A New Single from Exceptional Failures Delivers A Heavy Handed Message With A Fuzz-Rock Tone
- R.A.G.
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
The latest drop from Exceptional Failures sends a heavy-handed message that I feel like we can all understand, as the song delves into media and a little bit of propaganda and how we all follow those headlines, not really seeing the destruction that it's caused.
To me, the song speaks volumes in terms of the state of things in today's world. Too many people follow news, social media, and more, willing to take part in whatever side they feel suits them best, without hearing the other side of the stories, using much critical thinking, or realizing that it's the media that wants us to be divided.
In a lot of people's eyes, the media drives people in different directions. Algorithms suit your needs; they follow you and your every move, they see what you're watching, and they feed you more of it.
This song sort of describes how all of that is destructive to us as people, how it divides us, and how a lot of us are blind to it.
Now, this is how I interpreted the song. Others may take it in a little differently, but for me, the sentiment was pretty loud and clear.
The song is called "Tomorrow's Headline", and it definitely breaks boundaries in terms of coming through with a lively but insanely honest and straightforward rock soundscape that blends classic and indie rock into this almost theatrical set of tones that feel alive and breathing.
The guitar tones across this track are outstanding. But it's got edginess, and it's overtone and feeds into hints of alternative rock in a very particular way.
The whole track feels almost like it was recorded live, in one shot. I get the sense that it was recorded this way simply because of how the players feed off of each other's energies and create this sort of robust and almost monstrous sort of track.
Even if I'm wrong about how they recorded it, because of course, I wasn't there; listening to the song makes you want to go see them perform it live, in your face. If they can capture this kind of aesthetic and energy on record this well, seeing them live must be awesome.
I love hearing a band and just knowing they're going to be intense in a live setting. It doesn't happen often, but when I hear this song it's all right there.
The song pops. It's got a great sort of deep-pocketed Rhythm that you can really groove to. It's danceable. While those rhythmic guitars and drums are rolling forward, there are all kinds of drippy, scraping sounds coming from other guitars, giving it that edgier overtone and letting it feel almost like old-school grunge tracks where you can hear elements of feedback and fingers sliding between frets on the guitar here and there.
I feel like they do this on purpose because it helps the almost tense emotion behind the track even more.
As the song unfolds, it does grow in its intensity quite a bit, and the best part about it all is how the chorus softens down and exhales back to a calmer moment letting you focus on what's being said.
The track has a piano flowing through its veins. It is always there, but it is overtaken by guitars at certain points. That's okay because that's what's meant to happen. Everything dies out and you hear just vocals and piano and this works amazingly.
It puts your focus right there on what's happening, and they're really great at delivering those rises and falls of intensity and sort of surprising you with the chorus that makes you pay attention differently instead of exploding in your face as you would normally hear during any kind of standard rock song.
The vocals are melodically driving but also add to that touch of theatrical tonality. They also have this little echo effect on them that really works wonders for the thriving and sort of exciting sound that it all gives off together.
This is a song that really puts you in the moment with it.
In the moments before the chorus kicks in, there's the descending guitar line that's just super deep and a bit enthralling. I love how they give you that touch of over-the-top heaviness right before the delicate chorus part comes in.
Such a cool way to bring a song together.
You can easily tell this is a song that was very well thought out in terms of its arrangement and aesthetic.
It does have hints of that grungy, fuzz-rock feel at times, beckoning some of the punkier classic influences that they probably hold close to their hearts, and I feel like they're really delivering a huge atmosphere with this song.
The best part of the song is right towards the end. You have a huge burst of energy that comes in; everything is full swing, loads of layers of guitars are there, there's a really dirty, fuzzy guitar solo that kicks in, and it's got loads of soul and edginess, and the whole song sort of just explodes right at that end moment.
I love that they have a particular way of holding off that best part almost right till the end.
Don't get me wrong, the whole thing is catchy, and this is definitely a band that knows how to give you a gritty kind of rock tone while still holding on to their pop sensibilities.
It's a song that's quite memorable but also branches out into different forms, which was, in my opinion, the best part.
So, it's time to stop reading and start listening. Dive into this track headfirst and see what it does for you.
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