As long time readers know, I love the band Muse. I fell in love with their music the first time I heard it 15+ years ago. Since then I've been borderline obsessed with them. While I've given several contemporary rock groups a gander in the years since, no one has come close to catching the excitement I felt when I discovered said British trio. That is until I stumbled upon The Warning, who, coincidentally enough, I heard about on a Muse subreddit 4 years ago - and I can confidently declare, without question, this is the most excited I've been about a group since Muse a decade and a half ago.
For those unfamiliar with the band, let me tell you a bit about them. They're three sisters from Mexico, who first gained fame 10 years ago, when they - aged 9 to 14 - went viral for their cover of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" on YouTube. From 2015 through 2022, they released 3 LPs and 2 EPs, with each being better than the last. Their sounds have varied, from '80s-pop rock on their debut EP - Escape the Mind - to old-school metal on the concept album Queen of the Murder Scene to a more modern hard-rock sound on Error and beyond. A couple of weeks ago, the rockin' sisters released their 4th LP, entitled, Keep Me Fed. Would they continue to expand their sound? Would they continue their trend of improving with each album? Will this be their big breakthrough? When will I stop asking myself questions? Let's dive into the album, track by track.
1. "Six Feet Deep" (8.9/10): One thing I love about this band is how they are unafraid of blending different eras of rock and making it their own. On this banging album opener, the intro riff sounds like a hybrid of Foo Fighters and Disturbed, distortion and all, before transitioning to a Royal Blood-esque chorus. The main riff isn't their best, but is solid; the chorus is quite catchy; and the brief metal sections help keep the listener interested. Not my favorite song off the album, but a perfect opener, as it's heavy, catchy, and quite an accurate foreshadower of what's to come. I also shouldn't ignore the lyrics. These young ladies are wise beyond their years.
2. "S!ck" (10/10): Here's the start of the strongest three-song run on the album, in my opinion. Hell, it could very well be the best three-song run in the band's entire catalog, at least to this point. On "S!ck," we get a bit more of a punk-rock vibe. The verses are semi-reminiscent of Australian-rocker Jet, before we move into a more power-pop direction in the bridge, and '80s hard rock in the chorus. The central riff is excellent, a headbanger's delight, and here we begin to notice what would become a consistent theme throughout the course of the album - dynamics. Quite possibly my favorite part of this song is toward the tail-end, when lead singer Dany goes from speaking the words, "Give me violence, kill the," and then screams, "SILENCE!" It's just a split-second, but is so utterly brilliant, I can't help but smirk every time I hear it. It's quite understandable why this has become the band's biggest hit to this point in their careers.
3. "Apologize" (10/10): Here it is - THE song, well, according to me. This has become, not only my favorite song off this particular album, but my favorite song the band has ever released. Hell, I love it so much, I may even rank it amongst my 20 all-time favorites, yes, in history. "Apologize" may only be 3:41 in length, yet it has to be the proggiest under 4-minute tune I've ever had the pleasure to hear. In round #1 of the song, from verse to (post-)chorus, there are 5, count them, 5 layers of sounds. In round #2, there are again 5 layers, yet zero repetition of the first round. Then we get a kick-ass breakdown, followed by a piano outro. Sound crazy? It is. Crazy good.
4. "Que Mas Quieres" (10/10): Here is the third song the band has released in all Spanish, and in my opinion, it's their very best. It reminds me of a musical rendition of a telenovela. The verses are light and provide a pop/electronica feel, before the bridge kicks things up several notches, and the chorus goes over-the-top ridiculous, but in a good way. It's fun, rockin', catchy, and desperately makes me want to learn more fluent Spanish, so I can sing along to it.
5. "More" (8.1/10): This was the first released track off Keep Me Fed. It showcased a change in direction for the band, as it goes in a more pop/electronica direction in the verses, before rocking things out during the chorus. It's probably my third least favorite track off the album, which is saying something, considering I quite like it. Spoiler alert: Every song on this album is a banger.
