Code Orange - The Above ALBUM REVIEW
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- Опубликовано: 26 авг 2024
- Listen: • Code Orange - Take Sha...
The Above is beneath the band that made Underneath.
More metal reviews: • Loud Rock Reviews: Met...
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FAV TRACKS: MIRROR, SPLINTER THE SOUL
LEAST FAV TRACK: CIRCLE THROUGH
CODE ORANGE - THE ABOVE / 2023 / BLUE GRAPE / ALTERNATIVE METAL PASTICHE
4/10
Y'all know this is just my opinion, right?
Love seeing Anthony cosplaying as the Lego robber
on point frfr lol
HEY
Joe Pesci in Home Alone
The brickster !!!
@@capnfapnDon't give him the pizza!
CODE ORANGE (strong)FOUREVER
no way
Knew you'd be lurking 😂
nothing you can do to take it lmao
I see the Akira vinyl in the back, good shit
Yo Joey
One of the best movie soundtracks ever
one of the last people i'd expect to comment on anything Code Orange related nice to see ya
REVIEW FIRST BORN BY EYEDEA AND ABILITIES PLEASE!!!!!!!! IT Is one of the greatest hip hop albums EVER MADE!!!!!!!!!
@@BOBBYOBVIOUSlmao
Uh oh Anthony is gonna stop wearing his Code Orange shirt in reviews now
Melon really looks like he’s about to steal a painting in a 60s heist movie
I swear this band is evolving backwards into doing straight up butt rock.
I tried, I really tried to like it. But it's literally Finger Eleven core
to be fair slow chemical bangs
Then you didn’t try hard enough to like it lol
Finger Core
Kid named Finger Eleven:
@@fullcolGIVE ME WHAT I COULD NEVER ASK FOR
i miss when code orange tried to be converge
Knew you'd hate it, but man I love this album. It's incredibly self-indulgent and I'm all here for it.
As a fan of Code Orange’s first few records, I believe they unfortunately took a complete and utter nosedive with this album’s quality, making a commercial industry standard alt metal record that doesn’t sound like their previous work at all.
ok loser
Some of the tracks do, but overall I feel you. I will say it all sounds way better live though, and flows decently well with their older stuff in the same set list. I don’t want to overstate it, but I think hearing it live totally lead me to reappraise my initial thoughts.
Same i’m biased because i’ve seen them live when they were Code Orange Kids and been a huge fan ever since. I liked underneath but felt the band was heading too much in a nu metal or alt metal that I wasnt gonna like and now this album is way too far in that direction for my taste. id rather have them make the same downtuned metallic hardcore record over and over again tbh.
Glad I caught them a few years ago before they fell off
Feels like the bands going through an identity crisis
I haven't been able to stop listening to this one, really enjoyable for me. The variety in styles on this thing is one of the more attractive features. It stops it from being stale and boring, which was the thing I was most worried about going into this.
Me too, I love the change in songs like "mirror" and the next song on the album, is really fun to heart it
I'm basically stuck between you two and Melon... I like the variety, between tracks for the reason you cite, and I unironically adore Mirror, and also the specific falling atonality at the end of musical phrases that is signature Code Orange. Absolute on board with those three things, BUT so much of the album does do what Cold' Brew' said above as well and it does bother me. I dunno, taste is subjective, and without music life would be a mistake. @@luisregalado521
Melon dressed like he's getting traded to the Pheonix Suns
Melon put on the metalcore fit for this album
@@Jon-cw8bbhe did
Ironically, this album is the least metalcore code orange album
Melon dresses like a Djent Metalcore guitar player 😂
Now I understand why a lot of people don't like this album, even on my first listen it was quite jarring. But in the short amount of time since it was released this has become one of my favorite and most listened to albums of 2023 I just can't get enough
Can’t wait to see what our buddy Jami thinks of this
Oh man, I can already see the piss-poor response to this harsh criticism. 😂
He's gonna go insaneo style.
While Underneath was a head trip, it still felt like a singular focused album. The Above, while ambitious, feels almost too ambitious.
First few listens were a real head scratcher, but it's starting to grow on me a bit. The album isn't cohesive at all, but the way each part transitions into the next makes it an interesting journey to listen through. Not the most mind blowing thing I've ever heard, but quite enjoyable. Thinking a solid 7/10
My thoughts exactly. Loved the variety, miss the consistency from previous albums.
