Nothing More - Spirits
- Jonny Hawkins, Mark Vollelunga, Daniel Oliver, Ben Anderson
- Genre: Alt Metal
- Intro
- Happy holidays everyone. To celebrate this special time of year I'm doing a review. My new favorite album of all time. Something FINALLY beat Black Parade, and this didn't only beat it, it fucking KILLED it. The gap on the rankings between this and BP is the same as the gap from 13 voices to Blurryface. It's not even CLOSE. With that being said I'm just gonna get into the review and explain it all in the actual review.
- Thoughts & Feelings
- This album makes me feel like I'm listening to the stages of grief but instead of going in order it keeps throwing curveballs and shit keeps getting worse. Don't ask me to explain anymore than that because I cant. Just listen to this album.
Smash Or Pass?
Turn It Up Like- SSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMAAASSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH. BEST OPENING TRACK OF ALL TIME (Sorry American Idiot). This song is PERFECT to open this album. Heavy, fast, emotional, loud, everything about this song is perfect as an opener. Sets the tone for the record perfectly. The mix of metal and electronic is incredible and Johnny's voice is at its best on this album. Amazing start.
Tired Of Winning- SSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH. Another PERFECT song. The vocals on this album are otherworldly good. Johnny's blend of screaming and singing and the way he uses effects are insane. The instrumentals are also incredible, with the blend of traditional metal and electronic with synths and effects is so unique to this band and really shows off here.
Ships In The Night- SSSSMMMMASSSSSSHHHH. This is a "story" track with one of the best instrumentals I have ever heard. The narrator over the breakdown is amazing and when Johnny does start singing its incredible.
You Don't Know What Love Means- SSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMAAAASSSSSHHHH. First "ballad" of the album, and by that I mean its slightly slower but just as heavy. THEN IT FUCKING EXPLODES. This song is amazing once again with an incredible vocal performance and the instrumental getting heavier as the lyrics get angrier is such a good touch before blending perfectly in the chorus.
Don't Look Back- SSSSSMMMMMMMMASSSSSSSSSHHHHHH. HEAVY AS FUCK. The way this band goes from heavy as all hell to a slow melodic garage metal sound is incredible. The effects used in this song are amazing. MAN THE BREAKDOWNS ARE INSANE. The groove metal influence on this song is great, and this is the first song on the album I could see being played a sports event or something similar.
The Other F Word- SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. HOLY FUCKING HEAVY THIS SONG OPENS HARD. FIRST LISTEN TO THIS FUCKING SONG AWARD. The vocals on this one are some of Johnny's best EVER. The bass on this song is so fucking crunchy and makes itself known. The emotion on this one is great, and the lyrics fit the instrumental PERFECTLY. Silver medal and LISTEN TO THIS FUCKING SONG. MAN THAT FUCKING BREAKDOWN HOLY SHIT.
Face It- SSSSSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMAAAAASSSSSSHHHH. This song is long as fuck. The opening has an almost Phil Collins feel before picking up and gradually building then THE FUCKING BREAKDOWN. After the breakdown it keeps this heavy, intense feel and never really lets up. The drumming on this track is incredible. Perfect midpoint song.
Best Times- SSSSMMMMMASSSSHHHHH. First slow song on the album, and much needed at that. Perfect metal ballad and perfectly placed in the track list. The key change near the end is amazing and adds so much emotion.
Déjà Vu- SSSSMMMMMMAAASSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH. Slow, heavy, opening that keeps this dark droning tone throughout the whole song. This slow stretch with the last one is a PERFECT tone setter for the ending tracks.
Dream With Me- SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. HOLY FUCKING HEAVY. This song is FACE CRUNCHING levels of heavy. Its such a simple song but god is it so fucking heavy. The vocals are sung which makes it even more of an experience. The slow melodic bridge is amazing THEN BREAKS RIGHT INTO THE HEAVY CHORUS. The solo is amazing on this song. THE BREAKDOWN IS FUCKING CRAZY ON THIS ONE. Another slow melodic bridge gradually building back up before breaking into the chorus again but this time it keeps building tension the whole time before finally releasing into a cinematic finale worthy of a musical. THEN ONE LAST BREAKDOWN TO END IT. BRONZE MEDAL.
Neverland- SSSSMMMMASSSSSHHHHHH. Another "story" track. This time building off of the last song with the narrator spurting in while Johnny sings the chorus of the last one. Perfectly sets up the next 2 songs.
Valhalla- SSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAASSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Beautiful slow melodic acoustic opening that builds tension through the first chorus then SCREAMING BREAKDOWN INTO THE SECOND CHORUS. The lyrics are once again perfect for this type of instrumental, and Johnny delivers them amazingly. The instrumental has this tense, emotional feel then BREAKDOWN INTO THE CHORUS. HEAVY AS FUCK BRIDGE SECTION WITH AN AMAZING SOLO. Slowly starts to fade out as the narrator opens the next song with a perfect transition.
Spirits- SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Nothing More's best song. Listen to it. Another slow melodic opening then THE BEST BREAKDOWN ON THE ALBUM. CRUNCHY BASS, POUNDING GUITARS, EVERYTHING IS PERFECT. Johnny's vocals are at their best here. A perfect tension building verse breaks into another verse building even more. The emotion on this song is incredible and when it does finally reach it the chorus is PERRFECT. A SLOW HALF TIME BREAKDOWN WITH INCREDIBLE VOCALS BUILDING RELIEVING THE TENSION THEN BUILDING EVEN MORE INTO THE NEXT VERSE. The slow melodic bridge on this song is amazing, gives a rest while not dropping the building tension. The vocal harmonies during the last section of this bridge are amazing and builds into the next verse perfectly. BREAKDOWN TIME INTO THE NEXT VERSE. THE FINAL CHORUS IS DELIEVERED WITH HARMONIES IN THE BACKGROUND AND NEVER LETS UP UNTIL THE VERY END. SCREAMING BREAKDOWN TO CLOSE THE BEST ALBUM EVER MADE.
Conclusion
This is the greatest album ever made. I do NOT care what anyone says this thing damn near needs its own rank. Bit of a spoiler hear but Nothing More is the ONLY band (so far) with 3 S+ albums. This is of course their best but the others will all be top 7 on the rankings. Listen to this fucking album award.
RANK: S+
Well that's it for the holiday review, and probably the last review of 2024. I am making a LOOSE promise of bi-weekly reviews in 2025. This will only happen if I get requests so PLEASE reach out and post them in the comments or contact me directly. As always thank you for reading and Happy Holidays.
-Jake (JunosBestFriend)
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