Papa Roach - 'Crooked Teeth'

It's been an interesting few records for Papa Roach. 2012's The Connection ushered the band into a newer, more modern sound that combined their alternative rock and nu metal past with poppier tones and electronic. 2015 followed up with F.E.A.R., a dynamic album that saw electronics and rock blend with more sense of melody and energy.

They're on the brink of another record, due out in 2017, and it's continuing the trend. The band has shared 'Crooked Teeth,' the first track from the as-of-now unnamed album. The song builds off the band's alternative rock midlife and progresses into some new elements.

The dynamic of the song is what really stands out strongly above the rest. The song is introduced by a big powerchord and powerful drumming, leading into a high energy, angry verse on the brink of screaming from Jacoby Shaddix. The chorus sounds melodically and powerfully like something you'd hear from the alternative rock scene in the mid-2000s. The powerful drums drive the song throughout the track as Shaddix yells powerfully.

Electronica is still very much present; in fact, it's further developed on this track than the band has yet dabbled in. There's elements of trap music in the song, right at the beginning of the second verse: powerful drums and big guitars take a break so that a deep, bassy beat can instead fill in under Shaddix's paranoid delivery of "Caved in, hyperventilating... I feel my devil trying to creep back in." The song kicks back in with full force instrumentally to take the song out to the end.

'Crooked Teeth' is a pretty big track. It's somehow maturer than past efforts have been while still maintaining the band's core sounds. Their next record is shaping up to be a big one for the band. Papa Roach may finally be settling the score with their 'Last Resort' past and make it big with a whole new sound.

Rating: 80 / 100