Underneath was more impressive, but this is still an amazing listen IMO. I really like it.
I’ve found this album to be pretty addictive. I’ve enjoyed the catchy hooks, the unapologetic assault of nostalgia and its messy unpredictable nature. I can see why some would detest it though.
“Sounds like Puddle of Mudd giving head to Chevelle with Trapt in the corner watching” is one of the hardest lines bro has ever dropped
Ice cold
I love Chevelle!
If that’s the worst post-grunge song he’s heard in his life, he’s clearly never heard “Rx (Medicate)” by Theory of a Deadman
That comment destroyed me. I love the melodic style of the song. Chevelle-esque, sure, but Puddle of Mudd or Trapt?! No come one dude. Way too harsh. If anything the thing to compare this to is Smashing Pumpkins, changing styles and variety isn’t a bad thing. Maybe it’s not a well assembled album, but the songs are good. Take Shape will still be a favorite of the year
Holy shit just got to this and it's fantastic 🎉🎉
Bro places every single for the album in best tracks of the week
Fantano the only dude i see that loves every single but hates the album😂😂Honestly I just think he wanted Code to do the same thing but got something different instead
And? How does this contradict his review? He praised some of the tracks, hence why this got a 4 and not a 0.
He always does this
that radio bit was fucking hilarious
Honestly anthony is the last person i go to for recommendations on metal music lmao love his reviews and respect his opinions but the amount of times hes hated or been mixed on metal albums that i love has made me realize to take everything he says about metal with a grain of salt. With that being said, i really enjoyed this album and couldnt disagree more with his opinion. But that's what makes music and appreciation of it so fun!
What is your top 5 metal albums ?
Depends what type of metal can you are or what your favourite styles of metal are I guess. But yeah Fantano isn’t really that well read on metal compared to others
Bro, what are you talking about? He likes the new Tomb Mold, Liturgy, Horrendous, King Gizzard, Dying Fetus, Thantifaxath, Cannibal Corpse, Jeromes Dream and Portrayal of Guilt albums... That's just from this year only. Sure, he doesn't review as many metal albums as some other critics, but to say that because he doesn't enjoy a select few metal albums you like makes his opinion on metal music subject to be taken with a grain of salt is highly biased and unreasonable.
Lmao, love all of code oranges stuff until this. They were my recommendation for a good modern metal band. Now they're just making straight 2000s alt metal
@@Shofixi to each their own lmao
I loved I Am King and Forever so much. Underneath caught me so off guard that it was beyond an exciting listen and it’s my favorite release from them still to this day. I played the album on repeat for months on end.
The Above is something I can’t say the same for. I’m all for embracing new ideas and different sounds, but this felt almost like parody at certain points. It was a tough listen and while there are a handful of tracks that I enjoy, the other 70% of the album I can take or leave. Mostly leave, especially if we’re talking about Circle Through or the title track. Had fun but overall kinda disappointed.
This is an outstanding summary, and I fully agree with everything you've said.
My problem is that, when they move too far away from their roots, it's *really* obvious that they don't know what to do or how to do it well. It's like someone trying to play jazz when they mostly listen to pop or rock: no matter how good they are on the instrument, someone who listens to jazz regularly will know instantly that they don't have a clue. That for me is why it feels like a parody at times.
It feels like they've become too desparate to break into the mainstream: which is a damn shame, because they were on the verge of doing it their own way. The Forever / Underneath evolution was awesome.
Dripthony Fantano with that outfit tho.
can't believe he didn't mention take shape, had that song on repeat since the album dropped
Banger
Rip bray Wyatt
There seems to be a mistake, you accidentally reviewed Channel Orange again.
Too late Melon. I’ve already decided that the album rips
ANTHONY BACK WITH THE CONDOM BEANIE! WHOO!!
Really thought I wouldn't enjoy this, having listened to each single, but was incredibly surprised as to how much this clicked even from the first listen. The band who made I Am King doesn't exist anymore, but with The Above being as risky and good as it is, I'm alright with that.
I feel like he puts a different standard when reviewing metal/rock albums compared to other genres like rap and pop
Well, there is a different standard in metal then pop imo
Really? He's given quite a few eights and nines to metal albums this year and I thought most of them were very mediocre.
The only one I really liked was ashenspire, but like, fantixafath, jeromes dream, hirs collective, tomb mold, king gizz, all of them got rated very high.
