When you hear the term, “decade,” what do you think about?
Nostalgia? The state of the world? Personal milestones?
Well, when I think of “decade,” I think of the album Decades, created by the two-decades-strong metal monolith Motionless in White. This record is filled with EDM synths, nu metal-inspired rhyme schemes and metalcore theatricality. A tribute to the 20+ decades of Motionless in White’s meteoric contributions tmetal music.
So, on that note, let’s break it down! BLEGH!
Track #1: “Decades”
I can see why the record title is the first song.
I tell you, I was exhausted from a hard day when I was listening to this. But when I turned up the volume on my earbuds, this number felt like 100 caffeine shots in one gulp, I shot awake so fast!
Justin Morrow’s bass rumbles beneath the music, followed by the thrashing licks of Ryan Sitkowski and Ricky Horror’s electric guitars. Topped with Vinny Mauro’s wicked-fast drum hits. Then blares the shrill warning siren, followed by Motionless’s vocal fry, “I’M STILL FUCKING HERE!”
Yeah, no way was I dozing off after that!
And that first line fits the song perfectly because it’s meant to showcase the band’s years-long portfolio of musical work (just like the overall album itself). Sounds like the best way to get you fired up for the rest of the record!
Track #2: “log_in//crash_out”
If you’re sick of our digitally obsessed world, join the club with “log_in//crash_out,” a harsh manifesto against the social media dystopia our world has turned into.
The boom of Mauro’s drums, the intense thrumming of Morrow’s bass and the throat-cutting riffs of Sitkowski and Horror brew up a dangerous combo. Earth-shattering enough to break a thousand phone screens in one go.
And lead singer Motionless holds nothing back with the bridge, “Trapped inside / Am I living or alive / If this is paradise / Then I’d rather fucking die!”
Scream it louder for the drones in the back!
Track #3: “R.I.P.” (feat. Skylar Grey)
Fans of Skylar Grey, rejoice at Track #3, “R.I.P.”!
The song delves into the emotional turbulence of deep relationships. It’s a seamless collaboration mixed with soft piano notes and intense guitar riffs, as if to express the passionate highs and lows of being with someone you love. The chorus sums up this sentiment in a few simple lines: “If you ever leave / It will be the end of me / I would die but I’d never rest in peace.”
It’s here that we witness the legendary Grey, whose siren-esque vocals at the song’s beginning sound like a refreshing waterfall of cool water. Grey’s ethereal lyrics are soon laced together by Motionless’s theatrical, vampiric singing voice.
Track #4: “Fight Like Hell”
A sped-up, fired-up manifesto about fighting through adversity, this fourth track has slightly similar notes to “Voices,” despite the difference in tempo.
However, the nu metal-style rap in the second verse not only sets it apart from “Voices,” but “Fight Like Hell” also sounds like an indirect way of saying, “Voices in my head again, but I’m gonna suckerpunch them and come out victorious.”
Track #5: “Playing God” (feat. Corey Taylor)
In the fifth song, MIW fights back harder in “Playing God,” joined by the ever-great Slipknot metal god Corey Taylor.
The lyricism in this track bites as hard as the death vocals in this song, especially the chorus. “I will never bow down or submit to the judgment of powerless puppets / Playing God.”
My absolute favorite part of this song, however, is the bridge. Here, after the echo of Motionless’s “God,” the guitar riffs and drum beats slow down to a steady but commanding boil. Then Corey Taylor’s meat-grinding vocal fry shreds into the music, finishing off the bridgo e with a searing, “Lick the fucking dirt off my boots like a good dog!”
And who can forget the “Bleeegghhh-ooowww!” that came soon after? One of the best bridges I’ve heard in a metal song.
Track #6: “All That I’ve Ever Known”
Nu metal AND brostep in the same song?
…And it works?
The surprisingly upbeat switch at the end of the song was a nice plot twist, too. It sounded like MIW’s way of saying, “This is hell, but there’s a way out.”
Track #7: “Blood Rave” (feat. Anthony Martinez)
Electronica blends beautifully with power metal in “Blood Rave,” featuring Anthony Martinez of Dark Divine.
I remember listening to Dark Divine’s 2023 track, “Cold,” when I was still in college, and I played that song on repeat. So, I was ecstatic when I saw Martinez’s name under this song’s title.
Motionless and Martinez’s voices compliment each other in more ways than one on this track. And the high-pitched vocal fry pierces the speakers at the end with, “LET THE BLOOD SPILL!” If blood were gold, “Blood Rave” is sparkling in it.
Track #8: “Love at First Bite”
“Love at First Bite” is a romantic continuation of the “Werewolf” saga from MIW’s Scoring the End of the World album. So, “Love at First Bite” would be great for fans of “Werewolf,” especially since the two songs sound similar to each other.
And the songwriting is once again something to behold, with lyrics like, “A hellfire heart with arctic veins,” and, “She’s the siren song to my lethal howl.”
Track #9: “Count Back From Zero”
Here, in Song #9 of Decades, EDM synths blend seamlessly with metal guitar riffs. And my compliments to the gut-boiling “ZERO” at the end. 10 out of 10.
Track #10: “Blood Pact”
Another meal for nu metal diners. The first few seconds of the track sent chills down my spine.
In the song’s beginning, a low rumble creeps in the background. The remaining silence is suddenly broken by a shotgun-type sound, followed by rising, hissing synths before the distorted interference of the nu metal rap verses.
Let’s all make a blood pact to listen to “Blood Pact” on repeat.
Track #11: “Afraid of the Dark”
Here we have Track #11, an emotional piece of self-reflection and power reclamation in an uncertain future. The chorus especially holds emotional weight: “You’ll never know yourself ‘til you walk alone / With blind faith and broken bones.”
The guitar, bass, drums and vocals are awesome as always, but the lyrics in this song almost made me cry. As someone who’s terrified of the dark, and as someone who didn’t realize what she wanted out of life until much later, this song really resonated with me. 10 out of 10.
Track #12: “Sunglasses at Night”
Any Corey Hart fans out there?
I remember listening to the original song by Hart several years ago. So, when those signature quivering keyboard notes started, I was so excited. And MIW absolutely nailed this cover. The guitar and bass riffs, drum beats and Motionless’s vocals combined formed a piece that sounded so much like the original “Sunglasses.” Chef’s kiss!
And finally, the two bonus tracks that close the red curtains over this stellar record:
Track #13: “Hollywood”
An unapologetically EDM metal song about the dog-eat-dog Hollywood underbelly, where “Everybody’s somebody’s prey.” The perfect song for a blood rave, am I right?
Track #14: “Fight Like Hell” (feat. Outlier)
Yeah, that’s right! It’s “Fight Like Hell” again, but this time, with Outlier. Their lead singer, Joey Arena, is also credited as a co-writer for some songs on the album, including this track! This combination of intense singing and death vocals once again make for a great piece!
And there you have it! A review of MIW’s Decades broken down one by one.
Conclusion
What got me interested in Motionless in White was Chris Motionless’ collaboration with fellow metal band New Year’s Day on their song, “Angel Eyes.” To say that this song was cranberry juice for the soul would be an understatement.
In fact, that song led me to the Motionless in White group themselves. Songs like “Another Life” and, of course, “Werewolf,” will forever be a part of my metal playlist.
There’s still a lot of MIW discography for me to listen to, but it’s insane how far this band has gotten since their debut in 2005. And Decades does a spectacular job at showcasing their metal footprint.
Listen to Decades. Please.
I’m Music Magazine Music Journalist Sydney James
