We’re not going to delve into the origins of Better Lovers here because that’s what Google was made for. We’re also not going to compare this release to a certain other album released last month that already has MANY EYES on it. What we will say is that the individual superiority and prominent new identity of each release is really cramping our “24 in ’24” year end list as we had hoped we could maybe bundle them together under one number/header.
Anyway! Who are we to even think about complaining when we’re left with 2 killer releases this Fall (Although we are slightly curious as to which one is High Flying Birds and what one is Liam Gallagher) and we will gladly take a record that gets Greg Puciato to rage out on the mic again as it’s been far too long since the last The Dillinger Escape Plan record or Killer Be Killed album for that matter with the diverse singer giving a full on heavy performance for a lot of Highly Irresponsible. So thank you for that as well, Jordan Buckley!
“Lie Between The Lines” kicks this all off and it’s a magnificent start beginning with this quiet intro like the ones some of your most favorite Thrash classics used to do back in the day (Very big Metallica vibes here) before a wall of guitars from Buckley and Will Putney (Who also produced the record) is hurled at yer earholes and Puciato’s massive sounding maw exacerbates the loudness. “Your Misplaced Self” is a big ball of fury wrapped in a barely two minute package that still unveils a kickass chorus within this song that harnesses all that frenetic energy that both DEP and ETID brought during their respective peaks and then “A White Horse Covered In Blood” settles in with a righteous rhythmic assault from bassist Stephen Micciche and drummer Clayton “Goose” Holyoak as Puciato belts out biting verses.
“Future Myopia” was a fitting early taste of the Better Lovers LP and kind of epitomizes not only all that one would need to describe the hybrid unit but also what one might expect when seeing this mash-up on paper. Seriously, this is a Verge-In (Cave In/Converge) level of highly anticipated collaboration here! Anyway! “Deliver Us From Life” is a surprisingly downtrodden moody number (Perhaps inspired a little by Puciato’s recent work with Alice In Chains’ Jerry Cantrell) and an anthem all its’ own while on the other hand, “Drowning In A Burning World” is a shredders’ fantasy with Puciato acting the psychotic ringmaster before his gnarly growl takes over amidst an undeniable tempo tantrum from Putney, Buckley, “Goose”, and Micciche.
“Everything Was Put Here For Me” easily could’ve come out of the last ETID recording sessions but with Puciato’s hands on the microphone becomes something quite different with Holyoak providing some divine percussive beatdowns and while “Superman Died Paralyzed” is definitely not going to make it onto the soundtrack for the recent Christopher Reeve documentary anytime soon, it’s an easy album highlight with some of the heaviest moments yet (Especially in the shreddiness provided by Putney/Buckley) which is no small feat considering what’s come already.
“At All Times” is another that’s a glimmer of all the potential that Better Lovers hold going forward highlighted by nuanced songwriting and a big, badass lighters-in-the-air kind of chorus. The only thing surprising here is how straightforward it is from start to finish. Not to be outdone, closing track “Love As An Act Of Rebellion” is gorgeous but gets deep down in the nitty gritty of being Heavy with another sweeping Puciato chorus that segues into some vicious verses surrounded by an inspired instrumental fire.
Highly Irresponsible arrives on October 25th through SharpTone Records with pre-orders live to peruse and hopefully purchase when you head here or here. For more from Better Lovers, including where you can catch them in the wild, follow the trail of socials across the information superhighway by clicking here, here, or here.