Album Review: As Everything Unfolds – DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE? (Century Media Records)

As Everything Unfolds will release their highly anticipated new album, DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE?, on April 10th via Century Media.

Bowed, but unbroken. Damaged, but not destroyed. As Everything Unfolds are back and with, arguably, their most important album to date. They have been through so much since the release of ‘Ultraviolet’ in 2023 and, somehow, come out the other side. This journey is showcased in uncompromising and authentic fashion across this new album. Not just an album shaped by grief, trauma, and escapism, but an album about finding forward movement.

This is special.

Led by the immeasurable talent of Charlie Rolfe, As Everything Unfolds throw their all into this record, beginning things in spectacular fashion with DENIAL and GASOLINE. The former is creatively melodic. Yet when it explodes, it does so in eye-widening style. A brilliant chorus is the cherry on top. The latter is bouncy, energetic, and infectious, suggesting that this new era of As Everything Unfolds seems to be coming with one eye on the live environment. Where the explosive connection the track speaks of extends to the connection between band and audience.

As powerful and as personal as it gets, POINT OF VIEW cuts through, delivering a relatable message through intoxicating melody and a potent breakdown. Followed by a dramatic showcase of modern sounding effects crossed with alternative rock via the addictive poppiness of FIND ANOTHER WAY. Charlie sounds immense here. Before the halfway point of the album arrives in spectacular fashion courtesy of CUT THE LIES, where playful instrumentals and intense vocals make a potent point and BREAK IT AWAY, where expressive melody and electronica make for anthemic listen.

As Everything Unfolds haven’t sat still in the years between releases and their forward movement has resulted in them experimenting more outside the rock and metal genres. There may be no better example of that experimentation than SET IN FLOW, a track that everyone should be very familiar with as its release originally heralded their return. A track that can be called a metalcore track, albeit modernised and blended with electro pop. It has thick industrial vibes, touches of techno, and so much more. The word that comes to mind is wild. It’s hard to call it an anthem as there is no traditional chorus, but there’s no denying that it has infectious qualities.

By contrast, WHAT YOU WANTED seems a bit ordinary, but is anything but. Not only raging hard but featuring one the best metalcore vocalists in the world, Dani Winter-Bates of Bury Tomorrow. Together, they make magic, and the riffs of this one will make you gurn with pleasure.

A tough track to follow, but As Everything Unfolds’ form is undeniable here and they smash through efforts like IDOLS, one of the album’s best because of the vocals. REVERIE, one of the album’s worst because of the effects, and EDGE OF FOREVER, a tear-jerking ballad, leaving one hell of an impression. A two-step, circle-pit inducing, dance-floor filling, heartfelt, blunt, head banging, and passionate impression. Wrapping things up impressively with the epic SETTING SUN.

They’re back and back with purpose. Only a fool would refuse to pay attention to what they have to say here.

As Everything Unfolds – DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE? Track Listing:

1. DENIAL
2. GASOLINE
3. POINT OF VIEW
4. FIND ANOTHER WAY
5. CUT THE LIES
6. BREAK IT AWAY
7. SET IN FLOW
8. WHAT YOU WANTED
9. IDOLS
10. REVERIE
11. EDGE OF FOREVER
12. SETTING SUN

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