Vic Mensa - 'Heathens' (Freestyle)

Suicide Squad was one of the biggest films of 2016, but the soundtrack proved to be even more massive. Several songs (as well as the soundtrack itself) has been nominated for GRAMMYs, including the twenty one pilots hit 'Heathens.' The song is now the backbeat of Vic Mensa's new freestyle.

Vic Mensa is known for being direct. This freestyle is all about the struggles of living in the ghetto, but with a badass, threatening vibe to it. It may seem pretty clichéd at this point, but Vic Mensa kills it in his freestyle. The song is introduced by Tyler Joseph's iconic hook (the chorus of 'Heathens'), Mensa kicking into his verse full force. His lyrics all have a sense of fear to them, in one form or the other. The first lines reference his dark upbringing, Mensa claiming "Grew up around heathens, the streets made us Tarzans... Number two can puncture you, better wear a vest / We packing like a Lunchable, we live in constant threat... They killed my brother dead, wonder why I'd be faded."

Vic Mensa's 'Heathens' freestyle isn't just about the struggles of his beginnings, but also how his success now makes it all worth it. He had to earn that, too. His lyrics are never over-glorifying, though some are pretty grandiose in their descriptions: "I be with heathens but I've earned my stripes / Keep a SIG, I'm too pretty for fist fights / Until these niggas kill me I just wanna live life / Cop a palace in the city, buy a little ice / But y'all know me, I don't rock diamonds / Only the Roc diamonds, that's how I'm shining." The song seamlessly transitions between the two subjects, connecting them. He even changes the flow up at the end to accentuate his swagger, making the freestyle even more threatening.

Vic Mensa killed it on this freestyle. 'Heathens' provides a haunting backdrop to his dark freestyle. His past made him who he is today, and he owns it. That's the impression that leaves you after you're through with this track.

Rating: 85 / 100

Imagine Dragons - 'Levitate'

Imagine Dragons seem to be progressing with their third album, and a new song is here to give us a little look into the next record's sound. 'Levitate' is Imagine Dragons' new single.

'Levitate' is written for the upcoming film Passengers, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt. The movie is a sci-fi film: two humans cryogenically frozen for a century wake up and travel space together. 'Levitate' brings that spacial love come to life.

The song is a new direction for Imagine Dragons. 'Levitate' isn't the big rock tracks that 'Friction' and 'Battle Cry' are, nor is it a poppier track like 'I Bet My Life' or 'Demons.' It's not even the classic Imagine Dragons arena rock banger ('Radioactive' and 'Shots,' for example). It's a very poppy song, treading away from a focus on guitars and being built upon synths and electronics. It's led in by a sweet synth intro, twinkling synth arpeggios joining in as Dan Reynolds croons above the sparkling instrumental. The choruses are briefly immense, synths pounding and gang vocals chanting together. Guitar does make an appearance, though rather insignificant, at the end, where is dinky little lick repeats as the song comes to an end.

'Levitate' doesn't feel like an Imagine Dragons song, or a particularly great song either. It's good, but really lacking in energy and power. It doesn't feel very cohesive, either. I'm not looking for another 'Radioactive,' but Imagine Dragons' best songs are the songs they really bring a drive and chunk too. 'Levitate' has none of that. It's a synth rock song that doesn't go anywhere. It's not doing the movie justice, nor is it doing the band any.

Imagine Dragons took a swing and a miss with 'Levitate.' This sweet little song is largely forgettable and really doesn't feel like its and Imagine Dragons song. Change is necessary for any band, but showing your grasp on the elements that made you unique and memorable is also a key to success in that way. Let's hope 'Levitate' isn't indicative of what's to come, because if it is, album #3 isn't looking too hot.

Rating: 52 / 100

Fall Out Boy - 'Thnks Fr The Mmrs'

It's Thanksgiving, a holiday where we Americans sit around a table, feast on delicious food, and talk about what we're all thankful for. Thanksgiving doesn't have quite the musical mood surrounding it like other holidays, but there's still a lot of music out there that likes to give thanks.

Fall Out Boy's 2007 classic 'Thnks Fr Th Mmrs' really isn't one of those songs. If anything, it's pretty much the exact opposite of a thank you. Regardless, it's musical sweetness is something to remain thankful for even if the song's meaning itself is about a failing relationship.

'Thnks Fr Th Mmrs' helped Fall Out Boy launch further into their pop rock takeover after 'Dance, Dance' rocketed them into stardom. 'Thnks Fr Th Mmrs' showed the best of Fall Out Boy's alternative side. The song is brought in by dramatic orchestration with lots of dynamic and tension. Patrick Stump's soulful voice rings with a rockstar tinge, especially in the choruses, loads of harmonies piling on top of the thick rhythm guitar.

