While She Sleeps “SO WHAT?” Album Review

Just when you think While She Sleeps have released the most top-tier boldly engrossing metalcore album they could possibly have in them with “You Are We” in 2017, the band puts out their fourth full-length, showing that they were only getting started. If one thing is for sure about this band, it’s that they have a lot to say about the current state of humanity – and they’re not going to sugarcoat any of it. With Mat Welsh’s anthemic melodies and Lawrence “Loz” Taylor’s ferocious screams setting the framework for its brutally honest in-your-face lyrics, “SO WHAT?” answers the very question it asks in its title. It dives deep into the downfall of humankind, grabbing you by the ears and telling you why you should care, as if to ignite a call to society to fight back.

The album kicks off with the valiant lead single “ANTI-SOCIAL”, a confrontational opening that explicitly reveals the record’s theme. Its daring attitude and dauntless energy instantly make the integrity of the band known, especially with its straightforward chorus stating, “I’m not anti-social, I’m anti-bullshit.” This song alone takes you on a wild ride, from its ominous start, through its brooding verses, to its grim bridge and grueling breakdown. It then dives right into the next song “I’VE SEEN IT ALL” without stopping for a breather. This song places eerie riffs in a motivational context, and ends with a haunting choir after the instruments stop abruptly.

The title track is definitely one of the strongest songs on the album. It has a chaotic lead riff at the beginning and end that insistently pulls you in, perfectly capturing its subversive intents. It also has lyrics that hit hard such as the titular line, “So what if I die young? / So what if I live forever? / If all we love will leave us in the end let’s die together,” as well as lines that make you stop and think such as, “We’re all bastards to our demons and sinners to our angels but neither know who we are.” Its spirited yet raging chorus ties its many captivating aspects together, making the song well-deserving of being the title track.

Although the concept of the album makes for a ton of bleak, anguished lyrical content, every song evokes an uplifting sense of determination that would likely be astounding to experience live. “THE GUILTY PARTY” features inspiring and catchy gang vocals while “SET YOU FREE” has a racing chorus that bleeds ambition. “HAUNT ME” has a rampaging riff that hits you like a freight train, but then makes you want to fearlessly charge into battle.

The album is the band’s most diverse work yet – a couple tracks such as “INSPIRE” and “GOOD GRIEF” even have some pop-like characteristics. Don’t let that scare you away though – the electronic melody in “INSPIRE” is backed by pounding drums and metallic riffs, while the computerized robotic vocal tones in “GOOD GRIEF” are followed by a hardcore breakdown and piercing screams. Every aspect you would normally expect to hear in a mainstream setting is cleverly arranged into contexts that emphasize the band’s originality while still maintaining their grating metalcore edge. Even the rapped section in “BACK OF MY MIND” is backed by an astral guitar riff and builds into thrilling screams and a heavy breakdown. The guitar work on this song is exceptional and utilizes a wide range of tones and effects, innovating melodies that are nearly impossible to not bang your head to.

One of the most emotionally stirring songs on the record is “ELEPHANT,” arguably one of the heaviest songs as well. Its rollicking guitars and potent melodies assemble an uproarious climax for the album. The final track, “GATES OF PARADISE,” has a similar effect, but presents it in a different manner. It starts with faint, glitchy sound effects that explode into the opening chorus, where Welsh and Taylor blend their clean and harsh vocals beautifully. The most powerful part of this song is the massive outro where they chant, “Safe to say we’ll never know how it would’ve been if it was to go the other way / I like to say we’re better off on our own.” The band then suddenly fades out, and the song ends with a soft cello.

“SO WHAT?” is an intoxicating collection of songs that make you think and question the heinous conditions of humankind, while also feeding you a strong sense of ambition that makes you eager to throw down in a mosh pit. With the new experimental elements While She Sleeps have implemented while still sticking to their metalcore roots, we can only wait and see how much further they will take their sound in this direction. Judging from this solid release, the band’s style seems to have a promising future.

Favorite tracks: ANTI-SOCIAL, GATES OF PARADISE