In the song "We Live In A Strange World" later on, I say that the industrial textures didn't blend with Courtney's vocals, but this song uses them in tandem with heavily reverbed drums and soft strings which folds the whole thing together. There's also an extreme amount of tension building through most of the song right up until the second chorus, where it explodes in a glorious fireball. It is ABSOLUTELY a first song of an album, and one that kept me coming back for more.
Hurt You: 9/10
The screams in the verses combined with the clean vocals in th chorus really make this song stand out. The energy stays high through the whole song thanks to this set up, as the vocals swell when the instrumental becomes smaller and vice versa. Then we get to the breakdown. THE BREAKDOWN. I usually don't love breakdowns like this with the slow-and-low sort of set up. It works here I think because it contrasts so starkly to the high energy of the rest of the song. It sounds almost like someone desperately trying to cope and then giving up, and it aligns with the lyrics of the song. I won't get into the details here, but look up the lyrics and listen. It'll be easy to understand what I'm saying.
Yellowjacket (feat. Sam Carter): 9/10
This is the only song on the album featuring another artist, and in this case, Sam Carter from the band Architects (another great metalcore band!). I read somewhere that Courtney said the song was about a migraine, and I can definitely understand that. There's a droning aspect to this song which really, at least for me, aligns with the pounding of a migraine and the irritability that comes with it. Courtney and Sam's vocal textures also sound really good together, and Sam fits right into the mix in a way that sometimes featured artists don't. Phenominally groovy if I must say.
The Summit: 9/10
This song has maintained it's privilege as a song I don't skip. There's something ridiculously catchy about this song and I'm not sure what it is. There's this vocoder effect during the bridge as well, which is gaining popularity BECAUSE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL EFFECT. Honestly, I'm not even sure what I would change about this song given the chance. I think maybe the only thing that keeps me from giving it a 10/10 is that it doesn't resonate with me emotionally. Other than that, a perfect song.
Secret Garden: 10/10
This was my favorite song off the album when I first listened to it. It has pop-like song writing with crazy technical clean guitars in the verses and a chorus which is ridiculously high energy. The music video is also deep as hell and I love that, but that didn't play a role in the rating. Amazing song to give to first time listeners of the genre. Digestable in the best way, like buttered noodles with salt.
Silk In The Strings: 8/10
This is probably the heaviest song off the album. It's a great song, and objectively I'd give it a 9/10. The thing which brought it to a 8/10 is a strictly personal reason, which is that the brand of heaviness this song is isn't exactly what I enjoy. It's still a banger and I'll listen to it from time to time, but it's not something I'd loop unless I woke up with it stuck in my head.
Holy Roller: 9/10
This is the most streamed song off the album, and for good reason. The headbanging potential of this song is high, and there's just enough syncopation to make it satisfying, but not so much that it throws off the four-on-the-floor beat which makes this song so powerful. Courtney's vocals here are strong and provides the emotional release the song so desperately craves. The lyrics may not be to everyone's taste, but as someone part of a group marginalized by some of the world's most prominent religions, I feel the catharsis she's trying to convey.
Eternal Blue: 10/10
There's a sort of polyrhythm ebb and flow in this song which makes it so addicting. One of the things I love about a song is it's ability to go spiral around itself. I want to feel like I'm falling into a consistent rhythm. This is a song which is a prime example of that. Especially during the bridge/breakdown, there's a 4/3 polyrhythm which is SO CATCHY. The texture of the clean tones is also so high and flying, especially against Courtney's vocals. Well deserving of a 10/10.
We Live In A Strange World: 7/10
This is one of the softer songs off of the album, and it's not my favorite, but I do still like it. It has a very industrial instrumental which I don't think blends with Courtney's voice very well. Once we hit the pre-chorus, it gets good very quickly, but then we go back to the grinding for a bit and it just doesn't do it for me. Once we get past that, though, it's a great song. It is very Spiritbox-esc still, though, which is a testament to their musicianship.
Halcyon: 10/10
For being one of the least-streamed songs off the album (on Spotify), this song goes HARD. The ending portion of the song is so raw, and the timing of the instrumental supplements the lyrics and vocal melody in an amazing way. The texture of the guitars in the verses is KILLER, especially the second verse when the drums augment it. This was also one of my favorites in the beginning (with Secret Garden), and honestly I should listen to it more.
Circle With Me: 8/10
VERY popular, but not my favorite. This is likely entirely due to the fact that I looped it when I was first getting in Spiritbox and I still haven't stopped being sick of it. A great song, don't get me wrong. It's just not for me. It doesn't really have the vocals, lyrics, or melody that really catches me; I generally tend to prefer chuggier, more technical riffs and melodies, and this doesn't really have that. Like I said: GREAT song.
Constance: 10/10
This song is so important to me. I got to see it live during the Eternal Blue Tour, and that was a dream come true. I'm so glad I did! Not only is this song currently my favorite off the album, it's also one of my favorites in general. It's the most ambient and reverb-laden song off the album, and it works well with the message (another long story, search for it if you'd like to know). The bit in 7/4 at the end is killer. The best part, though? Through all the reverb and ambience of the song, it doesn't get too muddy. It still sounds like a conherent song! The drums and the clean guitar throughout the verses make the song interesting to listen to, and connect Courtney's phenomenal clean vocals to the swells of the song in a way I really haven't heard before. The very end where the spiraling song finds some kind of peace is probably my favorite use of metaphor I've ever found in a song. In essence, if I were to allow it, I would give this song a 11/10, but I'm a stickler for a consistent and logical measurement, so it's only metaphorical. If you listen to any song off this album, let it be this one.