Electric Callboy are back with their new album TANZNEID, which aims to solidify their stance as an eclectic mix of metalcore and electronic, but does it help build solid foundations, or is it just the same gimmick with a new coat of paint?
On first impressions, this album has the potential to be a brilliant Electronicore album. It hits all of the right notes in terms of electronic meets metalcore; however, for me, there’s one thing that dampens the excitement around the album and the band as a whole: Eurodance.
Don’t get me wrong, as a 90s kid, Eurodance was pumped into my ears regularly, from Aqua, to Eiffel 65 to 2 Unlimited. There was no shortage of pumping four-on-the-floor dancefloor beats being blasted from slammed Vauxhall Corsas, which was a vibe. But does it really work cohesively within Electronicore? I’m not sure.
I first heard Electric Callboy via their single We Got The Moves; it was one of those novel things where it begins very Eurotrash, then bursts into metalcore. It was a gimmick that I thought was great. “This band is going on Eurovision” type jokes. But soon I realised the joke wasn’t a joke – it was their entire thing.
And that’s what splits their audience, IMO. You either love their self-aware cheesy tunes or you’re tired of yet another gimmick in metal. After hearing this album a few times over the past week, I can honestly say I’m falling into the latter camp. This album is annoying as hell. Often, in my “New Releases” playlist, tracks from this album would come on, and I’d skip them. I’m just not in the mood for the cheese to the point that I’ve genuinely considered removing this album completely.
Overall, this just might not be my “thing”, which is fine. Electric Callboy have their audience. I just can’t escape the gimmick, and that’s what lets this album down for me. As I said, it has some great Electronicore moments, but it also feels like it’s banging the same joke over and over. I mean, there’s a song featuring Brawl Stars… BRAWL STARS, y’know, that Supercell mobile game…
Electric Callboy are a gimmick I know I’d have lapped up as a kid; it’s dumb, and the band are cool with that. I just can’t quite move past the feeling that once you’ve heard one Euro Dance into Metalcore song, you’ve heard them all.
Score: 2.5/10
Electric Callboy dropped TANZNEID on August 7 via Century Media.