Renegades

Ask someone to listen to any of the first four albums and then ask them to listen to this one. Witness the shock on their face as you tell them that all this music came from the same band. Indeed, this album very much highlights the new sort of melodeath/techno metal sound that they've adopted since their previous release. I say that different doesn't equal bad, and I could certainly say that for "Armageddon", but I truly struggle to employ the same level of generosity towards this release. There is a lot of very bizarre, experimental, and at times borderline nu metal/metalcoreish elements to this album that doesn't exist at all in any other Equilibrium album, not even "Armageddon". To diagnose the ups and downs of this album, I will be looking at the first and second halves of this album separately, and you'll understand why soon.

The first half of this album is actually quite solid. The opening song, "A Lost Generation" is a powerful, emotional song that sounds like it comes from "Armageddon". The melody and the use of the synth to deliver it does a great job at creating the foreboding, yet valorous atmosphere that it was going for. It was a smart choice to put this song at the beginning of their release, because it's one of the best, if not the best one on it. The notable exception to my praise is "Path of Destiny." It features a rap verse. No reader, you have not been plunged into a strange alternate dimension. You didn't misread that. There is a fucking rap verse in an Equilibrium song. Combined with Robse's death growls, it makes the song sound like a weird nu metal-melodeath blend that just doesn't sound good. The rest of the first half however, is unworthy of complaint, especially about a song like "Himmel und Feuer", which is really catchy. The melody sounds like the intro to some kid's cartoon. But does the second half of the album hold up this way? Well...

No. The short answer is no. I wouldn't say that it's completely unlistenable, but it's a big step down from the first album, or especially any of the previous Equilibrium albums. Concerning "Kawaakari-The Periphery of the Mind", you hit the play button and six seconds in, your ears are assaulted by bland metalcore screaming that is pathetically weak compared to the shrieks of Stang or even the growls of Robse. The clean vocals even sound a bit like those of Corey Taylor from Slipknot, so it kinda sounds like a Slipknot song. Concerning "Hype Train", the sort of Asiatic tune is a nice touch, but the song is stained by that godforsaken metalcore screaming and even more so, the butch singing of Julie Elven that adds nothing to the song. Basically, there are elements like those in this album that make it sound like it's coming from a completely different band, a band that is musically inferior to equilibrium.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't hate this album as much as I appear to. There are good songs throughout this album, such as "Final Tear", which sounds a lot like "Eternal Destination" from "Armageddon". It has the same heavy structure and foreboding, emotional message about no longer harming the earth and each other out of greed and hatred. As the title suggests, this album is a mixed bag of songs that are very good like their previous releases and songs that are so different and bizarre that they just don't fit with Equilibrium's past and their image. It's really one of those albums that are more

So, if you are the kind of fan itching for that old, epic folky sound of Equilibrium's first four albums, then take a deep breath and prepare to be depressingly disappointed by this release. If you thought that "Armageddon" was lacking that folky sound, just wait until you dive into this album because it's almost non-existent. It's been largely replaced by this new melodeath/metalcore/techno sound they have now. What I have just outlined is not something that can be very well understood unless you have listened to those four albums because they are truly different (and better). However, if you're curious to find out what Equilibrium sounds like with their sound very much changed up from their past, then you should give this one a listen. Me? I will definitely be leaving 3 or 4 songs out of my iTunes playlist. I am giving this album a generous 7/10.

Imagine yourself in a simpler time. A time, perhaps, where you’re me. June is almost over, and one of your favourite folk metal bands, Equilibrium, just released a new single to their upcoming album. ‘Renegades – A Lost Generation’ is super poppy, sure, but its sick riffage combined with its heavy electronic booming is enough to get me excited. A lot of fans are furious at such a preview, but not you. You dig bombast with a side of catchy. So, naturally, you spend the next two months eagerly anticipating Renegades in all its thumping, dancing, metal glory.

But then it comes. It knocks on the door of your heart as you download it and press play for the first time. Your friend, ‘A Lost Generation’ greets you, but he’s brought his friends this time. Except, these aren’t the kind of guys you want to hang out and party with. No, they’re not. They’re some sketchy fuckers, and not the type you’d expect ‘A Lost Generation’ to hang around, either. As they enter, they beat the living piss out of you. One by one. Every minute or so, one of them puts on a different face: a caring face, asking you if you need anything. But, before you can respond, they change right back, smacking whatever hopeful expression you had on your dumb, unfortunate, betrayed face, and continue pounding your stupid ass. Toward the end of this slaughter, though, another walks in. ‘Hype Train’ enters, wipes you off, kisses your forehead, and tells you it’s there for you. Just as you put your faith in her hands, though, it’s stripped off again by the final douchebag of the evening, who spits on your motionless body, leaving you sad and alone.

