Review - Hollywood Undead - American Tragedy

Bemasked LA rap-rockers Hollywood Undead make their return to the scene after some time out of the spotlight with this, their second album, which is the follow-up to their break through 2008 album, Swan Songs. American Tragedy is a lengthy album, clocking in at 18 tracks, so it was always going to need something special to captivate the listener constantly throughout.

On first listen, it is clear that there is a lot of filler here, but in amongst some of the poorer moments (generic rapping, juvenile concepts, etc) there are some bright sparks littered thoughout. Opener Been To Hell is a driving rap rock song, evoking memories of Linkin Park in their earlier days. That is something of a theme on the stronger tracks of this album, in that they do resemble anthemic Linkin Park songs at times. Been To Hell sets high standards though, which the album quickly struggles to live up to. Some of the tracks are quite generic, and there is a fair share of trite lyrical content throughout. One of the funnier moments though does come in Comin’ In Hot, where there is not only a reference to McCauley Culkin, but repeated requests to get a “girl on my lap, and a jaberbomb”.

Look behind the party boy antics though, and there are some hints at Hollywood Undead sounding like a force to be reckoned with. Lead single Hear Me Now is really catchy, and it is not hard to see why that was the first track they did a video for. That, along with the opener, Levitate, and Tendencies are all rock inspired tunes with big choruses, and those Linkin Park comparisons sound ever more apparent as the album goes on. What they need to do though is match these standards across the board, and remove some of the filler.

Had this been a lot shorter, and they had stuck to their best songs, this would have been an impressive release from them. As it stands though, you do have to wade through some of the poorer tracks before getting to the diamonds in the rough.

Mother Murder is another highlight, sounding powerful, and deeply affecting on first listen. Other highlights include Bullet (which I swear has a bluegrass feel to it, and kids vocals), Lump Your Head (which has an almost indie feel to it, and what MUST be an accordion?) and album closer SCAVA which along with its piano driven intro, and its rich symphonic sounds, could almost come from a European power metal act.

What is clear to me is that Hollywood Undead are still trying to find their true identity with this, as there are a lot of different ideas thrown into the mix. It really works in places, but falls short at times, hinting at a need to hone their craft, and trim off the excess fat.

They are at their strongest when they rock out the anthemic choruses, and merge in the rap vocals to the searing melodies, much in the Linkin Park mould.

Worth a listen though, if only for the choice cuts.

6.5/10