along in no time. But the real highlight of the slightly weaker ending half of this album is "3.17.16", a haunting song about loss. You can really feel the emotions exuding from this track, as it is one of the most well-written: "What happened when you left?/Did you get your wings/Or just sink into nothing?/I've been searching but I can't find a sign". The song is also one of the more intense moments of the album, which works well with the subject matter.

There are a few weak moments in this release that have to be pointed out. "Chemical Reaction" is the weakest song here, because it's really just far too generic in every way. This song is about as typical of a relationship song as I've heard, right down to the song title. There's not anything that this track does to attempt to stand out. Lyrically, it's actually a bit cheesy, which is disappointing as most of Secrets' relationship centered songs are genuine and often clever. "The End" is really just a filler track. It could've been taken out and this release would've not suffered. I don't necessarily dislike the closing track "Let Me In", but I don't think it leaves the album out on an effective note. It more feels like a song that should've been in the middle, as I think "3.17.16" would've been a far better closing track. In general, I think the second half of this release is not as strong as the first half. Even though there are some good parts of the second half, none of them really compare to the excellent moments that appear in the first half. I have to emphasize that there's no song here I hate. There are just a couple of track that make this album end out on a little too unforgettable of a note. That isn't fair to all the memorable songs here.

Overall, I am happy to say that I think Secrets are back to loving what they do. Even though I didn't dislike "Everything That Got Us Here" as a whole, I do think that the band may have not felt passionate about the album. That is not the case with their self-titled. I think this album might be self-titled for a reason, as it is a rejuvenation as well as a re-invention of their sound. This may not be one of the stronger releases I've heard this year, but this album more than makes up for it by having some of the strongest individual songs I've heard in 2018. I do recommend "Secrets", especially the killer first half. It's good to have this band back, and I can't wait to see what they do next!

Favorite Songs: "Strangers", "Five Years", "Incredible", "3.17.16", "Sixteen", "Mouth Breather"
Least Favorite Songs: "Chemical Reaction", "The End", "Let Me In"