Self Deception have learned a lot since their previous album. A lot about song structure, anthems and how to tailor songs that can transfer from a studio output to a live setting. The band have incorporated multiple genres into their seventh studio album, One Of Us, but stay firmly on the path of electronic-core. While they aren’t reinventing the wheel the band have put their own spin of it, even if it’s ever so slightly.
Opening with the title track of the album, it sets the tone for the rest of the album. Catchy, anthemic, riff laden and built for a live experience. While One Of Us is entwined with a hardcore feel, it almost sounds like modern day Hollywood Undead with aggressive instrumentals and vocals switching between growls and soaring highs from frontman Andreas Clark.
‘Time’s Up’ is where the catchy songs come in. The synth work cutting through the guitar work from Ronny Westphal works beautifully with Clark’s vocals building an intense atmosphere that only lapses when the song reaches its end. As upbeat and gut punching as the entire album is,’ Don’t B E L O N G’ shows its vulnerable side with themes of addiction and mental health, the darker tones within the song are portrayed disturbingly beautiful in its melancholic feel.
In contrast to the lyrical content of ‘Don’t B E L O N G’, the lyrics in ‘Break!’ are somewhat juvenile, a trope within the genre that needs to go the way of the dodo. Instrumentally however the band create time signatures that would make even the most seasoned prog band nod in acceptance. As the album continues into the latter half the energy doesn’t drop a single iota. The synths in particular added throughout the album are done so perfectly and not overused, which is easier said than done, but Self Deception have honed their craft to a tee.
If you’re in need of a pick me up, ironically ‘Ketamine Cowboy’ scratches that itch. Fast paced guitars, balanced vocals and drummer Erik Eklund is at his most vicious with his kit taking an almighty beating in the name of art. While the band aren’t genre changing, they’ve taken everything from the genre and tweaked it in their own way to give it their own spin that makes it pulsate with life and not bogged down in a sea of monotonous backwash.
If there’s a band to rival the intensity Electric Callboy, a band they have toured with in the past, bring to the table, Self Deception are one of the names you have to keep an eye on. Regardless of what you think of the electric-core genre, Self Deception have produced an enjoyable record that, hopefully, will explode on the stage.