6. "Escapism" (9/10): Ever wanted to see/hear a lullaby directed by Tim Burton; written by Marilyn Manson; and sung by three sisters from Mexico? Stupid question. Of course you have. Well, this song is for you! If there was one word I'd use to describe this song, it'd be 'grower.' I honestly felt a tad underwhelmed upon first hearing this track, but with each additional listen, I've continually grown fonder of it. The verses almost have a dance-like feel, before transitioning into dark dance-rock (yeah, I guess there is such a thing) in the chorus. While those sections are good, what ultimately makes the song are the change-ups thrown at the tail-end of it. It's at that point where you'll understand my Burton and Manson references. A hauntingly beautiful, goosebump-inducing sound, which one has to hear to believe.
7. "Satisfied" (9.8/10): Here is one of two songs on the album, which has Muse written all over it - especially the guitar solo. If I didn't see The Warning on the label, I'd probably argue it was Matt Bellamy on guitar. Like much of the album, it's a bass-driven tune, which gives it a dark, sexy sound. The verse, bridge, and chorus all mesh well with one another, and said solo has to be one of my favorites, if not my favorite, off the album. Yes, with this song, I get satisfaction.
8. "Burnout" (7/10): "Burnout" sounds like a combination of Royal Blood and Muse. Even though I love Muse and like Royal Blood, this is one of my two least favorite songs off Keep Me Fed. Not to say it's a bad song; the first half is just lacking, in my opinion. The verses are poppy and the distortion in the chorus is not as sonically satisfying as in other portions of the album. What saves it are the funky post-chorus riffs, before things pick up in the second half.
9. "Sharks" (8.8/10): After the release of "More," some members of The Warning Army (I think that's what it's called) were fearful the band was going pop. How I wish I could have seen the faces of said members after hearing the opening riff to "Sharks." This number has early 2000s nu-metal written all over it. It has to be one of the hardest, if not the hardest riff the band has ever recorded. To say it 'rocks' would be doing a disservice to the term. I think my favorite part about the song is the fact the bass and lyrics give the song a literal 'sharks' vibe - almost like we're watching Jaws. The only thing which holds it back is it's a bit more monotonous than many of the other tracks and the transitions in the tail-end aren't as smooth as they are in most other songs. Regardless, it's a rocker, and just typing this, it's difficult for me to hold back my urge to headbang.
10. "Hell You Call a Dream" (7/10): Not at all a bad song, but likely my least favorite off Keep Me Fed. The central riff is awesome; the bass is nasty; the verses are solid. It's just that damn chorus which doesn't do it for me - particularly the "oh oh oh." The song isn't hell, but it certainly isn't a dream, and it can be debated it could have been a dream, if not for that hell of a chorus, but I digress.
11. "Consume" (8.2/10): Well, it took 60 songs, but the young ladies have finally released an explicit track. They didn't do it cheap either; they went all out with "greedy little f*cker" twice. Hey, good for them. In addition to the fun lyrics, this could very well be the smoothest flowing track on the album. It's multilayered, smooth-flowing, and has another great, Matt Bellamy-esque guitar solo. Once again, it's all about the bass.
12. "Automatic Sun" (9.6/10): This song - the closer - has serious Royal Blood vibes. It has a hard-hitting, dirty riff, an unexpected chorus octave, and leaves listeners satisfied and thirsting for more.
Overall: 106.4/120 (88.7%)
With Keep Me Fed, The Warning continues their streak of improving with every album. In the album, the band expands their horizons by integrating elements of pop, dance, electronica, distortion, and beyond. The songwriting is superb; vocal dynamics are incredibly effective; and lyrics are ambiguously brilliant/brilliantly ambiguous. From the opening to the closing tracks, not a weak song is among them. This is a powerful young band, who is about to take the world by storm, and I can't wait to hear what they have in store for us next.
The album can be found and purchased here. - https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Me-Fed-Warning/dp/B0CXH5C3DM
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