Falling In Reverse

[TheFallen]

Okay so the new Falling In Reverse album (entitled "Popular Monster") dropped. The track listing is as per my May 24th post above and it's a mix of new and previously unseen material and tracks that have been released at varying times before (including the two - "Ronald" and "All My Life" - released in May and June this year).

Here are links to the completely new material:-

Falling In Reverse - Prequel This features an out of this world accompanying video and just screams to be viewed.

Falling In Reverse - Bad Guy
Falling In Reverse - Trigger Warning
Falling In Reverse - No Fear

Stevie, if you're looking in and since I know you're a fan of the literally insanely high quality and "beyond blockbuster movie-ness" of Falling In Reverse's epic videos, I'd urge you to catch the video to "Prequel" above - it's jaw-dropping. The title of the song is also and without a doubt highly relevant, since many of its visual and lyrical references look forward to other tracks and videos (like "Watch The World Burn"... you my well recognise the armoured suit that Ronnie finds at the end).

Man but these guys are ridiculously talented at pretty much any musical genre.

[StevieG]

I have been meaning to comment on this album - I have been listening to it for the last week or so.

Just watched the Prequel video which is ridiculously spectacular! Epic! The song is great too - probably my favourite of the new releases. Really strong lyrics and satisfyingly epic in song structure.

I’ll come back and comment on the rest soon, which I find an interesting mixed bag. Overall, the album flows well - the choice of old and new songs seem to be in their right place.

[TheFallen]

Agreed on all fronts... though of the new tracks, I also have a lot of time for "Bad Guy".

By the way, Stevie, did you ever catch up with 'Straight To Hell' from the 2017 'Coming Home' album? No epic video with that one since it wasn't released as a single, but it's an absolute banger - that kick-ass drumming is off the scale in the way it punches you repeatedly in the guts - and as such, it definitely features in my top 5 FIR all-time fave tracks.

The band is finally stepping outside the US of A on its just-started Popular Monstour II, with 1 date in Mexico, 14 dates scattered around continental Europe and (woohoo!) closing with 6 dates in the UK in early December. I'm definitely getting tickets if I can, but there's huge demand.

[StevieG]

I'll need to revisit the 'Coming Home' album. I listened to 'Straight to Hell' and agree that it packs a satisfying punch. I also hadn't heard the 'Gansters Paradise' version until today.

Good luck getting tickets! I think it may be some time (if ever) that they travel across the world to Australia, but you never know!

So, my very brief summary of the new album:

'Prequel' sounds personal (nothing new there), I really like the lyrics and the tune. A great start to the album.
'Popular Monster' - we know this one. Great song too.
'All my Life' - catchy but probably a bit weaker than some others. I do find I listen to it every time though.
'Ronald' - too much for me! Too heavy - which is saying something!
'Voices in my Head' - another great previously released song. There's a theme in some of the songs that have a hard-core metal section near the end. This one has it.
'Bad Guy' - my first impression was what the fuck?? His voice is plain weird at the start. It develops into another good song, and over subsequent listens I have really enjoyed it.
'Watch the World Burn' - up there for me. Great song.
'Trigger Warning' - I haven't listened too closely to the lyrics but it sounds a bit political. Good song, not my favourite, but still good.
'ZOMBIFIED' - an oldie and a goodie.
'No Fear' - Eminen! Enjoyable, and I think of Eminem every time I hear it.
'Last Resort - Reimagined' - just a top quality remake. Almost as good as 'The Drug in me is You'

[TheFallen]

The recently released 'Popular Monster' album is indeed a real kaleidoscope of multi-genres - and the track ordering is obviously important from a Ronnie's journey/evolving world view standpoint. I'm not sure that the putative narrative is entirely seamless, but I remain gob-smacked at the band's mastery of very different styles.

Ronnie has separately commented before now that one of his least favourite of the band's albums is 2017's 'Coming Home', which literally staggers me (I'd have immediately given that dubious accolade to 2014's 'Fashionably Late', where the band is starting - not altogether successfully - to incorporate rap and electronica into its armoury).

Although it's not really representative of FIR's current output (unsurprising, given how the band keeps adding new genres to its sound), to me, 'Coming Home' is actually and by a considerable way the best album FIR has released. I keep going back to it and giving tracks a new listen (hence my bigging up 'Straight To Hell' in my last post).

The latest and deeply personal absolute jewel that I've revisited from this album is:-

I Don't Mind

...which again I urge anyone to check out (or in Stevie's case, re-check out). Just by itself, it's hauntingly evocative, genuine, raw and hits the listener straight in the feels. Even more so, if one is somewhat aware of Ronnie's life story, his troubled relationship with his mother (check out Drugs for more on that), his earlier struggles with addiction and his relationship with his daughter.

These guys are unparalleled in terms of talent. Falling In Reverse - dive on in. You will not be disappointed.

[StevieG]

I’m driving a bit today. I’ll give ‘Coming Home’ a full listen and see how it goes.

[TheFallen]

Well, well, well... it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good, Stevie.

Falling In Reverse have just cancelled all their UK tour dates, due to Ronnie Radke being refused a visa (courtesy of his having served prison time for parole violations 16 or so years ago). The band is re-applying, so we'll just have to see what happens. However...

FIR has just announced 5 mid-March Aussie tour dates... in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane! So if the fancy takes you, you'll get to see them perform live well before I do.

I'm only furiously jealous...

[StevieG]

Oh wow! I wonder if he’ll have similar issues in Oz.

Melbourne is closest to me - I’d love to see what they’re like live. Will keep an eye out. Without actually looking (which I will do in a minute) do you know if tickets are on sale yet for the Aus shows? I imagine not yet.

[TheFallen]

Tickets do seem to be on sale already (see https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/s ... FALLINGI25 for example). But they're likely to sell out really fast, if other countries are anything to go by. For example, all UK venues sold out in 72 hours, before the visa problems came to light and put the kybosh on that part of the tour.

The Melbourne venue (Fri 14th Mar 2025) is the Rod Laver arena, which has something like a 15,000 capacity - so if you are minded to go, I'd get in quick if I were you.

[StevieG]

Looks like tickets are still available. $160 each plus flights and accommodation. I’m tempted!

[TheFallen]

Well Stevie...

This was the Perth show from last night.

Melbourne on Friday... are you?

[StevieG]

Sadly, no. But that little clip has made it more difficult to justify my financially based decision.

His tats have gone! And he seems more ripped than expected.

[TheFallen]

Shame - although I'm now not as jealous as I might have been.

Agreed. Ronnie seems to have had his torso fully inked in with black. And he also seems to have gone on a fairly major gym kick.