@Volition366 sure he's given some bands like you mention a high rating. But I usually feel like he just doesn't appreciate bands that are more traditional metalcore. He usually only gives good reviews to bands that are trying to be really different in the scene
I agree actually. Anything that isn’t inherently ‘pushing the envelope’ seems to automatically be penalised it seems. I felt he was a little harsh on this review, given this album clearly is their most ambitious. 😢
@@joshdimichele18 I mean, the bands I mentioned weren't doing any of that.
What you are saying might be more specific to metalcore. I kinda see that.
A lot of ppls problem with this record is trying to understand it as something it isnt at all through the lens of whatever 'softer' hard rock/metal bands they know of instead of accepting what it is: a lot of it is pretty straightforward early 90s grunge, some late 90s nu metal, a bit of 00s NiN-style industrial rock, and some of the hardcore/metalcore they were already doing.
But they're actually really good at making alt rock music too, it turns out. So if you get over it not being a blistering industrial hardcore album it's still pretty strong music. Not at all deserving of the kind of dismissal of, say, Suicide Silence's nu metal album. It's an experiment that still largely works even if its not incredibly consistent as an album.
As a 90s kid who grew up with grunge, punk, industrial & nu-metal (and was never extremely attached to their glitchy chaotic hardcore) it mostly works for me.
Weirdly enough, I didn’t hate this album. I kinda like how it had an old school vibe to it. I even actually dug Circle Through. It’s definitely weird and all over the place, but that’s kinda what I like about it.
"it sounds like puddle of mud giving head to chevelle with trapt in the corner watching" is the funniest description ever, i have to listen to this
Why did my man have to do Chevelle like this. Chevelle didn’t do shit wrong
@@jacobbelyea7945he's trying to insult alt rock thinking we view chevelle as some imagine dragons or buttrock band. Anthony is just completely out of touch.
@@HeyIntegrity whats insulting to chevelle specifically here? they're getting head, that's actually pretty cool for them imo
I used to go see Code Orange when they were still Code Orange Kids playing Love is Love and the split with full of hell. I have no fucking clue what happened to that band. I really liked that band.
I still think Love Is Love is their best album bar none. I love I Am King and Forever and have liked select tracks off these last two, but they just can't top that first LP. They have some absolute hellfire on that album.
Love is Love/Return to Dust is an absolute masterpiece. As a guy who jumps between listening to Hatebreed and Deftones, the way they blended hardcore punk beatdown shit with atmospheric shoegaze shit just scratches every itch. Every time I re-listen to it, it blows my mind how effective it is. I've never found any other band with the same kind of vibe as that album, and it sucks that one record was the only thing they ever did that sounded like that. I've been looking for a decade with no success
Whew. I almost thought about liking this album but I held off until i heard Anthony’s thoughts. I now realize this project is trash. Thanks Anthony for telling me how to think! ❤️
You seem to misunderstand the MO of a critic.
No i don't. I'm a giant Anthony fan and not throwing shade toward him at all. People have different opinions. I'm making fun of the fans that take every word out of his mouth as gospel. I hope it's the minority, but there seem to be lots of people in his streams and comments that just agree with every take he has. They can't think for themselves. That's the point I'm making with the comment. @@Shieldz01
Loved the album- all over the place, but nostalgic, fun, and accessible. Musically isn't blowing any minds but very enjoyable
Nah it was garbage
The lead up to this album was crazy, they would alternate between dropping an absolute banger, followed by the biggest pile of shit you've ever heard, then another banger, etc.
Lmao yeah and those singles really represented the rest of the album well
This album, Sleep Token and Avenged Sevenfold’s newest albums seem to be these bands answers to critic’s “heavy music is getting stale”. And it’s ugly as all hell.
This is what happens when you make something to show off how "different" you are, instead of just making what you really want.
Ironic isn’t it. It’s almost like they are literally pandering to every music critic who blasts’ run of the mill’ music, they release something more ambitious or left-of-field then get shit on even more lmao. They can’t win
@@benfrowen94 give them an album or two before they go back to their original sound and it will be touted as “a refreshing return to what made them great”
Didnt even make through the album. I was really dissappinted as a longtime fan. Hopefully they can bounce back
he really gave this a score, huh.
