You all know the Seven Deadly Sins, right? Well, they’re also “Seven Ways to Die “on Buckcherry’s upcoming album, Confessions. There’s a seven on the second cover, even! It’s cyan, a nice contrast to the wooden cross on the cover. The band said it’ll make a good tattoo–and they’re right.
The album opens with “Gluttony,” a track about want and indulgence, relatable especially in the days following the cookie and candy extravaganza that is Valentine’s Day. “Gluttony” is a nice showcase of guitar work and drums, making up for the repeating lines of “I want it I want it I want it, I need it I need it I need it, I love it I love it I love it” that drive the point home.
Next is “Wrath,” deviating from the trajectory of popular horror/psychological thriller Se7en, because that’s the big finish. It is indeed an angry, furious track, perhaps a bit too metal for Buckcherry because it sounds like they’re wearing a different, itchy skin. We deviate from the 7 Deadly Sins with “Nothing Left But Tears.” Same with “The Truth,” brings the band back to earth with a grounded and melodic alt-rock sound. It is the most organic with lyrics, a nice successor to 2007’s “Sorry.”
“Greed” is a Western-inflected jaunt, just suffering a bit from the same saying-a-forced-fuck-to-give-a -shock like “Gluttony” did. But the bridge is a total killer.
“Water” and “Air” make an organic sandwich out of “Seven Ways to Die” (theme time!) and opens with a cool guitar rif—oh Josh Todd’s saying the title. It’s a paean to not giving up and also the dark secrets we harbor deep in the dark recesses of our minds. But the bridge is soooo cool, adding a flare of country-rock to the madness.
The band takes it slow on “Sloth,” a personal and raw track, the most serious on Confessions. Its melody undulates in a rhythm perfect for the subject matter. With three more Sins to take on, Buckcherry tackles “Pride,” a remarkable spoken word/alt-country hybrid. Buckcherry hits their stride on the album here, creating a bit of bewilderment when they straddle metal for “Envy” and “Lust.”
“Dreamin’ Of You” is the most restrained of the songs, a smooth acoustic offering with building strings looming in the background. “Dreamin’” serves as a calm after the storm, a hopeful plains song that is just unearthly in comparison to the harder rock preceding it.
The physical copy is like a book; this chapter of Buckcherry’s career is sure to be a high note. The guitar and riffs alone are crazy charged and unforgettable. Though not consistent in quality from start to finish, the final act of Confessions shows off a mature grasp of darker subjects.
