Xdinary Heroes are having a busy year. Fresh off the release of their first full album, they’ve embarked on a series of digital singles. Last month, we heard the rollicking Boy Comics. July’s treat comes in the form of LOVE and FEAR — a more aggressive blast of cathartic rock.
LOVE and FEAR plays like a game of musical chicken, upping the ante each time it moves through a segment. Evocative verses give way to a dramatic, ascending pre-chorus that stacks the guys’ voices to create theatrical bombast. The chorus follows with driving energy, delivering a sense of release. There’s scarcely a quiet moment to be found throughout the track, and that hulking intensity is its biggest asset.
Despite this constant assault, LOVE and FEAR still feels like mid-tier Xdinary Heroes to me. It’s incredibly solid, but lacks a definitive calling card of its own. I guess it’s important for rock bands to simply rock out now and then without any gimmicks or experiments. More and more, these guys are proving their bonafides and fans of blistering, no holds barred rock are going to love this.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8