Rock-rappers Hollywood Undead released their latest album, Notes From the Underground, on Jan. 12. This is the third studio released album by Hollywood Undead and the group is beginning to sneak its way into mainstream rock. With their mixture of head banging instrumentals and catchy rhymes, Hollywood Undead has become a favorite among many underground rock fans since before their first album released in 2008.
The new album keeps the usual hateful, anarchist lyrics in most of the tracks. The first track on the album, Dead Bite, repeats the words “What would you do if I told you I hate you” throughout the chorus. Although the tune is catchy, the lyrics are not very dynamic and they repeat themselves over and over again. However, the group does change it up a few times throughout the album, throwing in some heavy metal instrumentals at times and slower, softer melodies at other times. Some of this is done in taste, but other times it makes me think, “This isn’t them.”
The first single of the album, We Are, has taken rock radio stations by storm. The song holds on to the same ideas Hollywood Undead has always talked about, which are mostly relatable to the youth. We Are was the perfect track from the album to release as a single. The lyrics are not as hateful as many of the band’s songs, but rather an inspiration for all those who feel like they do not fit in with the rest of society, the freaks and weirdos with dreams that are often doubted by the rest. This is something that Hollywood Undead has always been good at and the reason they gained such a following when they were underground.
As a whole, I would recommend this album only to those who already have an interest in Hollywood Undead. Others may find it hard to understand where they are coming from, and it can be confusing when they switch from head-banging rock to catchy rap tunes. I would give this album a six out of ten. Some of the tracks are just way too simple and don’t seem like they were worked on very hard, while others are fantastic. The lower score is also because you lose a little bit of who Hollywood Undead is in several of the tracks, but the album is still relatable to so many that it will definitely resonate in the hearts of many of the outcasts of the world.
