Artist: Every Time I Die
Album: New Junk Aesthetic
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: Epitaph

If you paid any attention to our First Impressions piece on this album, you know what you’re in for with this review: Praise. I don’t want to waste everyone’s time with recounting everything I’ve already discussed or acting like I need to set up a review for a band or album of this nature. Let’s simplify: If you’re still unsure of whether or not to buy the new record from Every Time I Die entitled New Junk Aesthetic next week, just look below for further reasoning.

Coming off the slightly more riff-laden Big Dirty, ETID have returned with more fury than they’ve had in years. In fact, New Junk Aesthetic’s opening three tracks pack so much power it may take you separate listens just to get through them. Both Jordan and Keith Buckley, as well as Andy Williams and Josh Newton have taken all their energy and concepts and put them into one down right explosive package that never let’s up throughout the duration of the album.

It seems to be a case in any heavy genre that every band can release an album that starts off great, but few have the artistic ability to justify listening past the first few tracks. However, this has never applied to ETID in my opinion and this album once again proves them to be one of the most versatile heavy acts out there today. “Wanderlust,” which finds Keith’s crooning battling his intense screams over riff-laden gutter goodness, comes across as a nearly mainstream accessible rock track, but “For The Record,” the very next track, quickly takes everything back to the underground, mosh pit filled, basement scene. It all happens quickly and smoothly with few, if any moments, spent not tapping your feet, hands, etc. while following along with the music. Another standout, “Organ Grinder,” comes out in a slow, eerie fashion, before exploding into a straight punk meets rock hybrid with instrumentation that will leave your jaw on the floor.

I have to be honest, I know I’m gushing a lot here, but it’s hard to write about an album of this caliber and not do so as it’s simply that great. Having outlived [and sold] almost every other band in their genre, Every Time I Die have given reason for their success with New Junk Aesthetic. Every track is laced with amazing songwriting both musically and lyrically. The concepts are unique, original, and done in a way only ETID could pull off. It’s straight up brutality that’s packed with enough heart to keep you coming back again and again.

BONUS: If you have a chance, grab the deluxe edition as the bonus track, “Goddamn Kids These Days” is, without a doubt, the best song the band has written in three albums.

Score: 9/10

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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