Editors - "Violence"

Let me tell you, when I was 15 and I thought I knew everything about Post Punk, I thought Editors were the coolest friggin' band.  These guys are a Birmingham England based band that incorporates Indie Rock, Post Punk, Dance Rock and more.  Their 2005 debut "The Back Room" is an album with limitless potential honestly.  It's got an eerie album cover, great lead singles in "Munich" and "Blood", and a great Post Punk sound.  But this album, while it starts off so strong, runs out of steam just as quickly. Not to mention, I feel like Tom Smith literally stole EVERYTHING from Paul Banks, but that's just me.  Now, call me nuts, but I actually really prefer their 2007 album "An End Has a Start".  I loved the much more cinematic vibe to this album, which was mostly due to some cleaner production.  Tom Smith actually sounded more paranoid on tracks like "Escape the Nest" and "The Racing Rats".  But even the more Post Punk tunes like "An End Has a Start" really sounded cleaned up and nice.  Now, up next Editors did what any Post Punk band should do, go for a Darker, more Electronic sound, and that's what they did on "In This Light and On This Evening".  This album was considerably darker and more paranoid, and lead to a lot of truly decent tunes, like the title track and "Papillon".  But once again, Editiors sort of fizzled out halfway through.  I felt like once again, Editors could very easily sting out some great singles, but couldn't really complete their work.  But up until this point, I at least always has been some point of Editors work that I've been able to enjoy.  But that quickly came crashing down with 2013's "The Weight of your Love".  Here, Editors threw out Post Punk, DarkWave and everything they were working with for a more stripped down sound.  And sadly, and I rarely say this, it absolutely sucked.  There wasn't a single moment on this album that I can remember.  But Editors once again threw a curveball with 2015's "In Dream".  This album was a return to the darker, eerier sound the band had been working with the last few years, and actually contained some of Editors most impassioned performances.  Tracks like "The Law" and "Ocean At Night" were seriously cool, and gave me hope for Editors. So it's been a few years since we've heard from Editors.  And they really took me off guard with some of these singles.  They're easily the most punchy, and seriously heavy tunes we've heard from them period.  Let's chat about this new Editors album.

( A personal favorite of mine!)

    “Cold” starts this album off, and it’s a very synthetic start, to say the least.  But I have to say, this isn’t the Post-Punk drenched atmospheric start that I craved.  Vocalist Tom Smith doesn’t sound nearly as commanding as he usually does.  But that’s sort of it for my negatives because I do actually enjoy the production and the atmosphere here once things pick up.  They say they were influenced by Blanck Mass, but there’s part of this opening that sounds more like Oneohtrix Point Never (specifically his “Good Time” soundtrack).  I do really miss the Post Punk influence and the upbeat hectic rhythms.  “Cold” is sort of all over the place, and honestly really doesn’t do anything that I’m going to remember a month from now.  But I do see why some may be into this.  On the other hand, “Hallelujah (So Low)” is actually an interesting tune.  I like the upbeat accosting strumming and the very synthetic atmosphere.  The group vocals swirling throughout the track are really nice as well.  There’s just such an intensity to this performance.  Yea, it’s not “heavy” by definition, but I would say this is a seriously deep and intense tune in Editors own way.  It’s also ridiculously cinematic, much more so than what I’ve heard in the past from these guys.  Is this the frantic, Post-Punk I wanted to hear from these guys.  No.  But for a heavy track served up the only way they know how, this is solid.  Now, I actually really dig the much more upbeat and pulsing sound of “Violence”.  But like, what the actual hell has happened to Tom’s voice over the years.  There was a time years ago when he sounded so disturbed and dangerous. But now, I feel like he’s just trying his absolute hardest to do a Dave Gahan impression.  And that’s totally fine, I think it actually works nicely with some of the more cinematic vibes here.  “Violence” has some seriously intense and interesting passages.  I love the blasts of synths that seem to haunt this one, and I love just how chilling the chorus is.  So far, this is easily the darkest thing Editors have done.  But it’s not haunted like old-time Post Punk, this almost sounds like some bizarre, digital, futuristic haunting.  It’s strange, but it works for Editors. 

