After many months spent in the studio, Estonian metal band Horror Dance Squad have released their brand new album, All I See Is Black which came out on 16th May 2024, and let me tell you this is a record which strikes with such a powerful impact.
It is a record which really challenges your thoughts and really think about the world that surrounds us, which is such an important quality to acknowledge because the art of any good body of music is its ability to shed light on those important conversations.
So with that in mind, let us take a deeper look at All I See Is Black in greater detail. The album begin with All I See Is… and despite having no words it still succeeds in building the momentum and luring the listener in, before transitioning smoothly into the punchy and high octane energy of Chemical Curse.
The band waste no time in using this song to lift up their voices, with the lyrics being really powerful and thought provoking, especially with lines such as ‘All I see is black, All I see is black, All I see is God and the devil paying me back, I’ve got no strength left to guide me home, Simple things that seem so simple to fix, Are simply just the best at playing the tricks, Fuck these lies free my mind’. When I hear these lines, the words call to my inner conscience almost as though Horror Dance Squad are giving us a call to action to just open eyes and be alert of any attempts in society that try to mislead us.
Another thing which really stands out about Chemical Curse is the perfect balance between clean and unclean vocals, because while the unclean bring take hold of the band magnetic post-hardcore/metal energy, the clean vocals allow important room to focus on the important messages which are being unravelled to us through the narrative of the lyrics.
After the attention grabbing effects of the first two songs, we then move on to the third track, Everglow. This was probably one of the tracks I put as there as one of my favourites, because lyrically I just love how it blends together honesty in such an observant way, but still layers it with a good helping of good energy. The song writing feels less like a random array of words with no context, but a collection of powerful statements which add value, life and hope into the the listener.
For example I really loved the lines, ' We claim the truth is here now, But this is death before life, We live through hell here on earth, And from the ashes we rise, And through our flesh and blood, Yeah we take the plunge, Cause it’s dust to dust, Back to infinite love'. I gain a lot of encouragement from this song, because it serves as a reminder that despite the daily hells we go through there is still an underlying hope not to be undermined that still helps keep us moving forward. A reminder that in times of hardship, what is our fight or flight response.
With this album still feeling very fresh and new, given its only been out there in the world for a couple of weeks, I don’t want to give too much away, but what I would like to do is just highlight a few more stand out tracks to guide you along your way especially when you are picking up the album as a first time listener.
One of the songs I need to give special acknowledgement to is Taste The Doom (track number 5 on the album). Much more on the heavier side of post-hardcore, I think this is one of those tracks where the encouragement from me would be to allow the music to consume your soul as you embrace it to the max. The breakdowns, the heavy hooks, its like immersing yourself in a wave of sonar, as you allow the song to penetrate your thoughts.
Recommended to be listened to with the volume cranked up as you just submit yourself to the music. And then when you add the lyrics to the equation, oh my days, Taste The Doom will just blow your mind. I really love songs which have an attitude and feist to them, and this song is a prime example to that. For instance just the way the song begins with the lines, ‘ One thousand eyes staring back at me, yet I don't give a fuck, One thousand eyes staring back at me, yet I don't give a fuck, I'm a lost boy searching for my lost joy, Running circles round the city in a lost toy, I'm a lost boy dazzled by a decoy, Got me running round the city for my lost joy', these are the types of words that awaken the fighter without you, and bring with them that ‘I don’t give a fuck what you think of me’ attitude.
Just because the haters may be staring doesn’t mean we should allow those prying eyes to intimidate us. Already I can imagine what it might feel like if ever I got to hear this song performed live, yes there would likely be carnage, and create one hell of a mosh pit, but it would also be one of the most freeing experiences too.
Another track it would be rude not to mention is Poisoning The Well. This is such an anthemic style of song, because you are naturally drawn to feeding on the songs energy and just joining in and singing along. It is also a song where you can see Horror Dance Squad pushing themselves, and showcasing even more of their dynamic edge as a band.
For instance in vocally in addition to their signature mix of clean and unclean vocals, Poisoning The Well sees them also introduce other elements such as rap which add a layer of something even more special and extra to the song. It almost reminds me of a style similar to the late Chester Charles Bennington from Linkin Park and other bands such as Limp Bizkit and Sum 41 and cleverly infused with the uniqueness of Horror Dance Squad to give the song that extra level of boosted flavour.
And for a first time listener, Poisoning The Well is just so catchy that I wouldn’t be surprised if within a few seconds if you find chanting along to the chorus, especially the lines ‘The kids ain’t gonna grow up, Never gonna grow up, We just keep on poisoning the well as it dries up, If we keep on living the way we do, There’ll be nothing for the kids to grow up to believe in'.
One final song I would like to highlight is The Ascent, because it is a song which embodies everything that celebrates Horror Dance Squad at their very best - powerful layers of energy, vocals that carry with them conviction and heart. A good example is the section, ‘You know exactly what you want, Will it ever be enough I know you pray, Every day That it won't keep on this way, Thank God that nothing stays the same, But that little voice you hear that whispers in your ear Is a spark to ignite, Light the fire inside, Yeah, you carry the torch from here’. The song writing may be articulated in an abstract way, but it also brings with it a lot of truth which encourages you to look inwardly at yourself - the purest form of honesty.
As for what the rest of the album holds in store and the other tracks I have not mentioned, well the best choice you can make is to go and discover those for yourself. From listening to All I See Is Black, I think that it is a real testimony of the remarkable growth of Horror Dance Squad, who are well on their way to becoming one of the most iconic and memorable metal bands around, with this album be a strike of the match which illuminates the way forward for even bigger and amazing things to come.
Available on all major platforms, All I See Is Black is available today!
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Article By Thushara Chandrasiri
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