Album Review: Parallels by Raid
Long Island-based band Raid released their sophomore album Parallels on August 5th. Their self-described “shoegore” sound blends elements of shoegaze and extreme metal, likening them to Hum, Eyehategod, and Disembodied. This record is a rollercoaster of sounds and an exciting release not to be overlooked.
The record opens up with “Wrong Choice,” a heavy song that starts uptempo with amazing guitar work and harsh vocals before a solo bass riff kicks into a second half that follows a more beatdown style groove. The vocals and lyrics in this track match the vibe of the artwork, especially with the lines, “pry/me open take what I have/leave nothing but sense and rust.”
The second track, “Last Requests (Pt. 1),” is another standout. It keeps the heaviness rolling with frantic lead guitar and blast beats that match the energy delivered in the vocal lines. In the second half of the song, we get our first nod to the shoegaze part of “shoegore” from an atmospheric section with a droning lead. The track hits addictive chugs before closing with a familiar riff over the lyrics, “was it worth it?/ease the brain/violent measures/I feel the pain.”
“Quite Vivere Est,” which feels like a heavily distorted version of trying to dial in a radio signal, transitions well into “8000,” a massive-sounding experience that fills your ears with distorted guitars, a meandering bass line, and chill drums that move forward until hitting a more driven b section that feels even more fuzzed out than the previous section. My favorite part of which is the use of spaced-out, clean vocals that sit so deep in the mix that you’re not certain they’re there.
The next tracks keeps the shoegaze train rolling with “Siminal” featuring narrative vocals and cinematic instrumentals that feel like they should be paired with a video exploring the world depicted in the album art, and the laid back instrumental track “What Once Was Is Now Lost” which uses a lead instrument that sounds almost alien throughout its second half.
The title track “Parallels” opens with a fuzzy intro that feels extremely energetic before mellowing out for a brief moment. Coming in at just under 10 minutes, this instrumental track is an emotional journey with its use of dynamic changes and emotive phrasings. This impressive track couples nicely with “Purgatory” that has a repeated phrasing shared with the guitar and bass that feels ominous especially when paired with the bleak lyrics.
“Head Trauma” transitions quickly into the heavy sound that started the album with “Bitch” and Pavidus.” “Bitch” is full of blast beats, brutal riffs, and harsh vocals that make it my favorite song off the album. “Pavidus” opens with a dizzying riff that I absolutely love and could easily be called the heaviest as it errs on the side of grindcore with its insane instrumentation and ends up another of my favorites.
Closing out the album is a close second for my favorite track, “Always Final (Pt. 2).” This song is both a farewell to this album and the person in the song when they say, “one final message/I’m leaving in blood.” The song ends with the line, “I’m bleeding and dying but you can’t save me,” followed by frantic guitars.
Frontman Tyler Hodelin summarizes the album as, “...a realistic look at life and how much it sucks.” Despite its bleakness, the record is fun in its exploration and blend of different music styles. It manages to deliver brutal riffs and emotional melodies throughout its fifty-one minute runtime. I’m excited to check out Raid’s previous releases and hope you are too.
