Ever since the crosspollination of rock, metal, and electronic music began to emerge, there’s been plenty of bands that have attempted such crossovers – with varying degrees of success. Many bands unfortunately fail to take advantage of it, with the electronic influences sometimes being thrown haphazardly into the mix. Meanwhile, Enter Shikari are a notable one, as even to this day, they’re still creating music that is fresh and relevant. And then there’s I See Stars.
Few bands quite define modern electronicore like I See Stars, who emerged in 2009 with their debut full-length 3-D. The band’s combination of huge pop melodies, post-hardcore + metalcore’s viciousness, and EDM-influenced electronic undercurrents immediately established them as a band to watch out for. Also one of Sumerian Records’ flagship bands, the band would experiment (with varying success) with their sound over their next two albums, with 2012’s Digital Renegade helping I See Stars to explode.
On 2013’s New Demons, though, the band’s experimentation paid off in a major way. It landed a career-best Billboard chart debut (#28, to be exact), and also gave the band some of the best critical reviews of their career. The music itself definitely expanded on their core influences, with vocalist Devin Oliver’s soaring vocals providing an intriguing dichotomy with bouncy electronica and some surprisingly heavy metalcore. “Ten Thousand Feet” is a great example (and a microcosm) of what bands in this scene can do with their talent.
Meanwhile, you have other songs like album highlight “Follow The Leader”, which former vocalist Zach Johnson unleashes some genuinely moshpit-inducing screams on a song which turns on a dime rather quickly. The first half of the record is seriously bangers ONLY, with the title track being one of the heaviest songs I See Stars have ever released – yet the chorus is absolutely huge. It’s this dichotomy and balance that makes I See Stars’ New Demons such a special album, and it might change your mind even if you’re not a fan of the genre blend. It’s quality all the way through.
