Falling in Reverse understand the vacuous emptiness of growing up. They’ve faced emotional hardship the same as everyone else with only music to hold their hand. ‘Coming Home’ is an outstretched palm of support ready to take fraught souls away from the planet.
Purveyors of unapologetic anthems, the title track’s inter-planetary contagion bears the signature FiR flag alongside its towering cosmic atmospherics. On the energetic flip side, the catchy and deliciously emo in equal measure ‘Fuck You and All Your Friends’ merges the gut-wrenching rage and menace of classic The Used and Set It Off to forge a storming album highlight.
The fresh swaying melody of ’Broken’ proves a welcome breath of fresh air for a band who could have so easily fallen into box-ticking metalcore with this fourth studio venture. Their brutal honesty is still very present between the lines of ‘I Don’t Mind’ and their contagious fist-pumping finds its home through ‘Hanging On’. The dark ‘Straight to Hell’, on the other hand, is the sole surviving fragment of their heavier days with a cracking riff and a truly venomous intent.
“I can’t save myself, much less somebody else,” cries ‘Superhero’ as it lays its weaknesses bare. This self-deprecating aspect of Radke’s writing makes a beautifully orchestrated U-turn for a character once known for his assured attitude. The fragility behind Radke’s voice in ‘Loser’’s key line “I’m just a loser” speaks galaxies for his newfound emotional depth – gone are the days of boasting acid-tongued raps and sexual conquests. In replacement, the heartfelt ‘I’m Bad At Life’ and faithless ‘I Hate Everyone’ deliver every atom of conviction to be expected from Radke and co.
“Hate must never win,” call the prophetic chants of ‘Coming Home’. If a metal band never stepped out of their comfort zone, we wouldn’t have Bring Me’s ‘Sempiternal’, Asking Alexandria’s ‘From Death to Destiny’ or Architects’ ‘Lost Forever // Lost Together’. ‘Coming Home’ is without doubt Falling in Reverse’s finest moment.
‘Coming Home’ is available now through Epitaph Records.