ALBUM REVIEW; THE LIVING END (REAL)

‘This is an Alarm…’ Get this Album!

The Living End- State of Emergency

4.5/5

The Living End is back and ready to take over the world. Their fourth proper full-length, State of Emergency, debuted at number 1 on the ARIA album charts in Australia. The album is a culmination of their evolving tastes and influences.

State is the natural follow-up to 2000’s Roll On. After guitarist and lead vocalist Chris Cheney’s serious car accident and ensuing rehab, they released 2003’s Modern ARTillery to lukewarm reviews and lackluster US sales. The album featured a new drummer and an epic track called “The Room,” but it still did not manage to sell well in the US. The band was disappointed with the final result, and has distanced themselves from a sound they were pushed to create.

One can hear a marked change in the band’s sound since their eponymous debut from 1998. They are no longer just a staple, three-chord punk/ska/rockabilly outfit. On State, The Living End experimented and created something more pulsing and rhythmic. Living End purists mustn’t fret, however. “We Want More” is a dead ringer for a track off the self-titled album, and the punk attitude is still there, just not in the forefront on every song.

The Living End uses vocal harmonies as they have never before. In “No Way Out,” harmonies weave in and out during the final chorus, creating a zenith the band has never achieved on any previous release. On the single “Wake Up,” the band has children sing the final chorus: “Suicidal education/ It got sold to a generation/ Wake up to the manipulation/ Wake up to the situation.” Not only is this effective at getting the message across, the song pays homage to Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, pt. 2.”

The band’s success has never crossed over into the United States. Despite being considered in their native Australia the biggest band since AC/DC, a band they opened for on a tour previously, this did not translate into major success in the States. They have played in the US several times, pushing their unique brand of rock music, but audiences have largely failed to appreciate it. This album will change that, as soon as the band can find a label to release the album here. For now, one must import the album from Australia.

The Living End will be touring the US again, in support of the new album. They will play in New York City on August 8.