Death Grips - No Love Deep Web
Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog. Today, I will be reviewing Death Grips' second studio album, No Love Deep Web. This is actually part of a pair of albums the band released in 2012, under Epic Records, the other one being The Money Store. However, when it came to this album, the release was rather odd, as Death Grips decided to leak their own of album, at midnight. This of course, did not please Epic Records, which eventually lead to the group getting kicked out of the label. Yeah, a bit weird of a release, but that doesn't matter right now. Now, we talk about the music.
The opener greets us with buzzing arpeggio synth tones. After an entire minute, MC Ride comes in with his signature tortured vocals, but this time, they're especially aggressive. In contrast, the instrumental is a bit monotone. Then, Ride stops screaming and continues the song with a much calmer, yet haunting delivery. This opener really tells us what this album has to offer.
Lil Boy is much more interesting instrumentally, with continuous high pitched keys and much more of bassier sound. I also just love the pre-chorus with: "Fear over pride, Flood you can't hide, Face of a woman, Tears of a child". Gets me really hyped up.
Monotone drums greet us to No Love. Then Ride comes in with some distant screaming... Then heavy drums and synth basses swirls around. Ride gets up close to the microphone, giving us a deep, haunting and personal delivery, something not yet seen on a Death Grips song.
Then, we have the contrasting Black Dice, which opens on some brighter synth leads. They continue through out the song, thus giving the track a distinct sound. Ride's vocals also sound much more filtered than usual.
World Of Dogs has a very over-dramatic chorus with Ride repeating "It's all suicide", but that's all made up for by the deep, crunchy synth bass this song has.
Lock Your Doors has some more atmospheric elements, adding a surprising amount of reverb to a Death Grips song. Really nice sound for the song.
Whammy in contrast is very annoying. Not heavy at all, the vocals aren't as aggressive, and are surprisingly tame. Now you might say that I've Seen Footage is similiar, but that song has a much harder hitting instrumental.
Hunger Games is very similiar to Whammy, just a bit of a heavier instrumental.
Deep Web continues the gradual return to heavy sounds, but still fails to deliver.
Stockton has a funny hook, where Ride goes "bloop", but apart from that the song isn't anything special.
Pop, the song, is just like the genre for me, I don't like it. Well, atleast most of the new stuff... but whatever, the song is bland.
Bass Rattles Stars Out The Sky is similiar in it's bland sound.
And finally, we have Artificial Death In The West, and for such a weak closer, I am very disappointed. It sounds like all the previous mediocre songs, but this time, IT DRAGS ON FOR 6 MINUTES... WHY?!?!?!? Did not earn the run time.
So this album is a mixed bag. The first half is considerably stronger compared to the second half. The songs, even though they are less accessible, which I like, they don't carry the same catchy punch that most of The Money Store, plus quite a few tracks on here are considerably longer. Also, the production isn't as heavy as the group's previous works. This record sounds a bit too clean and less industrial. So yeah, this album wasn't very good. Don't skip it though, still has some good cuts.
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