Knocked Loose is on top of the world. Unbelievably, as their popularity continues to reach new heights, they get heavier. They defy conventional norms, getting more extreme over time, and that willingness to double down in the name of heavy music simultaneously earns the loyalty of long-time listeners and wins the hearts of newcomers.
Looking back, Knocked Loose has had an incredible journey. ‘Pop Culture’ has a few songs that have become classics. ‘Laugh Tracks’ is one of my favorite albums from the last decade. ‘A Different Shade of Blue’ introduced some changes that I didn’t fully appreciate at first, but laid the foundation that Knocked Loose has been building on ever since. ‘A Tear In The Fabric of Life’ is one of the most important EPs in recent years – it might even be up there with The Devil Wears Prada’s Zombie EP. The ‘Upon Loss’ singles introduced the new era of Knocked Loose, and this album is the natural follow up.
The current iteration of Knocked Loose is a visceral experience. They have curated and woven a striking identity into their music. Immediately recognizable and just as unsettling. Their music videos and art direction are world-building masterpieces reminiscent of the first season of True Detective and A24 horror films like Midsommar and Hereditary. It’s cryptic, suspenseful, and otherworldly. What you experience will stay with you.
Musically, that tension translates to an eerie atmosphere. Amid the pummeling blast beats there are moments of reprieve in which you’re serenaded by birds and sounds of nature. The dichotomy is disorienting. It’s a waking nightmare – as soon as you get your footing, you’re whisked away to the next flash of brilliance.
As part of the evolution, this album features a few firsts for the band. Bryan finally debuted his gutturals on “Blinding Faith” and “Don’t Reach For Me.” The instruments also explore new genres. “Thirst” opens the album with a cacophony of sound and “Take Me Home” drones on, taking inspiration from noise rock.
Vocally, Bryan’s screams continue to shift to a higher pitch. He is one of the most distinctive vocalists in heavy music due to his unique style, and he has increasingly leaned into it over time. Compare his screams on ‘Laugh Tracks’ to this album. The difference is night and day. Bryan’s embrace of his unique sound is another example of Knocked Loose doubling down on what makes them special. Bryan received a lot of flak early on for his unconventional screams, but instead of changing in an attempt to secure a wider audience, he became more abrasive, and now Knocked Loose is bigger than ever.
The vocal shift has made it a bit harder to follow the lyrics unless you’re reading along, but it makes the songs more intense. Of course, there are still recognizable callouts for casual fans to glom on to, but the album is meant to be listened to as a whole. The songs flow into each other and there are peaks and valleys.
This is relevant because fans are divided over “Slaughterhouse 2,” and I don’t think they understand why. Part of the reason is that “Slaughterhouse 2” doesn’t neatly fit into the world of this album. It’s a fanservice song that breaks the immersion. It’s also important to consider that when Motionless In White featured Bryan on the first “Slaughterhouse,” it was monumental because we got to hear MIW at their heaviest again. Bryan helped bring that to life and it was a cool crossover. But it’s not an equivalent exchange. Featuring Chris Motionless on the most basic, straight forward song on the album distracts and conflicts with the more serious tone of every other song. It’s not bad, but Knocked Loose didn’t need this the way that MIW did.
“Blinding Faith” and “Don’t Reach For Me” are two highlights. Driven by rage, they encapsulate many of the album’s themes, especially regarding an aversion to and resentment of religion. But interestingly, the album’s title comes from an old woman who comforted Bryan during a turbulent flight, reassuring him that “you won’t go before you’re supposed to.” For that reason, I think the album targets organized religion and the church more than it does the general idea of faith.
Quite a few of the tracks are relatively short – the album is less than 28 minutes total. “The Calm That Keeps You Awake” is one of my favorite tracks that wasn’t released as a single.
“Sit & Mourn” is a powerful closer because it inserts moments of regretful longing. It’s more subdued, but that soft spoken quality allows other things to be said. ‘A Tear In The Fabric of Life’ showed that Knocked Loose has more in their arsenal than anger. Witness the deconstruction of a world as everything collapses. They did it on “Permanent” and they’ve done it again here.
This album will certainly appear in many album of the year lists. Knocked Loose has created their own niche and expanded it worldwide. At this point, they have reached such great heights, and set the bar so high for themselves, that I hope they don’t fold under the pressure. Truly a special band.
Knocked Loose // You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To
Categories: Reviews
