Review: Broadside 'Into The Raging Sea'
Pop-punk heavy hitters Broadside brought the fire with the release of Into The Raging Sea. While the band has seen its fair share of struggles with line up changes throughout the years, from the ashes of such change, a new Broadside has emerged, with a fantastic album left in its wake.
Opening track "The Raging Sea" fires off with one of the best first experiences Broadside has put together to date. A work of art at its best, it's a crown jewel of a song that shows the very best the band has to offer. With rich and rough vocals intermingled with top-notch melancholic lyricism, atmospheric elements, and beautifully crafted emotionally-charged guitar riffs, its sound engulfs the listener with such a gravid listening experience. "In The Raging Sea" makes it hard to top such a number after you've heard it for the first time, leaving you in shock and awe from its instrumental and lyrical presence.
We then jump into "Foolish Believer," a song that is as pop-punk in instrumentality as it is with the crafty lyricism it brings to the table. A very positive message stems from such a track while also sporadically bringing in some well put together keyboard elements in the process. All of this merges with the edge of lively guitar riffs and powerful percussive elements, and it's yet another showpiece that Broadside brings to the album that many fans will enjoy.
Moving on from such strong tracks, we then come to yet another hit on this album "Overdramatic." Nostalgic pop-punk riffs and kinetic drum energy pours out effortlessly throughout as it combines some of Oliver Baxxter's most talented vocal performances thus far on the record. Synth elements are also ingeniously molded into this experience, making it a different and intriguing twist for the album up to this point.
"Nights Alone” is quite possibly one of the most fun tracks on this album. Giving us the classic vibes of a pop-punk romance song, the 80's synth ambiance, electrifying keyboard strokes, and colorful beats put more depth onto the track, showing the band is willing to play around in experimental territory to create infectiously replayable moments. "Heavenly" brings us more of this energy, keeping the album fun and engaging musically and lyrically.
“Clarity” is a nice palate cleanser from all the brisk energy we have come to hear at this point. Still as poignant lyrically as the rest of the tracks, it doesn't feel out of place and is a beautiful addition to Into The Raging Sea.
Though "Dancing On The Ceiling" contains some of the happier tones we heard in "Nights Alone" and "Heavenly," it picks up the intensity on the record, embracing magnetic guitar melodies and rhythmic drum patterns that will have listeners replaying it even before the album is over.
"Seasons" and "Breath You In" sort of slows things down again. Despite this, they are still atmospherically captivating songs that emotionally touch all the spots that fans love about Broadside.
"The Setting Sun" immediately draws us in again, with fire-hot energy leaping off of the instrumental work and smart lyrical delivery, it's another hit that shows a unique sound that only Broadside can give.
"Burning Both Ends" ends our musical journey of Into The Raging Sea. With alluring piano melodies that grip at your heartstrings and an overcast of heaviness felt within the vocals, it ends the record on a somber yet lovely note.
Broadside wrote In The Raging Sea to prove a point. Although some might say this record didn't innovate the genre wheel, it is a record that re-invented themselves and their sound. While Broadside kept much of the musical identity that fans love so much, they experimented with new musical territories to create an album that was uniquely their own. If Into The Raging Sea was to provide some indication of that, the album succeeds in leaps and bounds.