Mutemath - Vitals

Mutemath

Vitals

2015

Mutemath were on the vanguard of the electropop movement long before it was popular or some would claim even good. Their music has always been high energy and meticulously crafted. The two albums before this Odd Soul and Armistice suffered from one being a bit ahead of their time and two not harnessing the rawness and power that is Mutemath. If you've never head banged and danced your ass off to "Typical" at two in the morning I'm not sure if you've lived. The new record Vitals is a potential turning point for the band taking four years to write and produce all on their own it means that this record unlike the previous two will be 100% their own. It also means that the album takes a much more personal bend their their previous releases. Vitals feels rich and full of depth you can hear the emotion behind the lyrics. The first three tracks seems to follow the same path set by Odd Soul and Armistice keeping with the electropop theme, One thing that can be said for Mutemath is they never really look back, with them it is always on to the next theme, next style which sometimes works sometimes does not. 

For the new listener Vitals is a perfectly nice little album, but for someone who knows Mutemath there is no way this record will not be a disappointment. At no point on the record do the band really let loose, everything is restrained like a caged lion. We know Mutemath have this big bold sound inside of them, but it never comes out anymore. Where is the band where the drummer would have to ducktape headphones to his head just to play? "Remain" would certainly be one of the songs on their first record, but it would be surrounded by stuff with power. There is plenty to like on this record however for Mutemath their best still remains their first. Will the ever recapture what they once had? I'm not sure because for three albums it seems like their is no going back. Vitals is fine, but if you really want to hear something go back and listen to Mutemath you won't be disappointed. 

5.9 out of 10