How could he
It's pretty NOT GOOD
Anthony "Nothing is good enough" Fantano
Limp Bizkit Gold Cobra is better than this
Say what you like about Durst's singing and lyrics, but Gold Cobra at least had hooks (not great hooks, but still hooks), had meaty riffs, had some energy behind it. Immature, edgelord energy, but still. This album has nothing, just complete void.
Saul Goodman on the cover A++
Nice Akira OST in the background.
Can you do Ken Carson.
yes
I can't stop listening to this album and it might be my 2023 aoty
Great review Melon, although I'm not sure about the part where you said "Code Orange? More like Code Brown!" and proceeded to shit your pants.
I'm shocked to hear him give Code Orange a low review, and one they frankly deserved. Good on you, Fantano
Was wondering why you waited so long to review this… and now I know, you had to make sure you nailed the outro.
At first listen, I was like "meh, this doesn't represent these intense emotions I was enjoying on their previous albums, so I guess it's not for me", and on the second one I felt the same way. But after watching a few interviews that were discussing this album, its soundscapes, its delivery of both aggression and calmness and further experimentation, I thought like "well, maybe I should give it another try, now having this in mind", and wow, after a few listens I can safely say that I really dig this. To me, it's not as hard hitting as Forever or I Am King, but it does offer something else, and i appreciate that now.
If this was by Code Melon it would have been a 10
Melon Orange
"Its sounds like Puddle of Mudd giving head to Chevelle, with Trapt in the corner watching"
🤣💀💀
Theater of cruelty kicks all the ass
Strong 4 is fair keep seeing positive reviews on this and felt like I was taking crazy pills last three albums were way better.
They way people are hating on this album make me think it's actually genius. No "smart" reviewers liked Korn or SOAD back in the day either, now everyone wants to be them. Most shit that lasts and influences is reviled at one point honestly. I'm still singing Take Shape and Circle Thru melodies a year later lol
That last bit really made me laugh
This one definutely took a bit to grow on me but i really like it. Nowhere near as experimental as Underneath but i like that because i really have to be in the mood for that album compsred to this.
I think it’s more experimental tbh
i love this album so much it just makes sense you don't like it, it's always this way with metal in this channel.
💯
…and then he acts like bands like Swans, Sunn O))), and Death Grips are the best thing in music.
ignoring the fact that he gave Tomb Mold an 8 just a week or two ago 🤷♂
Coping and seething
@@lj_maestro3391 funny as i didn't vibe it that much. Eh.
@@pulp6588 i know you are, no need to announce it.
How y'all feel metal as a whole has been this year?
Depends which sub genre, deathcore is getting a good uplift imo, Metalcore is still rather stale again (tho i'm hyped to see what bmth will bring out), with other metal genres i cant really say much but same as Metalcore, what i heard was pretty stale sadly
Can’t wait to see how Silent Planet’s release will be. How do you feel metal has been this year?
pretty mid
New Judas Priest song is pretty good
Death Metal and black metal have been great. Good doom too. I'm kind of surprised how many of Fantanos fans only pay attention to core stuff. It's like scratching the glossy surface and completely missing the meat of the genre.
YOU EITHER DIE A HARDCORE LEGEND OR LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE YOURSELF BECOME THE NU METAL ROCK FESTIVAL SLOP
This is the speedin bullet to heaven for code orange.
3:59 I died a little inside
Too late Fantano, I already love this album
Take shape is a banger
Anthony confirmed album cover hater
anthony looking like a bouncer at the hippest gay club in brooklyn today. absolute peak hipster (in a good way.)
i been waiting for this one
Theres definitely a lot of nostalgia bait, but I thought they had some pretty clear themes from beginning to end and put more than enough of their own sound into it that it earned a solid place in their discography for me. I really loved it, sorry you didnt, but I hope the next one does it for ya!
If this was channel orange he’d give it a 9
Sick riffs, chaotic dissonance and sweet melodies. Yeah, Code Orange are leaning heavily into the legacy of KoЯn, Deftones, Type O Negative and Nine Inch Nails. But maybe, just maybe, those might be their childhood heroes. And their music definately pays the bills in my opinion, to be able to stand on it's own completely. I'd go as far as to say that this is the only album with balls released this decade. But that's why tastes are different - the world would be boring without it.
We need A Great Chaos by Ken Carson
Bro thinks he’s yeat 💀
Nu metal isnt polarizing, it fuckin ruled
Agreed. This Code Orange album leaned in too much to their commercial success and somewhat lost experimentation and integrity, especially as a follow up to Underneath.
