RXPTRS – Living Without Death’s Permission

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RXPTRS (pronounced “Raptors”) is a New Wave of British Rock. Their mission is “not to succumb to a single barrier, to push boundaries, and go beyond the limits of genres.” Their latest offering here contains ten tracks. “Burning Pages” leads the assault. It begins with very heavy guitars, and somewhat muted production, or at least, heavy on the bass. The clean vocals are alright, but the riff is elementary. The harsh vocals bring the song to life more. “Rock Bottom (Is a Stepping Stone)” is more the same, and the album is slowly being exposed to what it is…a cross between Core elements and Pop elements. The rapped lyrics don’t do much for me…just sayin.’

“Dead Aware (Pretty as the Drugs We Take )” is a slower song at first but in come the harsh vocals. The harmonies in the chorus are nice but his super high voice keeps your attention on him. “Demons in My Headphones” is more of the same. The riffs are far too simple here, even for Hard Rock. The harsh vocals almost seem forced, and while the melodies in the chorus are nice, they are not enough to save the song. “Collapse” features another elementary riff and vocals that are becoming annoying at this point. This album is utterly forgettable though the mid-way point.

“Gutterflies” is a little faster but still has that same formulated sound that, for some reason, has become synonymous with Pop music these days. I am scratching my head at this point. “The Death Rattle” opens with piano notes and a funky little melody. Smooth and calm tones ease in, before the song picks up a bit in pace. What is with those clean female vocals in the background? “Cold Ground” however is a horse of a different color. This song is a little more authentic, with some real emotional qualities. Removing the harsh vocals here was a good idea, as they really don’t add a whole lot to the music. “The Frail” is more ughh. “Let Me Die How I Want” closes the album; a seven-minute opus. Here, the band finally injects their personality into their music, and it’s nice to hear.

In my opinion, this music was made for the live show alone. Unfortunately, the crowd is probably made up of hispters who think that this music is the heaviest they have listened to. The Pop elements are not bad, and I have nothing against Pop music per se, but when it is this formulated, it becomes less about the music, and more about the image. I am also surprised that Metal Blade Records has signed this band. You can safety skip this album and won’t be any worse for the wear.

Songwriting: 5
Musicianship: 6
Memorability: 2
Production: 7