The rest of the album entails this same style of contrasting the catchy modern rock style and their past heavier sound, as seen in songs such as ‘DARKSIDE’, ‘EVOLVE’ and the album’s second single ‘THE HUMAN RADIO’. The follow up to this song is ‘BLACK SOUL’ which holds a catchy verse which then surprisingly breaks into a hard and heavy chorus. ‘THE ENTRANCE’ then comes to an end, breaking right in to ‘DEVIL’, the band’s already released single. In this time, you hear the sounds of a knock on a door which then opens and footsteps walking, coming to a stop to sit down in a chair and exhale. The album begins with THE ENTRANCE which is just 40 seconds. I gave my first listen through trying to be as unbiased as I possibly could. The minute the clock struck 12am on release date May 4th, Spotify had notified me Shinedown released this album and I was ecstatic. Of course, the build-up of this left me excited and anticipating this new release, as their previous album ‘Threat To Survival’ was released over 3 years ago in 2015. On March 7th, the band dropped a new single ‘DEVIL’ with the announcement that their new concept album ‘ATTENTION ATTENTION’ will be released. The band withhold a specific sound of hard alternative-rock in which they have consistently been on the charts since 2005. Whereas Attention Attention can seem a little lengthy at points, there is no reason why our attention won’t be drawn to Shinedown for a long time.American rock band Shinedown have been a personal favourite band of mine for years. These guys are professionals, able to right the band’s unsteady ship with an album that packs a lot of punch and digs deep.
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Shinedown has a way of genuinely connecting with its audience through that honesty, making them one of the more accessible hard rock bands currently on the scene. What is perhaps most important about Attention Attention is the fact that it is completely honest. The vicarious reliving that takes place while listening to Attention Attention is daunting at times and weighs heavy to the self-conscious mind. There is a lot to unpack in this 14 track tale, whose 50 minutes are almost overwhelmed with action. In “Pyro”, attention is turned to family and an obviously rocky upbringing, causing Smith to smirk, “Set fire to the family tree”. “Nothing about me is ordinary / My friends all say I’m going crazy / I don’t hear a word that they say” is a direct plea for help, a symbol of the internal struggles faced every day. The title track “Attention Attention” is a thesis statement, a quick explanation as to how this concept album came to be. It’s clear that Shinedown has found an untapped well of energy to spark them through this album. There’s an urgency to each word, each lick of the guitar, similar to an animal waiting to be released back into the wild. It doesn’t take long for Shinedown to get into their classic style of hard and heavy rock, but each lyric has a little extra sting. However cheesy this technique is, it is still seemingly warranted given that the concept of personal struggle can often feel like being trapped in a room with all your worst nightmares. The journey begins (and ends) with the sound of footsteps and the opening (and closing) of a door. Attention Attention is now a key cornerstone in that appeal, providing a personal rock odyssey that doesn’t disappoint. Shinedown is a band that rocks loud but also has mainstream appeal. It’s a personal journey coded in swinging guitar riffs, blasted rhythm sections, and the snarl of lead singer Brent Smith. This album digs deep into the trenches of depression, angst, and loneliness.
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The struggle of stringing an album together in story form comes naturally to Shinedown, especially given the heavy subject matter. But for Shinedown and Attention Attention, it seems easy. Concept albums can be tricky to pull off in the current single track culture of music.