EXCELSIOR WHEN!?!?
I feel like Fantano has matured a lot as a music reviewer and a person….. However, I feel like when he reviews rock/metal, he can turn into that edgy Pitchfork critic that goes: “LOL Nu Metal sucks!” Meanwhile, Olivia Rodrigo is massively taking from 90’s alternative rock, and The Lemon Twigs are pretty much a 70’s soft rock band….. Nothing wrong with that, but you can’t say Code Orange aren’t trying to put their own twist on that sound….. Is it messy at times? Sure….. Are some influences obvious? Absolutely! Nevertheless, he’s given people much higher scores, even though they are pretty upfront with the pool of inspirations they are drawing from…..🤷♀️
I agree that the “rock” tracks lack the trademark Code Orange shenanigans
R.I.P Bray
So this deserves a full review but Anco doesn't? Nah
KRATOSCORE RADIO
How are you not gonna wear your beloved Code Orange T-shirt for a 4/10 review?
I feel like this album would have been a personal favorite if they omitted maybe 3 or 4 tracks but I do feel like there's alot of ideas happening and it's using elements from Underneath but also trying to figure out a new identity.
WHERES THAT DORIAN ELECTRA REVIEW
Forever and Underneath(My favorite album) was peak Code Orange. I don't see myself going back to The Above
I have tried to listen to this album multiple times and I just can't get through it
Tbh I don’t usually agree w fantano but on this one 100%. Their last album was awesome, I’d probably give it a 9 or even a 10. The whole thing was cohesive, great listen back to back and there were a lot of songs so keeping my attention the full album means it was good. This album as a follow-up was a dissapointment. I probably would’ve given it a little bit higher if a rating like maybe a 6, there’s good songs on there but the album just feels like it doesn’t know what it’s doing. We have the butt rock songs which tbh hate on it all you want but it was a good era of music, the classic heavy code orange, and then some things were pretty experimental imo the theater of cruelty was probably my favorite non-single and sounded more in the direction of what this album should’ve sounded like. There’s just no concept, no aesthetic, no consistency throughout the album at all, and calling it a mashup I think fits the bill perfectly. And then bringing it back to the butt rock songs. I actually like butt rock, I admit it’s a guilty pleasure of mine but I also don’t think it’s bad music, it’s just loud rock that’s catchy for the radio, it’s not supposed to be deep. It’s the hard rock equivalent of pop music. My problem however is that a lot of these buttrock songs they did sound exactly the same. Like the last two track listening to them back to back sound like the same song, and even a lot of the other buttrock type songs on my repeated listens I would expect a part from a different song to come up because they all sound too similar. The songs that really ended up standing out to me were really just the singles and then theater of cruelty and maybe drone for the riffs and the chorus
I literally found this band because of you on NMF i'm a new fan and now i've got tickets to their tour in February i loved this album!
I think the Akira Soundtrack in the back is better then everthing Code orange made since i am King.
Review END - THE SIN OF HUMAN FRAILTY
This is Code Orange's sellout album.
okay, now you’ve officially made a review on an album featuring max portnoy. MIGHT as well go for tallah next 👁️👄👁️
Jesus Christ that band name word rap at the end was just 1:1 my playlist back then. Absolutely spot on
fantano is approaching the absolute peak of millennial cringe. conservative, self-conscious, perpetually desperate to sense which way the wind is blowing. an absolutely swagless channel for co-workers and normies.
Dude nooooo. This is your worst take. Record slaps. Most cutting edge rock record around rn.
I can't think of a metalcore band that fell off harder than Code Orange. They became absolute trash and maybe I blame Corey Taylor.
Our Guest Can't Be Named, The Wytches needs a review
Bro, i think they keep their DNA in every song. The production it's great, keys elements from the past, you can dig the whole MTV era on it.
You can't expect the whole Hardcore stuff for the next twenty records without experimenting or trying something else. And their still Code Orange.
Honestly, i'm in love with the album. QotSA was my album of the year until this show up. I totally respect your pov and review bro, but it's a solid record to me. I'm very proud of these kids since Adventures. Well... They're not kids anymore but for me they're always be, TOTH 💜
Fell to my knees in distress finding out this is a 4
I really like this album, it has amazing sound design and great songs. So much effort put in, really refreshing, 8/10.
You can tell what this album sounds like by that awful 2000s esque album cover