Seeking out the sense of restoring oneself and refusing to shy away from exploring unwelcome feelings of isolation and uncertainty, Berlin-based Future Palace have us firmly in a chokehold with their latest album Resurgence (dare we say this may be hotter than the UK heatwave?)
Facing the darkest of feelings head-on and breaking them down, the heavy metal trio accentuate these themes with cinematic blends of electronic and metal, soaring vocals, epic breakdowns, and vocalist Maria Lessing‘s primal fry screams. For fans of Spiritbox and The Pretty Wild who have been looking for their next metal fix of addictive screams and sweeping instrumentals that make you feel you’ve been immersed in a dystopian movie or videogame, Future Palace’s Resurgence will make you feel like the main character of every day.
“This song is about doubting everything and every decision you’ve made so far in your life. Thinking about what it would be like if you would completely restart and be a totally different person — but also sacrifice everything and everyone you have in your life currently. It’s supposed to convey deep despair and self-doubt. What would life be like, if you were reborn today?” –Lessing on ‘Deep Blue’
The album dives straight into ‘Deep Blue’ and the suffocation of self-isolation, depression wrapping Lessing into the pervading feeling that no one sees her struggling or will mourn for her, as melancholy notes give way to a churning of Johannes Früchtenicht‘s crashing drums and Manuel Kohlert‘s raging riffs. Its immediate follow-up ‘Resurge’ shatters the previous sentiment with feral screams of “resurge” over an electronic intro, the lyrics a self-aware determination to emerge once more as someone new, “Leaving the old behind, undermined, redesigned, I gotta restart” to relentless beats and turntable scratches – its music video is also a direct continuation of the ‘Deep Blue’ video. ‘Supernova’ races in with an electronic mix that WREX fans will certainly appreciate, dangerously soft and low vocals shooting up to soaring pitches as the drums slam around us.
‘Disintegrate’ explores the frustration of trying your hardest and taking one step forward and two back, Lessing’s voice seamlessly moving from hardened screams to clean notes as Früchtenicht shifts between a deafening full kit beat to a powerful electronic rhythm. ‘The Shades’ goes full throttle with screams and meaty riffs from Kohlert, the melody merging from cinematic post-metal to electronic bop, the sound sliced through by Lessing delivering an absolutely guttural, bone-shaking scream on the final breakdown. ‘Nixy’ races in like a car chase of sensational riffs and hooks, the lyrics “you won’t destroy yourself cos you’ll reveal who you truly are” cutting to the bone before the breakdown screams saw right through.
For a brief moment the tone changes to a stripped back sorrow for the intro to ‘Thorns’, the brief calm demolished as Lessing unleashes primal screams, attacking the subject of the track who took her love for granted, “I took off my armour to be closer by your side”, before it shifts to her realising her own self-worth in a message that rises up with the accompanying ear-splitting instrumentals. ‘Ebb and Flow’ echoes its title in its slower tempo, the combined vocals, instruments, and synths pulling on the yearning chorus, while the bridges and verses push back to a faster pace, the emotional lyrics crashing down on us like a tidal wave. ‘Nightfall’ takes on a more metal form with hints of gothic influence, Kohlert serving up delicious riffs like they’re a delicacy as Lessing bares all her anguish and grief, her whispered “is this the end of everything?” ratcheting into heavenly screams.
‘Symphony of the Clouds’ begins cinematically with surging synths and Früchtenicht’s resounding beats, dropping quickly to brief piano and Lessing’s lone voice ringing through mournfully as she struggles to understand what everything is for and if it will leave her untouched or drown her in a deluge. ‘Tidal Waves’ goes against the album’s grain with its slowed-down pace and sad piano melody, alt-rock guitar and drums gradually joining in to Lessing’s claims she’ll fight her way back as the track swells to something promising and confident. Taking on one last cinematic push, ‘Cyclone’ feels like the moment before a final boss battle, the time for final revelations and strengthening of character before entering the fray a stronger person, Lessing singing with a defiance to her voice and Kohlert and Früchtenicht unleashing beautiful hell with guitar squeals and tenacious beats to close out this theatrical experience.
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