WOODZ’s huge success with Drowning got here at an fascinating time, when he was on hiatus as a consequence of army conscription and couldn’t instantly capitalize upon the observe’s unlikely chart rise. Since returning, he’s launched a number of new songs however nothing has but recaptured Drowning‘s fortunes. Now, he’s again together with his first full album — a sprawling seventeen-track work.

“Human Extinction” is sort of an attention grabbing title for a Okay-pop observe and the music itself doesn’t prolong many olive branches to these informal followers who might have found his work by means of Drowning. To WOODZ’s credit score, he’s clearly not pulling his punches in the hunt for one other megahit. Human Extinction jogs my memory of one thing you’d hear on an early Muse album. With this comparability in thoughts, I want the blending had given extra priority to the vocal. WOODZ is (deliberately) buried in his personal observe, his voice a haunting texture working simply beneath the blistering rock instrumental. It’s a curious selection, particularly for a title observe.

This method makes Human Extinction extra of an object of admiration than a music I’d actively placed on a playlist. I really like the guitar line that follows every refrain and the driving power that frames your complete observe, however the melodies aren’t robust sufficient to drag me in — particularly given the distant feeling of the vocal efficiency. Nonetheless, this is likely one of the extra fascinating items of music delivered by a mainstream artist this yr.

Grade: C