As mentioned before, there isn't much about being legitimately thankful in this song. The song's really about a relationship where no more love exists, but they continue to be together just for sex. The chorus chants: "One night and one more time / Thanks for the memories / Even though they weren't so great / He tastes like you only sweeter," referring to the lack of romance in these casual affairs. The line "He tastes like you, only sweeter" comes straight from the play Closer in a particularly funny scene; the song has a couple of cheeky references like that, including the bridge lyric "Collecting Page Six lovers," referring to bassist Pete Wentz' romantic links to Page Six model Lindsay Lohan. There's even reference to his signature eyeliner - "I'm a liner away / From getting you into the mood."

The lyrics are a pretty interesting internal battle. There's a plot and there's an overall meaning, both of which aren't necessarily related. The narrative follows the story of a crazy night. The character is amidst an argument with his partner, saying she better hope she's being watched over ("I'm going to make you bend and break (It sent you to me without wings) / Say a prayer, but let the good times roll / In case God doesn't show") before things go down. As things go on, he begins to lose sight of that relationship, the memories of the past remaining clear but the future for them looking uncertain: "I'm looking forward to the future / But my eyesight is going bad / And this crystal ball / It's always cloudy except for, except for when you look into the past." The bridge sees him losing his morals and getting with other girls (Pete Wentz lost Kim Kardashian to a monkey in the music video, so that's really as low as he can get). The song then bursts into one final chorus, a big festive hurrah (or a fuck you) to love and fun.

'Thnks Fr Th Mmrs' probably isn't the song you want to be citing this Thanksgiving weekend, but there song itself is something to be thankful for. It's one of prime examples of alternative rock and of the band, and really stood the test of time. It came out in the prime of scene in 2007, and ever since it's been a classic. If you're finding trouble being thankful this weekend, too, you can always come to this song for some sweet revenge.

Rating: 97 / 100

Happy Thanksgiving from Immortal Reviews!

Dangerkids - 'Things Could Be Different'

It's been a long time coming for Dangerkids, but a new chapter has arrived. After their success in their 2013 debut Collapse, they're ready to take the post-hardcore world by storm again.

The first single from their new record 'Things Could Be Different' shows an evolution for the band, still clinging to its roots but adding a new vibe to their existing sound. The song begins dramatically, electronics pounding under the lo-fi vocals before powerful guitar punches bring the song to its powerful first verse. The song rings with a certain urgency, ringing all the way to the end, where it all combines into one conglomerate of apocalyptic elements.

What 'Things Could Be Different' shows is that Dangerkids has gone a long way from their original sound. What was once an homage to Linkin Park paired with a wandering sense of loneliness has become something more serious; Dangerkids' sound is its own monster, full of power and a mature purpose. This track isn't about loneliness; if anything, it's a testament to loneliness. It bashes those with massive egos and encourages originality, evident in the chorus which angrily chants "If you’re sick of all the lies, let me tell you the truth: / Nobody wants to be you."

Dangerkids continues to be the fresh sound in the post-hardcore scene. 'Things Could Be Different' is a massive departure from the safe, inviting sounds of Collapse and treads into something more daring and purposeful. It's been a long three years since their debut, and it seems their sophomore album is ready to take the world by storm once again.

Rating: 90 / 100

Coldplay - 'Everglow' (Single Version)

Coldplay's eclectic A Head Full Of Dreams was full of catchy and fun songs, but scattered in between some of the poppy tracks like 'Adventure Of A Lifetime' and 'Hymn For The Weekend' were some more hardhitting tracks - such as the band's next single 'Everglow,' which they've reworked into a new stripped down single version.

Gone are the eccentricities of the album version, swelling guitars and ex-wife backing vocals et al. It was always a good song, but something about it felt a bit cluttered. The new single version takes it back to the basics, consisting of nothing more than piano and Chris Martin's vocals. The signature piano line from the song sounds gentle when it's not being shadowed by a pop drum beat and layers of sounds.

The song's rawness really gives it a whole new perspective. The emotion really comes out of it when it's stripped down like this. A Head Full Of Dreams was definitely an album meant to be outgoing and eccentric, but some songs sometimes got lost in the mood. 'Everglow' is an example of that; it's by far a more powerful song in this form. It even ends with a sweet sentiment from a Muhammed Ali speech, bringing the song to a powerful but sweet close: "So I’m going to dedicate my life to using my name and popularity to helping charities, helping people, uniting people, people bombing each other because of religious beliefs. We need somebody in the world to help us all make peace. So when I die – if there’s a heaven – I’m gonna see it."

Coldplay's eccentricities sometimes get the best of them, but when they take things down you are reminded of why they're such a big force in music. Their songwriting and emotion is always there, and surely the energy is always there to keep the song interesting for you. The band's upcoming EP Kaleidoscope is coming soon, and perhaps that'll show the cleaner side to the band in a bigger light.

Rating: 88 / 100