Midnight Mob – Honest Brutal Glorious

Review by Dom Vigil

Midnight Mob’s Honest Brutal Glorious EP is explosive and in your face right off the bat, and doesn’t even think about letting go or slowing down until the very end. Unpredictable and versatile, Honest Brutal Glorious is the perfect taste test of Midnight Mob, sure to win you over before the first two songs even pass.

“Song For The Damned” opens things up with high energy, nearly feeling like a war cry when the chorus comes in. The energy in this song is raw and powerful, and on top of that, it is also very well balanced and put together. The vocals are powerful and commanding, the guitar work is intricate and adds to the mood, the bass is absolutely stellar, and the drums are completely wild, but all of these sounds work flawlessly together, changing pace multiple times and drawing from many influences. “Song For The Damned” is the perfect anthem from Midnight Mob, promising a captivating and explosive release.

“Run For Your Life” keeps the energy high following “Song For The Damned.” This track is really guitar driven, but that’s not to say the vocals fall to the wayside, as they take on a very soulful quality, the slight rasp only adding more emotion and power.

There isn’t necessarily one song that really outshines the others on this release, but there also isn’t one single weak point, and despite the lack of a solid standout, each song is also strong for its own reasons. For instance, some of the best bass work on Honest Brutal Glorious can be found on “Ghosts.” On top of that, the vocal range on “Ghosts” is absolutely phenomenal. But alongside a slower, more haunting track like “Black Mamba,” both songs really shine. “Black Mamba” is the first song that really slows things down a bit after the explosive beginning, but unsurprisingly, the wild trademark Midnight Mob energy is still there.

If there has to be a standout track on Honest Brutal Glorious (which again, it is very hard to determine) it would be “Swing On.” This poppy and groovy track is not only strong musically, but it’s the lyrical content that really hits home, as the song is about being yourself and unapologetically proud about it. Then, bringing things to a close is “Stay,” which gives us a softer, gentler side of Midnight Mob before the end. The song is carried by somber acoustic guitar, but the soul and emotion that can be found in the other songs is definitely still there in the raw, powerful vocals. Even on a slower song, Midnight Mob still demands your attention, which makes a slower song like “Stay” a very ambitious and smart ending track. Not only does it leave you wanting more, but it shows listeners exactly what this group is capable of. Give Midnight Mob a full length, and chances are, they’ll expand on this diverse and powerful sound even more.

Rating: 5/5

Listen to “Swing On” or “Ghosts”

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