Project Description

FRANK IERO & THE FUTURE VIOLENTS

‘Barriers’

(Album Review)

Reviewer: Laura Hughes

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Rising from the ashes of his former band, Frank Iero sure knows how to make a name for himself. After the end of My Chemical Romance in 2013, Iero started his own musical endeavour with his album Stomachaches which was released in 2014. His new chapter has been described as solo punk rock, and with a new band with each album, he has shown that he one of the top musicians today. Frank Iero and The Future Violents new album ‘Barriers’ is about to make its way into the world, and it’s everything you expect and love from Iero and more.

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‘A New Day’s Coming’ starts off with a solemn organ, setting the tone for this track. This track shows Iero taking on a new perspective on the world that is around him. He feels like a small spec is something so huge. It’s like taking a deep breathe and seeing that there is so much to do and so much do to. You may feel insignificant but the world is there yours for the taking; in a way, it’s kind of like seize the day.

‘Young and Doomed’ shows more of his older post-hardcore and punk roots. With distorted guitar and wailing vocals. This songs talks about being envious of those around you, and also poking at his former band My Chemical Romance and inserted one popular song title as a lyric. He is drawing inspiration from his past musical roots and putting his own twist on it.

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‘Fever Dream’ starts off with jazzy melodic piano notes before the rocky guitars kick in, changing the mood of the song completely. His infamous moaning vocals and heavily distorted guitars are more prevalent as the song goes on. It also drops back occasionally back to the original piano riff before kicking back into the full band piece. It shows how he can meld genres and techniques together cohesively and without a hitch. This song shows that experimentation with instruments and sounds can work in your favour. 

If you want a song to sing along to, ‘The Host’ has got that covered. With a catchy chorus and infectious instrumentation (especially the use of the piano). This song ventures more into the shoegaze sound, along with heartbreaking vocals.  ‘Basement Eyes’ is another guitar driven track, with Iero’s distinct vocals that make this track emotional. This track talks about internal battles and conflicts that everyone can struggle with, faith, sense of self and wanting to chase your dreams. If you want to change something then it’s up to you to go and chase it, nothing is going to change if you’re all just talk.

‘Ode To Destruction’ starts off as a simple piano ballad before diving head first into being a full-on rock ballad. If you were looking for a song about some form of heartbreak on this album (because let’s be real there are many different types of heartbreak these days), then here it is. You can hear the desperation and frustration in his voice. The internal battle of wanting things to go back to how it was before. This song also has a catchy riff that was originally played on the piano before transferring to guitar.

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‘The Unfortunate’ has a more lighthearted vibe to it. It sounds melodic and happy, even if the lyrics themselves don’t exactly sing sunshine and rainbows. I adore the instrumentation in this song, it brings new light and style to Iero’s compositions. It’s full of harmonies and melodies that showcase the musical talents of these musicians and shows that they are capable of incorporating many different musical styles into this album to make it flow and still have their classic and well-known sound.

‘Moto Pop’ is fast-paced and very energetic, with soulful vocals, and memorable riffs that breathe even more life into this song. It sounds very classic rock n’ roll, which makes this song fun to listen and dance around to.  ‘Medicine Square Garden’ takes a step back from all the noise and slows down. There aren’t as many as musical layers and isn’t as abrasive as the other songs so far, which is provides a refreshing break. Don’t get me wrong, it still upholds the rock elements that you know and love, but with a less intense sound. 

‘No Love’ continues the vibe of taking a more mellow approach. This song sounds more sombre compared to the rest, it holds a different type of heaviness to it. The technical work in this song is very prominent, the different types of layering used with guitar pedals, creates an almost eerie sound that just draws you in.  ‘Police Police’ takes a different turn, touching on the obvious topic of police, the law, and injustice. The taboo and tricky subject to tackle in just one song. This song isn’t about uprising and overthrowing the government, it’s more tactful as he describes what he sees through his eyes, which is the ignorance and the unnecessary hate that occurs. It’s almost political in some verses. It doesn’t stand out to be a political song, but more about to raise awareness.

 

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If you were waiting for a ballad then ‘Great Party’ is here to fill that gap. Rather than being sappy or about love, it tackles what it’s like to be trapped in a catastrophic mindset, where you only see things getting worse and worse, with no sign of light seeping in. The piano in the song is very melodic and harmonises with the vocals perfectly, so the song isn’t as downhearted as it seems. Carrying on from the previous song, ‘Six Feet Down Under’ continues the feeling of your thoughts suffocating you and swallowing you whole. Trying to convey the thoughts to others but feeling like you just can’t seem to get the message across or make them understand what you’re battling with. You don’t want to feel this way, but you can’t help, especially if the person who you’re seeking help from has never experienced what you’re feeling.

‘24k Lush’ is the final track on this fourteen song album. It starts off peaceful sounding, with clean melodic guitars keeping the mood light and airy, almost dreamlike. When the chorus hits, the full band kicks in, creating a fuller sound. During the second versus more layering gets added, but not too much where you can’t distinguish what is going on in the song. The song is like a redemption song after all the sadness and grieve. It holds positivity and hope not only in the lyrics but also the instrumentation itself. The song ends on a big double chorus which then vamps out, leaving a perfect and resolved ending to this album.

Barriers will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Cleverly produced and put together to create an album that flows so cohesively. The album deals with life’s hardships, whether that be mental health, loss, grief and even the chaotic state of the world. Music is always a great outlet to unleash the havoc that’s trapped inside your brain. It challenges the doubts that plague us and poses important questions and challenges about ourselves. This album is thought-provoking and tear-jerking. Frank Iero and the Future Violents new album is about to open up your mind and blow you away.

Connect with FRANK IERO

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