Released: Feb 4, 2013
Genre: Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal, Hard Rock
Label: Essential, Sony
Number Of Tracks: 10
"Release The Panic" is a pretty decent album from a great band, which shows RED moving into expansive territory by experimenting with melodic pop metal.
Release The PanicFeatured review by: UG Team, on february 06, 2013 3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Sound: RED are a renowned Christian heavy metal and alternative rock band, who first emerged from Nashville back in 2006 with the release of their debut album, "End Of Silence". Their signature style of crunching hard rock that's proudly showcased throughout such songs as "Breathe Into Me" and "Not Alone" immediately appealed to headbanging music fans across the nation and overseas, and quickly gathered the band a hefty following. Now, fans everywhere will have another reason to head back out to the local music store, as RED have just released a brand new studio album, "Release The Panic", that boasts a quality unlike anything that band has previously pushed out to date. Unlike their first two records, "Release The Panic" doesn't bear a consistent, raging attitude, but instead features a nearly 50/50 mix of head pounding screamers and radio friendly pop metal tunes.
Some of the best examples off the disc would have to be the post-grunge "Damage" and the title track, which are built around a galloping guitar riff and ferocious vocals. Just as soon as you get caught in the raging metal beat, the disc suddenly shifts into such commercial sounding songs as "Hold Me Now", which although don't hurt the ears it admittedly makes easily listening to entire album from start to finish a little difficult. // 7
Lyrics and Singing: Lead vocalist Michael Barnes has a very versatile singing voice. He can handle seemingly any musical genre, which works to his advantage in "Release The Panic". He can easily transition from a comforting natural tone to emitting enraging roars, while at the appropriate moments adding just enough emotion to help it compliment the song perfectly, without showing off too much. // 8
Impression: Overall, "Release The Panic" is a pretty decent album from a great heavy metal band, which shows RED moving into expansive territory by experimenting with melodic pop metal. While the album might not flow as well as a full balls out screamer outing, it's still in all rights a great album that any established fan should easily be able to enjoy. Out of all the new tracks, I have to say that the ones that stand out the most are "Damage", "Hold Me Now", and "So Far Away".
Release The Panic
Reviewed by:
macjeff26, on february 20, 2013 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: I have been a fan of the band RED since hearing them for the first time back in 2006. Since then, I have enjoyed every album RED have made. RED's new album "Release The Panic" breaks that trend.
Prior to this new release, RED have been very consistent in their sound, melodies and musicianship. It was only a matter of time before they tried something new. RED have always incorporated industrial elements to their music, which I believe mesh very well behind the crushing guitar, drums and soaring melodies. "Release The Panic" plays opposite to that, the guitars take a back seat to a techno feel that will leave you scratching you're head. It works well in a few songs, but you will find yourself waiting for that awesome riff or melody that stays with you for days, It just doesn't show up on this album. On the ballad side, the new sound seems to work much better. I would argue that the lighter tracks are the better songs on "Release The Panic". // 5
Lyrics and Singing: Michael Barnes is an exceptional vocalist. The energy and emotion he brings to this band is irreplaceable. That element is captured on this new record, Unfortunately, not enough. The songs "Glass House" and "Hold Me Now" deliver top notch vocal performances that would fit right in on any of the bands previous work. The main problem on "Release The Panic" is that the majority of the melodies and lyrics are forgetful. Aside from a few songs, they just don't grab hold of you like expected on a RED album. // 5
Impression: Overall, "Release The Panic" is Disappointing. Let me just say I am not one against bands evolving sounds or trying new ideas. For the most part it keeps things fresh and exciting, but "Release The Panic" is missing the powerhouse tracks and heavy staple songs that has crafted this bands sound for the past seven years. The songs replacing them seem second rate and are B-side material. To end on a positive note, its not all bad. There is some good material here, especially if you are a longtime RED fan like myself:
Release The Panic
Reviewed by:
zillaman, on april 16, 2013 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: The music in this album is split evenly between distortion on the electric guitar, and heavy drums. Tracks like "Perfect Life" and "Same Disease" have heavy guitar riffs with not a whole ton of variety. Most of the variety in the songs in this album come from the vocals, not the instruments. "Die For You" has one of the more constructed guitar riffs in the album, however, the song is not that great itself. The album cover "Release The Panic" starts out with a snare solo, and then rings with a beautiful scream by the vocalist, along with a simple yet cool guitar riff. However, after the intro, the song loses it's hold on your attention, as the lyrics repeat themselves several times over, and the vocal range is not that impressive. Overall the sound is good, but too simple for this talented of a rock band. The expectations were not met in this album. // 5
Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics in this album are similar to the music, good but not great and simple. Some of the songs definitely seem as though there was more work put into some of the songs and not others. "Release The Panic", the album cover, has very few lyrics for a cover song. It repeats itself many times, and just turns into a head-banging contest, between the band and you banging your head into a wall. "Same Disease" is relatively good, making the point come across with some good vocals and guitar, however, the lyrics are still simple too predictable. In most of the songs in the album, you can predict the words that will come next, which is not good songwriting. "Glass House" has a lot of vocal emotion, giving the song a somber feel. I really thought the vocalist did well with this song, however I still felt like I was listening to a amateur rock band with a good studio. The sound quality was good, but the song and lyric quality was relatively low. // 5
Impression: When compared to bands like Skillet or Flyleaf, I really don't think RED stands a chance. They are a talented bunch, but they really didn't fulfill their potential with this album. My favorite songs in the album are "Perfect Life" and "Same Disease", however, they still aren't high on my list of rock songs to listen to. I can't wait for RED to come out with another album to see if they change anything in their songwriting. I would like something more like their "End Of Silence" or "Until We Have Faces" albums. I feel like there was more variety in those albums, and the overall sound was better. // 6
I agree. I gave the album a 7 out of 10 (8 out of 10 for the deluxe version) this morning on my blog, but I was still very disappointed. I know the band is evolving, but it seems they are evolving inconsistently.