Fun ride, huh? That’s pretty well how I felt listening to it. Needless to say, Equilibrium have invoked all of my fury and then some, because this is some serious bullshit. I’m not gonna sit here and bitch about how Equilibrium aren’t folk metal anymore, because everybody was expecting it after their previous album especially. Renegades features almost no folk elements, save for some synth interludes or intros/outros, but even those are probably just coincidental, because they follow the same lines as a lot of popular EDM does. But, whatever. I’m over it. What I’m not over, however, is the fact that, despite such a capable lineup and clear ease of executing a solid mix of electronic/pop/heavy metal, Renegades manages to pump out almost nothing but uninspired garbage, except for two songs (which I mentioned before).

Let me break it down a bit. Rather than making something cool and catchy, Equilibrium have just put together an album full of EDM and radio pop tropes that are masked behind bombast and massively heavy guitars and vocals in an effort to hide their overdone, simplistic faces. But that won’t work on me. I see you, mediocrity. I fucking see you, and no amount of flare or weight can hide you. ‘Tornado’ and ‘Himmel und Feuer’ are fine examples of this, where, if you stripped off the thin metal exterior, you’d be left with nothing but some sorry kid on Soundcloud trying to be discovered.

But not all of the songs follow this formula. No, some of the songs are just outright lost causes. Take ‘Path of Destiny’ for example. Who in the god damn brought this Luke-Bryan-makes-an-Apple-commercial idea to the show? Not gonna fly here, no sir. Surprisingly, the best part is actually the rapping in the bridge, which I could handle if the rest of the song wasn’t nu country ass. ‘Johnny B’ also brings its fair share of disappointment in the vein of Owl City (remember them? People listened to them in 2012 for some reason). But these two don’t even hold a candle to ‘Kawaarki’. This reject from the emo/metalcore scene of the late 00s is so unworldly irritating that it actually burned all of the fingers off every pair of gloves in my house. Get this “rawr XD’ shit out of my house. It’s 2019 for Christ’s sake.

Now, in an effort to try to end this review on a more positive note, Renegades does have a few good things to offer. If I went to a party and it was playing, I could handle it. Also, like I mentioned, ‘A Lost Generation’ and ‘Hype Train’ kick all sorts of ass, and, if the rest of the album were more on that side of things, it’d’ve been everything I wanted it to be. Additionally, there are a few cool drum fills and riffs scattered throughout, but for the lengths you have to travel to find them, it’s just not worth it. Honestly, you should still check this album out. It’s unique, to say the least, and there’s such a variety of tracks that you’ll probably like something.

Originally written for PowerThorn.com

Equilibrium has been going through changes throughout the past ten years but even by the band's experimental standards, the group's sixth record Renegades will almost certainly be received controversially by critics and fans alike. Brand new bassist Skar also performs clean vocals throughout the record. There are now two keyboard players, namely band leader and only founding member René Berthiaume and his girlfriend Skadi Rosehurst who has only just officially joined the band. The danceable and modern ''Hype Train'' features additional female vocals by Julie Elven. ''Path of Destiny'' features a German rap break performed by The Butcher Sisters. The band covered The Hooters' ''Johnny B''.

As you can see, there are a lot of things going on here. Some experiments do work surprisingly well. The clean vocals are a nice addition, especially since Robse's hoarse and low harsh vocals are fairly limited and have never equaled original singer Helge Stang with his passionate shouts. The additional keyboardist expands the band's soundscapes as several songs sound danceable and contemporary as the band leaves its epic folk roots almost completely behind. Among the better songs are the epic opener ''Renegades - A Lost Generation'' with its melodic guitar and keyboard work connecting to the band's predecessor Armageddon, the solid mixture of clean and harsh vocals in ''Tornado'' that slightly recalls gothic metal bands like Crematory and the upbeat ''Himmel und Feuer'' as the only song with entirely German lyrics that goes back to the band's first two records without sounding unimaginative. Especially the record's first half is really solid.

Other experiments just don't work and simply make you scratch your head. The additional female vocals in ''Hype Train'' are unspectacular and would only have worked with a more skilled or at least more unique singer. The German rap parts in''Path of Destiny'' are cringe-worthy and just don't fit into an otherwise solid epic symphonic metal song. This track sounds like a failed attempt at writing a nu metal song. The cover of The Hooters' ''Johnny B'' never equals the feeling of the brilliant original tune and especially the parts with harsh vocals are unintentionally amusing. The choice of this cover song also doesn't blend in with the other tracks dealing with mostly ecological and environmental issues.

At the end of the day, Equilibrium's Renegades leaves confused listeners behind scratching their heads. Despite its band name, this record doesn't sound even remotely balanced and is too experimental for its own good. Some outside help in the songwriting department might have helped the band deliver a more coherent and consistent effort. Still, an experimental record is better than copying the past glory of the first two albums in my book. The final result is hit and miss but with more positive than negative elements to mention. Its sheer diversity invites for multiple spins and is certainly very entertaining. At this point, one wouldn't be surprised if the next album were to incorporate free jazz elements with Mongolian throat singing but the band shouldn't forget that less is more.