Say what you will about Falling In Reverse’s controversial frontman Ronnie Radke, but never call him untalented. This man’s musical talent ranges everywhere from death metal growls to operatic melodrama and leads straight into a barrage of hip-hop influenced rhymes — all within one song. Falling In Reverse’s newest album, “Popular Monster,” is evidence of how far Ronnie Radke is willing to go to label himself the greatest band leader of all time — and it is hard to deny him the fact.
The album begins with a previously unreleased track “Prequel.” This song starts with a slow build as Radke slowly gains confidence in admitting his wrongdoings in this so-called journal entry. Never afraid to let his fans know exactly where he is at, Ronnie Radke tells us he is most definitely a hypocrite but man enough to say it to your face.
Honestly, the lyrics feel like a good old Catholic confessional. Still, instead of hiding behind a moldy curtain, the singer is proud to shine a light straight on himself, lifting the darkness and unveiling the mystery. Radke never claims to be perfect, and this comes off as nothing less than refreshing in this age of excuses and so-called tolerance.
As “Prequel,” builds to its climax, the title track, “Popular Monster,” takes over with nary missing a beat. Released in late November 2019, this song doesn’t feel as dated as it should. After all, it is practically pre-Covid.
Radke resumes listing his faults, failures, doubts, and shortcomings here. Yet somehow, amidst the lying, cheating, and disbelief, he remains a hero in some people’s eyes. The list of the singer’s sins is a mile-long, including jail time, lawsuits, and everything in between, but his brutal honesty makes him at least a little bit lovable. Like movie villains Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Jafar, Maleficent, and Loki, you can’t help but root for the guy.
Even though Falling In Reverse is known for their dark and heavy bangers, they are almost equally known for downright fun songs like “Bad Girl’s Club,” and “Fashionably Late.” The song, “All My Life,” fits perfectly into this category.
Bringing Jelly Roll into the mix as a guest star is the perfect way to solidify the country twang without coming off as disrespectful. Unlike Beyonce, Ronnie Radke does this country crossover right.
While this song is nearly perfect in and of itself, it’s even better when paired with the moviesque video, which is easily accessible through YouTube. Country line-dancing, Blair White, and former WWE wrestler Saraya, play an important part in the visual story that builds the epic yarn that will take years — and millions of dollars — to top.
After a trip to the lighter side “Ronald,” takes us as close to the bowels of hell as one can get this side of the planet Earth. “The world is a fucked up place sometimes,” Radke screams with sheer conviction, and knowing his troublesome past, he is speaking from experience.
Easily the heaviest song on the album, the lyrics speak of true regret for the things he has done, and also, the tragedy of the world itself. “Throw me in the fire, let me burn for eternity,” Ronnie Radke begs to no one in particular. The agony in his voice puts the listener right beside him in his suffering.
Could this be unreleased trauma from his days in prison, or simply the “mommy issues” Radke often speaks of? Most likely it is a combination of both, with a handful of other skeletons from his closet for good measure.
“Voices In My Head,” is a verbal battle with the singer’s inner demons. Radke introduces us to his intrusive thoughts one by one, refusing to sugarcoat what is bouncing around his mind. Oddly enough, even though he is sharing his most intimate thoughts and irrational fears, he also draws a line, refusing to go past a certain point by saying, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Similar in theme to NF’s “Therapy Session,” the dirty laundry is laid out in the front yard for the entire neighborhood to see, but instead of putting a positive spin on the conclusion, Radke simply shuts down.
When “Alone,” debuted on 2013’s Fashionably Late, it was hard to say how far Ronnie Radke would take this whole rap thing. His bars seemed limited at best, and it was beyond cringeworthy hearing the singer yell, “Charlie Sheen,” just to finish a rhyme. Now, with “Watch The World Burn,” we can see how far this man has come.
This is Falling In Reverse at the top of their game. This song is what puts the band head and shoulders above everyone else in the genre.
The style changes between rapping, shrieking, and growling, mixed with low-fi beats and blazing guitar, making the song reminiscent of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” in the best way. So many elements collide seamlessly that it is hard to believe the band can play this song live without destroying this unique masterpiece. Instead of shying away from it, they lean farther in by adding operatic vocals when performed on stage.
Yes, this song is as insane as it gets live or recorded.
The pain and sorrow left us hollow. No tomorrow’s hard to swallow. Death is calling, so appalling. Tight rope walking. Now I’m falling down like missles falling from the sky. Come and save us!
“Zombified,” brings us back to another older track, but that doesn’t make it less relevant.
Here, Ronnie Radke speaks about the dangers of cancel culture. While some people call it holding others accountable, it often amounts to someone playing judge, jury, and executioner for a stranger’s past crimes. Does someone need to be called out for something off-colored they said ten years ago?
Eventually, these self-righteous voices get so loud it’s hard to know where their views end and your opinions begin.
“Last Resort — Reimagined,” closes out the album with a self-indulgent cover song originally performed by Papa Roach. Ironically, with rap prevalent on the record, Radke belts this one out as a ballad.
Don’t get me wrong, this song is beautifully redone, breathing new emotion into a song that was more angry than depressive. At times, this version comes off as more than a little melodramatic — for a happier medium check out Tommy Vext’s rendition from a few years back.
As far as instant classics go “Popular Monster,” makes the top of the list. Each song hits just right, striking a tone inside the listener, and making them want to get up and do something either creative or destructive.
Simply put, you can’t just sit still while these songs blare in your ears. Get up and fight, make a difference, free your emotions, and scream if you have to.
The biggest complaint here is that the album has very few surprises. With nearly half of the songs previously released on Spotify well in advance, it feels more like a greatest hits record instead of the newest release in the band’s discography. While it may be a great way to chart on the Billboards, it feels like a little bit of a letdown to anyone more than a casual listener.
With that being said, there isn’t much else here to pick apart.
Moving forward, this is the bar Falling In Reverse has set for themselves. Whatever their next move is, it has to be as good as, “Popular Monster” —anything less will feel like regression.
What is your favorite track on “Popular Monster?” Let us know in the comments below!
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Charles E. Henning
Self-proclaimed entertainment guru Charles E Henning fills his free time reading books, watching movies, and listening to music. While not always up on the latest trends, he is always willing to dissect the themes of pop culture.
