Jeff Rosenstock – ‘Hellmode’ album review: a punk-infused display of verve
Long Island punk Jeff Rosenstock has arrived with his fifth solo album, Hellmode. A collection of 11 tracks, his new work is a stellar fusion of punk, alternative rock, emo, ska and power pop, merging blistering dynamics with infectious melodies that instantly drive themselves into your brain.
Anarchic and unrelenting at points, the more visceral moments are counterbalanced by Rosenstock’s remarkable grasp of harmony, with his vocal performances and guitar work undeniably engaging. Whilst the record draws from some evident places, there’s also a clear strand of the songwriter’s characteristic sincerity running through. This makes for a compelling experience that only gets better with each listen.
From personal reflections to discussions of the dire state of the environment, the breadth of Rosenstock’s kill as a musician is on full display. Despite its musical and thematic reach, the record feels lucid and refined. “To me, the album feels like the chaos of being alive right now,” Rosenstock says of Hellmode. “We’re experiencing all these things at the same time that trigger our senses and emotions that make us feel terrible. We’re just feeling way too much all at once”. It’s true, and Rosenstock captures a perfect form of catharsis at such a critical juncture for humanity.
To record his finest album to date, Rosenstock once again enlisted the help of his constant studio collaborator, Jack Shirley. Electing to be more ambitious than ever before, the pair recorded at the iconic EastWest Studios in Hollywood, using the same room that System of a Down’s ‘Toxicity’ was captured in.
“I looked at it like, well, we’re never gonna make a major label debut record. But I really like the sound of a lot of those records from the ’90s—the Rob Cavallo stuff, the Jerry Finn stuff,” Rosenstock explains. “So what would we do if we were in the studio trying to make that kind of record? It’s funny. I feel like in 2023, you can write an unabashedly poppy punk song, and it’s probably not gonna be on the radio anyway, so it doesn’t feel like a sellout move. We felt free to make something that just kicks as much ass as possible.”
This self-awareness courses throughout Hellmode, resulting in an album that may go down as Rosenstock’s chef-d’oeuvre. Appropriately, the first of these is the opener, ‘WILL U STILL U’, which sets the scene for what’s to come. Starting with the clang of the bass and Rosenstock’s rumination of “Will you still love me after I fucked up?” it continues with a restrained country-evoking rhythm, counterbalanced by the emotive strums of the frontman’s guitar. This equilibrium is shattered as it explodes into a classic 1-2 punk beat, and the guitars let rip. Following this, there’s a brief break for air before returning to its original form, this time aided by a catchy indie melody backed by a magnetic vocal delivery.
‘HEAD’, meanwhile, commences with an upbeat electronic beat, as Rosenstock provides one of his most frenetic vocal performances on the album before the band jumps in for a glorious flourish that is rapid and utterly purifying.
Elsewhere, we have the single ‘LIKED U BETTER’. Imparting itself on the listener within an instant, the hook is nothing short of genius. Rosenstock sings simply, “I liked you better when you were on my mind”, displaying that things don’t always have to be complex. Clearly, Rosenstock knows when not to overdo it in light of some of the more complex compositions on Hellmode.
Another single, ‘DOUBT’, was highly worthy of release before the album. Led by clean guitars and a thoughtful riff, the first section of the track is noticeably emo-leaning. Rosenstock rides on this mood for a while before tearing through the mix in one of his customary U-turns, cranking the guitars right up to 11. The girth of the distortion is a sonic delight, as is the expletive-laden chorus and Rosenstock’s rips on his six-string.
The extensive album closer, ‘3 SUMMERS’, is another stellar juncture. A fitting way to bring the curtain down on Hellmode, just the right amount of emotion is married with dynamic ferocity, creating one of the best pieces of alternative rock this side of 2020. Here, the guitars and bass dovetail with full impact, prompting another moment of personal introspection, led by Rosenstock’s sincere lyrics analysing his place in the world.
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