Must-have addition to the collection
5
By Brandalgo
This EP is reaaally good! I was so pleasantly surprised by it. You guys somehow managed to mix two of my favorite genres into one, and the blend was done SO well. The first track hit me by surprise, in a good way, I was instantly hooked! These tracks have some of your best melodies in them. I love that you took a different direction with this EP, because it feels completely new and different, but with that classic Polyphia sound. It's always nice to hear a different side of one of your favorite bands, because guess what? You can always go back and listen to older songs at any time. If you like a certain sound or style, it is preserved for all time, and when you want something really different, it's there too. Loved it <3
True to its name
2
By (XG)
The usual criticism toward the sort of creative decision Polyphia took towards this album runs along "they're a sellout. They're no longer the same band. They've become something else entirely." Etc, etc. It's the kind of shallow appraisal that doesn't really say anything else than, "I don't like it." Now, while I do not like this album (at all), I believe I can be critical about it and provide reasons why this is so.
1) BORING. There's nothing wrong with changing your style, venturing to unexplored territory, incorporating mainstream culture, blabla. The problem is that this is such a mediocre effort, it barely deserves to be called one. Polyphia rehashes almost everything they've done in the past except their heavier side. They use chromatic phrasings extensively, simple 3-4 chord progressions, prolonged noodling and bending without many chords, very tonal progressions without dissonance or unexpected structure, etc. Their tone is constant throughout every single song without incorporating new effects, or even varying in tuning, eq, etc. It sounds familiar in a bad way: every song sounds the same and doesn't even build on top of previous releases.
2) UGLY SOUND. This album sounds bad, period. The drums (per usual with this band's records) sounds horrid. Very drown out and processed with a bucket of compression and tone warping to the point you question if there is acoustic drumming anyway. Their facebook clips showcasing the new drummer sound better than here. Polyphia's tone as I mentioned in the previous point is terrible. These guitars sound like the strings are the width of a human hair. Thin and lifeless. Polyphia refuses to explore different tones of other models of guitars, does not vary the overdrive sound used, does not incorporate delays, reverbs; in summary, it sounds all the same. It's even difficult to distinguish both guitar players as there's a lack of stereo separation and identity in them. The beats are boring. You see, the idea of incorporating trap can be done well (Chon's Homey) but here it is excessive, awkward, and embarrassing. They give up their heavy rock/meta influence but are mediocre in using electronic beats and the mixing of electronic drums and acoustic is so predictable and unnecessary, you're left to wonder why they even got a new drummer. Bass is overbearing and boomy. Bad, bad, bad.
3) DUMB. This album insults both their and the listener's intelligence. You'd expect an instrumental band would attempt to showcase the diversity, range, and talent of all their members. This album has weak song arrangements, is extremely shallow with the guitars actually feeling like an afterthought! And with forced drumming.
In summary, 10/10 on style, 2/10 content. This album may be the most hated, but deservedly so.
