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Billy Talent

Crisis Of Faith

Written by: PP on 15/02/2022 18:20:28

Punk-fueled alternative rockers Billy Talent have reached album number six on "Crisis Of Faith", which comes after a six-year break since "Afraid of Heights". Save for the progressive, seven-minute mammoth opener "Forgiveness I + II", the group continues to churn out high-tempo alternative rock with big choruses and groovy guitar hooks throughout, so not much has changed there. In other words, the band should still appeal to those who also enjoy their fair share of Green Day, Sum 41, Zebrahead, and other bands toying with a combination of punk and alternative rock.

The opener is arguably the most ambitious Billy Talent outing to date with its groove-laden first half morphing into an ambient and atmospheric second part halfway through. Later on the album, "The Wolf" continues in the latter vein with a balladic format, featuring string instruments supporting a soothing melody, where Ben Kowalewicz's vocals are given room to fully own the soundscape. The same applies also to "Reactor", where a humongous chorus and a (modern) Rise Against-esque verse morphs with Green Day style songwriting to land home an anthemic product that should dominate the radio waves if it were to be released as a single. It's an arena-sized track that's written with the large festivals in mind.

These are solid tracks, but if you ask me, Billy Talent's strengths lie in the energetic, fast-paced bangers like "Reckless Paradise" or "Judged". The latter even introduces hardcore undertones to the mix, resulting in an unleashing of raw energy that takes you back to their early days. It'd be great to see more of these on the album, but they are in a clear minority.

Variety is important, however, which is why the straight-up alternative rock of the bouncy, infectiously catchy "Hanging Out With All The Wrong People" works well right afterward. We are even treated to a Rivers Cuomo (Weezer) cameo on "End Of Me", although it means the whole track sounds more like a Weezer song than a Billy Talent one, save for Kowalewicz's lead vocals.

Overall, "Crisis Of Faith" is faithful to Billy Talent's signature sound, meaning longtime fans will certainly be satisfied. I've always thought that while they're very consistent in writing catchy songs, what they've always been missing are the two or three awe-inspiring tracks per album that push the records from being merely good to great. So while all tracks on "Crisis Of Faith" are solid, and certainly mainstream radio-friendly without abandoning the music enthusiasts in the process, it remains quite some distance from the best albums this year.

Download: Reckless Paradise, Reactor, Hanging Out With All The Wrong People
For the fans of: Sum 41, Zebrahead, Green Day, Royal Republic
Listen: Facebook

Release date 21.01.2022
Spinefarm Records