    Things take a turn for the iffy with “Darkness At The Door”.  There are some elements of this track that I seriously love, like the bulky, Darkwave instrumental.  In a way, this really does sound like a classic Synth-Pop tune.  And I mean it, there are parts of this one that sound right out of the 80’s.  But it’s Tom’s vocals here that don’t do as much for me.  His vocals here are even further from the chilling performances he was once so fantastic with.  As a matter of fact, his bright and fluffy vocals end up making this track come off a little too positive for me.  I don’t know about you, but that’s not what I look for from Editors.  “Darkness At The Door” literally sounds like if Passion pit when goth, that doesn’t sound good does it?  “Nothingness” on the other hand, goes back in a much more subtle, creeping direction with a seriously beefy atmosphere.  I’m not sure how, and it’s strange, but I would swear that Tom sounds so much more youthful here.  I honestly haven’t heard him sound this dangerous the entire album.  I actually really love so many of his falsettos here, and the very grand feel that rolls in as this one continues on.  This is not Editors where we left off, and this certainly isn’t “The Back Room” editors either.  This is a whole new brand of Darkwave and truly dark Synth-Pop.  And for the most part, this track is a great sound for them.  It allows Editors to be a whole lot more emotional and gives them a whole lot more room to open up. Then we have “Magazine”, and I’m shocked with just how legitimately Gothic and cinematic this continues to be.  But I think Editors pull it off nicely, I can’t remember the last time I heard Tom as dangerous as he does here.  This one is seriously epic and catchy, with arena-sized guitars and choruses. But I don’t know about you, but I do feel like all of this has been done before.  Now, that may annoy you or it may not, but I still think Editors pull it off nicely.  It’s big and cinematic, and it’s one of the more triumphant sounds we’ve gotten from Editors recently.  But I do have to say, Editors continue to bring in this seriously annoying and tasteless Indie sound in.  Stick to one sound boys, or this is going to fall apart quick. 

    “No Sound But the Wind” is up next, and oh boy, this is absolutely not the sound that’s going to work for them.  This is a very Gothic, slow, tortured piano ballad.  And on paper, this sounds like it should be GOLD.  But Tom’s vocals are sadly just sort of corny.  This isn’t nearly as emotional or deep as it should be, not even close.  It just seems like something they jotted down in a few minutes.  Lyrically, this isn’t working for me either.  Tom, you’re not tortured or pained, this is just a rip-off.  But then I hear the hulking production on “Counting Spooks”, and in every way, I really think this is a great sound for them.  If they’re going to go all out and make this a very cinematic and dark album, go all out.  While I still think a lot of these vocals are on the cheesy side, and Tom’s performance can be a lot more enthusiastic and interesting, this IS a good sound.  I love just how punishing the synths are, and the slow-burning pace is all gravy.  I honestly would have loved to hear other tracks go for this huge production.  Even some of the later string melodies are nice.  Overall, I’m totally into this.  But as an ending, “Belong” is incredibly boring.  Instantly I’m not into this very stripped down atmosphere.  It puts all the emphasis on Tom’s vocals, which let’s be honest to have seen better days.  The instrumental is far from special.  And while the strings are really pleasant and beautiful, everything else here is non-existent.  When everything does eventually come crashing in, the result is average at best.  This finale sadly is really awkward.  Some of the heavier moments are fine, but this is a 6-minute long tune that has a whole lot more flops than actually interesting moments.  

Rating:  6.9/10




Give A Listen To: "Hallelujah (So Low)’, "Violence", "Nothingness", "Counting Spooks"




Genre: Darkwave / Synth Pop / Industrial / Electronic Rock / Indie Rock




Overall Thoughts:  Here's a shocker, Editors start this album off just fine with a fresh new sound that seems to fit them perfectly.  That's not a shocker at all actually, because it's literally how every Editors album has started.  This time around they incorporate hulking production and much heavier synths.  But Editors to me don't seem to be all-in on it.  Like, they WANT to be dark and heavy without being edgy.  The result is just fine at first, but by the end of the album is seriously bland and boring.  Not to mention, between Tom Smith's vocals getting less neurotic and a complete departure from their original Post-Punk revival, this album is a mess.