Generally speaking, it should take longer than a year to write, produce, and release a record. Like a fine wine, the process should never be rushed or the output suffers. Yet, 12 months and 5 days after ‘Mind Games’ hit the shelves, Palisades will drop their third, self-titled album. Striking again while the iron is hot? Not a chance.
Opener ‘Aggression’ cleverly builds and unleashes tension in short, well-timed bursts, enhancing each aspect of their sound. It heightens the senses, making the melodies taste sweeter and the riffs hit harder without really sliding too far along the spectrum.
Being clever does not just happen by chance, though. The chorus to ‘Let Down’ comes out of nowhere, ‘Fall’ has the feel of a Punk Goes Pop cover, and the electronics in ‘Personal’ respire so subtly that it is easy to underestimate the impact. All of this is largely down to the addition of producer Christian Mochizuki (known as Graves), whose knowledge of the other side acts as the adhesive needed to glue each part together.
Lead single ‘Through Hell’ is an interesting choice to market the record. Shot with adrenaline, the track rip-roars through breakdowns and offers Louis Miceli Jr. the opportunity to shred his chords a little bit. It is Palisades at their most captivating, but it is not truly reflective of the record as a whole.
There are a few blemishes that could have been prevented. ‘Cold Heart (Warm Blood)’ is excellent, for the most part, but gazes at Bring Me The Horizon’s ‘Throne’ a split second too long, and ‘Hard Feelings’ could be omitted to limit the risk of the album fizzling out.
In ‘Palisades’, the New Jersey mob have created something special. The cohesion of metal and pop is seamless and natural, and the contrasting way such hopeless, desperate lyrics – a glance at the cover tells the story – partner energetic and vibrant music is remarkable. Refusing to regurgitate past offerings, Palisades have opted to redefine their style, and achieving this in the space of a year makes it all the more impressive.
MATT BORUCKI