I spent a lot of 2011 talking about I See Stars and from the looks of it, 2012 will be the same.

Released in the early days of the new year, “Filth Friend Unite” originally debuted on the opening night of the band’s “Leave It 2 The Suits” tour. Like any live performance of new material these days, a cell phone recording was captured and uploaded hours later, flooding sites like UTG with people anxious to see whether or not Michigan’s answer to the synthcore wave of recent years had anything new to share. Before the clip hit a solid minute we had our answer: Hell yes.

Comments came flooding in, each debating if the band had officially fucked whatever cred was left after the sugary pop goodness of End Of The World Party left more than a few feeling sick to their stomach. I held my thoughts, but must admit, I too was curious. Having followed the band and their slow burn turned meteoric rise over the last few years through UTG, I have developed an interest in ISS that probably rivals someone much more in the band’s target demographic. Their debut album (3D) introduced a new wave a super-produced, not to mention extremely catchy, popcore that even genre haters found hard to resist. They were the band you wanted to tell your friends about and then play unendingly until one of said friends threatened your life if “that damn cover of “Your Love” plays one more time.”

As the opening keys begin to play, “Filth Friends” welcomes the listener with a familiar sense of fun-laced dark atmospherics. It is similar to the moments before the previous album’s lead single (“End Of The World Party”) kicked off, only more sinister, and soon swells into an all-out force of rage as keys/vocalist Zach Johnson comes in with multi-tracked screams sure to grab everyone’s attention. It is in these moments it becomes clear that what we heard in 2011 was no sign of what Digital Renegade has in store. Not only have they grown as individuals, I See Stars have grown closer as a group and realized the challenge presented by the niche-like quality of their original sound. More than any other synthcore act in recent years, ISS have constantly attempted to find their own path and while they still play to the core fanbase, it is clear the evolution on their latest material is wholly unique to the experiences they have undergone in the previous year.

Even as the song arrives at its climactic conclusion, I See Stars display not only a newfound sense of maturity, but a complete disregard for anyone that chooses to stand against them. Just like the song’s lyrics, which circle the ideas of technological dependency and the need for revolt, “Filth Friends” presents a group ready to stand their ground and defend the art they have created in the face of whatever social media and the rest of the world throws their way. If Digital Renegade is even half as well-conceived as this track, I See Stars should have no problem being one of 2012’s biggest bands.

Bring it on haters, they’re ready for you.

Written by: James Shotwell (Follow him on Twitter)

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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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