Album Review: Queens Of The Stone Age – ‘Villains’
Posted: by The Editor
Villains is the 7th studio album from alternative rock band Queens of the Stone Age. Even with their new album the group has stayed true to their rock n roll roots since their self titled first album in 1998. The band hasn’t released new music in over 5 years and true fans will not find disappointment here.
The first two minutes of the opening track “Feet Don’t Fail Me Now” is filled to the brim with pure anticipation. No lyrics or rhythm yet, just a constant following of muffled twingy guitar picks that seems to almost vibrate itself out of our ears and surround us. What better way to keep listeners on their toes than to make them wait 5 years and 2 minutes to get a real taste? The following is anything but similar as a hefty, footstomping beat, built by the layers of purposely overdriven guitars and clean cut sounding drums, presents itself in the morst apparent way.
You’ll find a common feature of fast paced heavy beats in a handful of songs such as “Feet Don’t Fail Me Now”, “The Way You Used To”, “Head Like a Haunted House” and “The Evil Has Landed”. One different aspect about the new release is how singer, Josh Homme, has challenged the more melodic side to his voice. This can be clearly heard on tracks such as “Fortress”, “Hideaway” and “Villains of Circumstance”. The latter is exceptionally haunting partially due its hurting lyricism. “I’ve been so close, I’m so far away/ It’s so hard to explain, so easy to feel/ I need you now, nothing is real/ Save me from the villains of circumstance,” loosely tied by a dragging slow bass line and crying string of violins. This addition adds a more empty and yearning feeling to the album that is forced to sit side by side with its harder more upbeat tunes. The two sides seem to battle each other as we see first hand this new vulnerability tries to take on the bands classic tough sound.
Queens of the Stone Age have made their own path of rock n roll throughout the course of their musical existence which is what we love about them. It was a long time waiting but without fail Villains has quenched our want for rough and rugged tunes we all crave deep down.
Disappointing/Average/Good/Great/Phenomenal
– Riley DeSantis