Me too, but it grows on you. It's still a great album, it just isn't anything as good as Innocence & Instinct was. Until We Have Faces had some killer tracks as well, but I think Innocence & Instinct is their best album to date.
YOU GOTTA BUY THE NEW ALBUM WITH THE REMIXES. You will not be let down they are a great new perspective on some amazing RED songs.
I agree 100%. I feel like each album has gotten worse and that really disappoints me, I loved their early stuff so much. I'm not one of those people who hate all new music a band puts out, but this is just not good in my humble opinion.
I give them credit for better choruses on this album than on the very overrated Until We Have Faces, but the best songs have the most aggression. The title track and Damage are significantly better than any of the other songs on this album. That's my one major disappointment.
Release The Panic probably rates as much least favorite RED song of all time. I like the one part of the chorus but that's it. I was hoping this album would be a hybrid of Innocence & Instinct and Until We Have Faces but that did not happen I guess.
I think they need to hang it up for awhile and come back fresh. Releasing albums every 2 years is starting to be overkill. I'm a huge fan of this band but the majority of songs just don't capture me.
First real disappointing album of 2013 for me. They released 3 solid albums in a row, they were due for a dud. A 7/10 is pretty generous, I'd give it a high 5/10 at worst or a low 6/10 at best. The songs aren't even that bad really, just lacking, unfortunately every song feels like it's missing something.
And Red... metal? I don't think so. Alt-rock/hard rock is a more accurate title for them and definitely not nu-metal.
I was also really disappointed... Red has always been my favourite band and I was quite hyped for this album. The songs in itself aren't THAT bad, but they aren't Red...
I severely miss the strings... They need to get rid of Howard Benson.
While I do miss the strings and darker, more atmospheric sounds and even extending to lyrics of the first two albums, I must say I've been enjoying this far more than most of the material on UWHF... Most of these songs are far from deep, but the production is good and the songs are catchy enough to warrant replays thus far.
Loved the first 3 albums but I've not heard a mellow song in Until We Have Faces or this album that comes close to Pieces. In fact, the lyrics on both the posted songs seem pretty poor for Red.
Innocence and Instinct is my favorite RED album, and it probably always will be. This record is a decent listen, but the songs don't have very much staying power. I feel like you could pick and choose songs from the last 2 releases to build a really good album, but recently there's been a lot of filler. Barnes' voice is still really good on this album though.
I'll be honest, I liked it a LOT better then Until We Have Faces. Also, the riffs seemed a lot more creative to me, and there was even an almost-solo-ish-thing at a few points. I thought it was a pretty good progression for them.
After listening to the two videos above, I honestly would say that this album was the next step after "Until We Have Faces". I bought UWHF, and I listened to it like 3 times. I'd say I would get it more listens. That said, I'd hardly call it a masterpiece or even ever classify it as one of my favorite albums.
As someone else said, I miss the strings too. But even with those, they could have done a whole lot more . /shrug
I actually like this album. songs like the title track, damage, and if we only show that red still can do what they have done before where as tracks like same disease and so far away show another side to red that has been shown in the previous three albums. I give it a 9 out of 10
While the first 5 songs seem not very well thought-out and radio-friendly (IMO the dance-rock Die For You is probably the worst thing Red have ever recorded), the second half is pretty great, "If We Only" saves the album in my eyes. I just wish the production was better, the songs lack the punch that I&I and UWHF had, and the kick drum sound is just plain annoying. I feel the album would have been absolutely amazing with a different producer.
Die For You is a terrible song, but otherwise I don't mind this album at all. I just miss the strings. Also, they should forget about mellow songs. They'll never top Pieces, and this isn't a "they can't do better than their first album" mindset. It's just that Pieces is a once in a lifetime (for a hard rock band) mellow song that they're just not going to top. Ever. So unless they're going to actually strip it down to acoustic and piano again, I'm tired of songs like "Not Alone" and "Hold Me Now." Otherwise, I still love this band.
Also, I said earlier that "Release the Panic" and "Damage" were easily the two best songs on the record--I may have been wrong. Glass House and The Moment We Come Alive are absolutely beautiful songs.
I was severely disappointed in this album...Replacing all of the orchestral elements with electronic elements killed it for me. And the remixes on the deluxe edition made it even worse. There were a few songs that appealed to me regardless, but overall I can't say I'm pleased with it.
