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The Browning - Hypernova review



Reviewer:
5.5

28 users:
5.79
Band: The Browning
Album: Hypernova
Release date: October 2013


01. Invasion
02. Save The World
03. Gravedigger
04. Industry
05. Hypernova
06. Fifth Kind
07. Type 1A
08. Slaves
09. Black Hole
10. Breaking Point
11. Planet Hate
12. Cross The Line
13. Fearplex
14. Gravedigger [Eskimo Callboy remix]

The Browning is an electro/deathcore fusion band from here in the states. A lot of people seem to hate them. I don't. I mean a catchy song is a catchy song and The Browning writes catchy songs. Hell, they were so catchy on Burn This World (their debut) it ended up being one of my favorite discs of 2011. And I have impeccable taste.

Shit was different back then. This is more of the same from these guys, but somehow that "the same" seems a good measure worse now.

Their formula is simple. They take some pretty shitty breakdowning, add some quasi-whiny harsh vox, then throw in a whole lot of electronic tunes. Then they repeat.

Somehow it all seemed to work two years ago though. Their sound was more than the sum of its parts?it's one of those x + y = z, no matter if x or y are false sorts of things, z is, despite it's invalid premises, true. I don't get it, but I also wouldn't really care to. Z is z is z... z being "catchy."

Hypernova is similar to their first album, but it's tweaked and molded in an unpleasant way. There wasn't one track that made me want to shuffle about flopping my arms and a binky dangling from my mouth?nothing here will make you want to dance. And that's a pretty big problem considering the metal gears that run this thing are all covered in half-melted, melodramatic cheese. Songs chug along awkwardly, banging and hissing out smoke and whatnot. Smoke without any cool fire that is.

On first listen The Browning does sound like they're playing more tightly this time around though. The grooves typically flow more smoothly than before and the electro seems to fit more snugly into their style, but I think that might be the big problem here. Their original was sloppier in a good way?it felt like they put it together with more energy and verve, where this sounds more nitpicked and anal. There's not as much heart as before. It's tedious.

It's so fucking tedious it made me think that maybe my review of their debut was all a big misstep?maybe these guys always sucked and I cognitive dissonanced myself into liking them so as to make-believe contrarian.

Of course, that wasn't the case. My reviews are never wrong. These guys are an excellent group of forward-thinking, avant-gardes visionaries, really, they just fucked most of this album up somehow. It's boring, for the most part, has no bite, for the most part, and won't make you dance, for the most part.

Permission granted to pass on this one.





Written on 14.10.2013 by Wormdrink's real name is George and he's an American.


Comments

Comments: 12   Visited by: 229 users
14.10.2013 - 05:51
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Great review Ol chap.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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14.10.2013 - 13:31
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
Quote:
A lot of people seem to hate them. I don't. I mean a catchy song is a catchy song and writes catchy songs. Hell, they were so catchy.


That's why I used to love Suicide Silence when i came on MS.

/offtopic
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14.10.2013 - 16:53
Nemo Atkins

I've still not tried to listen to their debut since my first aborted attempt over a year ago (two tracks in, I gave up). Think I'll be passing on this one...

Good review.
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14.10.2013 - 19:03
Alcoholica1986

Electro metal? Que?
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15.10.2013 - 09:32
Uldreth

Gravedigger is great.
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17.10.2013 - 13:27
Grey Wind

Good review. I won't be checking this album. Personally I had quite enough of this hipster stuff to know it *usually* makes me deeply annoyed ... nowadays I will only give this kind of music a chance if i randomly bump into it on YouTube
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wimps and posers leave the hall lol
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19.11.2013 - 05:18
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
After two years of never listening to this band, I actually gave their previous one a shot again and didn't dislike it. A long way from the 1 I thought it deserved before... I'm thinking I'll look into this even though your review doesn't exactly paint a pleasant picture.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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19.11.2013 - 10:18
Uldreth

Written by Troy Killjoy on 19.11.2013 at 05:18

After two years of never listening to this band, I actually gave their previous one a shot again and didn't dislike it. A long way from the 1 I thought it deserved before... I'm thinking I'll look into this even though your review doesn't exactly paint a pleasant picture.

WTF Troy, you are full of surprises.

Personally, if that is of any use to you, I don't think this is much worse than Burn This World. It has less of those "omg dance nao" moments but seems more consistent, with a better integration of electronica and junz. The production is also better, the junz on the previous didn't really have much deep end while here they are quite meaty. And it does have its highlights, mainly Gravedigger which I find to be better than any track on BTW.
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19.11.2013 - 17:18
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Uldreth on 19.11.2013 at 10:18
WTF Troy, you are full of surprises.

Personally, if that is of any use to you, I don't think this is much worse than Burn This World. junz. junz.

I'm a shock value kinda guy, so I'm glad to hear I still have some surprises left.

I think I'd probably rate BTW about a 5-6, so if this is similar (without the focus on trance elements) then I might even like it more (pretty much the opposite of wormdrink's opinion).

Also: TIL what "junz" means.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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19.11.2013 - 18:32
psykometal
A staff guy...
I think he is meaning that to be an onomatopoeia for chug riffs; like the word djent for djent riffs.
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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19.11.2013 - 19:18
Uldreth

Written by psykometal on 19.11.2013 at 18:32

I think he is meaning that to be an onomatopoeia for chug riffs; like the word djent for djent riffs.

Yeah, chugging/stop-start breakdowns are often referred to as junz in forum discussions, had no idea this term is unknown here on MS .
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19.11.2013 - 21:02
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by Uldreth on 19.11.2013 at 19:18

Yeah, chugging/stop-start breakdowns are often referred to as junz in forum discussions, had no idea this term is unknown here on MS .

Well, MS isn't exactly known for being a -core community...
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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