Well, as you all know, their new album has leaked. I’ve had the chance to listen to it on CD-quality on a music store which got the CD.

What did you guys think of the album? Did you like it? Was it good? Or bad? Did you like the concept behind it?

Alright, here’s my first impression from the first listen of “The Resistance: Rise of the Runaways” by Crown the Empire.

*This is my first review ever so go easy on me*
**The album was too loud because of the speakers, so I barely could interpret lyrics, sorry!**

Call to Arms (Part I) – Beginning off with some weird disruptions, it leads into a voice of someone apparently sending a message about freedom. “This is the end” the voice proclaims. The song then continues into some piano and whispering voices. Then, Andrew comes in and starts singing and behind him a snare-roll is performing in the background. “For my broken heart” – he sings. Then Dave comes in screaming and this song strikes you in heavy. Shredding guitars and drums, this song is over before you know it.

Initiation – This is the lead single of the album. Begins with drumming and a female voice pronouncing about welcoming you to the Resistance. It’s refreshing, it’s new, it’s exciting, it’s different. This song is a grower if you didn’t like it at the first listen, like I did.

Millennia – Beginning with an atmospheric synths, it leads into clean vocals done by Andrew. This song has a feel like it could be radio-friendly, not in a bad way. Andrew is looking back at a relationship which went wrong. “Another broken heart, now just a memory, I should’ve left you in the dark” he proclaims. This song also has some high notes by Andrew, which is pretty cool. I really liked this song and I think it’s one of the best the band made, their next single, for sure. The bridge of this song features a guitar solo and as it ends it continues to Andrew singing over a piano with atmospheric synths from the beginning.

Machines – This is a very interesting song! It has some cool electronic synths, it has lows and highs. “So let them hear our hearts” Dave lashes out his screams before the song continues with killer drummings. This song, when performed live, will get the crowd going crazy in the mosh-pit. The bridge features electronic synths over Andrew singing with drumming in the background, I really liked this song for the use of its synths and vocals done by Dave. The song ends with gang-choir like vocals done by Crown the Empire’s bandmates.

The Wolves of Paris (Part II) – This song begins with piano-driven instrumental and leads into Dave (probably) along with Andrew singing over a piano until the song ends with an alarm, possibly about bombing. Really short.

MNSTR – Right off the bat this track starts with some heavy screamings done by Dave, this is one of the most heaviest songs the band has done since their Limitless EP. It features shouting and screamings by Andrew, aswell. “Take this broken wings” sings Andrew. It also features astonishing high-pitch screams by Dave, I liked his performance on this song.

Second Thoughts – Heavily starts with synths, it leads into vocals sung by Andrew. This song reminded me of Linkin Park, in some way. The guitars were done very well, the drumming is amazing, the pre-chorus is done by glitched vocals. This song could be radio-friendly, again, not in a bad way. The chorus is bound to stick in your head for a long time.

Manical Me – This track starts with heavy and fiercing drummings by Brent Taddie on this album. It also features high notes by Andrew, again. Andrew also screams on this track. I couldn’t make out any lyrics, plus this song was very loud on the speakers. This song is focusing more on instrumentals, to me. “I’m a maniac” proclaims Andrew. Watch out for the heavy breakdown in the bridge of the song. Crown the Empire takes you on a rollercoaster ride with choir vocals done in the background.

Satellites (Part III) – Starts with singing by Andrew and again, atmospheric synths in the background. The song moves forward with “woah oh ohs” sung beautifully by Andrew’s bandmates with the atmospheric synths being louder. The song ends with the “woah oh ohs” sung with no instrumentals behind them.

Rise of the Runaways – This is the third song we heard from this album. Features a stellar guitar solo, majority of the clean vocals on this song were done by Dave, and not Andrew for a change. “Because all we are, to anyone, is just a runaway”. It looks like Dave and Andrew has switched their roles, with Andrew doing screams and Dave doing the cleans. “I keep on running away”.

Bloodline – This is the second song we heard from this album. It features heavy drummings and screamings done by Dave. “We are the creatures you’ve hunted, we are the ghosts of hope you’ve killed, stand up, we’re taking back tomorrow”. The Runaways are ready for war.

The Phoenix Reborn – Begins with a military-rat-a-tat like drums with vocals in the background, “We come as we are, we are who we are”. It leads into Dave screaming “So fight the fire!”. “You can’t change me”, along with a breakdown in the background. The chorus is very catchy, “So say your goodbyes” before the Runaways march to war. The second half of this song features gang-vocals and the chorus sung in the background before Dave leads the bridge. It moves on to guns and missiles being launched before the song continues to military-esque drums, as the song ends and leads into the album closer.

Johnny’s Rebellion – This is the longest song on the album and this is Crown the Empire giving you all their power in just one song. Begins with a piano and cleans by Andrew as he proclaims that “I’ve seen the end”, before the track leads into “Oh Johnny” with manical laughter in the background. Then, the drums strike in heavy and this track hits you hard. The breakdown features lows done by Dave, before the chorus strikes in. When I listened to this song, I was like “Oh shit this isn’t over yet?!”. This song feels like it’s everything that CTE does, in one song, basically. Perfect album closer for a good album. The song ends with gang-vocals along with Dave screaming in the background.