Palisades
Palisades
(Rise Records)
Rise Records is infamous for taking innovative, heavy bands and churning out records that lean to the more commercially appealing side of rock—Of Mice & Men and Crown The Empire’s 2016 releases being the most prominent examples of the last year. And while these genre shifts are common, it remains to be seen if the style switch is rooted in Rise or simply part of the individual band’s preference to change. Enter Palisades.
The Jersey-based six piece has come a long way since their electronicore debut Outcasts in 2012. Now on their third full-length, their self-titled record, the band approaches a more radio rock friendly sound dropping almost all elements of their signature electronic and metalcore beginnings.
This drastic shift isn’t entirely unexpected. Last year the group dropped the lead single, “Fall” for Palisades as a stand-alone track that immediately hinted towards a lighter sound. Focusing more on catchy rock riffs, R&B-inspired vocals, and an overall pop vibe, “Fall” worked as both a plausible transition from 2015’s more EDM-influenced Mind Games, as well as a captivating single. Unfortunately, the progress implemented on “Fall” feels lackluster throughout the rest of the record.
Opening with “Aggression,” Palisades’ first lines chime in with the repetition of the phrase “no more,” a good indicator for the overall switch up within the album. Touching on a more laid back, atmospheric sound, “Aggression” picks up nicely to meld into contemporary rock with hints towards their more rhythm and blues side. This style rears its head again on tracks like “Let Down” and “Dark,” the latter which hones in on a seductive, lullaby-like tone to round the record out.
On the flip side, however, tracks like “Better Chemicals” and “Dancing with Demons” show a matured evolution to the band, but also reveal their wariness to take risks. While the tracks are catchy, they are in dire need of stronger hooks and a fearlessness to dance on the edge again. The listener is prone to zone out of the track, giving away the notion that many of these jams may simply be filler. The biggest red flag on the filler train is by far “Cold Heart (Warm Blood),” acting as a base regurgitation of early Linkin Park (another Rise Records staple sound) mixed with generic pop punk. On paper, this perhaps sounds appealing, but in context of a band known to mix soulful vocals over dance-y, heavy breakdowns, it just doesn’t add up.
“Through Hell” is the record’s shining moment. For a few minutes, Palisades’ metal vibe jumps stealthily back into their sonic aesthetic. It’s subtle, but it adds a slice to the album to break it out of its newfound security blanket. Amped up, the line “I find the pretty things and then I put them through hell” really summarizes the purpose of the record. It feels like a grab bag hardcore nod and works well in context of the band’s prior discography.
Palisades is solid release, but it’s a safe release that abandons the tropes that made early Palisades so interesting to listen to. Sure, there is a higher production value stamped on the album, but the raw, youthful nature of the band is gone. Sometimes sophistication isn’t the answer. Sometimes you shouldn’t tone it back, and while this may broaden Palisades’ fan base, it will not garner them a label of “innovative” any time soon.
Purchase the album here: Physical | iTunes
