I'm quite glad that I did.
From the first notes of "Stigmata", I knew that I was in for a wild ride. This EP takes the gritty, aggressive political and social fury that grandson reinvented and spits it back out with a new life. The drops are harder, the instrumentals rock more, and Jordan Edward Benjamin displays his lyrical prowess at full capacity throughout. But there's a broader spectrum explored here in the lyrical content, different subjects that mesh with the political anger and create even stronger moments. The struggle with addiction, depression, and apathy all interweave with the fight against abuse of power, against corruption, and against oppression that grandson wages so well.
The strongest tracks, to me, are "Stigmata" and "Is This What You Wanted", both for different reasons. The former showcases the aggressive and energetic nature that grandson has perfected, while the later gives the most intense and impactful performance of the release. Not only that, but each contains the two coolest moments of the release - the drop/bridge of each song. The drops in each chorus of "Stigmata" are earth shattering, and you cannot help but move to the rhythm of the moment. The heaviness of the bridge for "Is This What You Wanted", specifically the guitars that roar, offer a different sort of contrast for grandson that has been explored more through hip-hop and dance/EDM sounds previously. I feel as though "Is This What You Wanted" has an ever so slight edge over "Stigmata", due mainly to the lyrical content. The chorus is such an agonizingly perfect depiction of the ways in which apathy has spread through and infects many:
"Is this what you wanted?
We get drunk, we get high
We pop pills until the morning
We don't care, we don't mind
Pretend everything is awesome
While the world burns outside".
It's a spot on mark of the ways in which we can sink into distraction, let ourselves be pulled away from that which rages in the world outside and "forget" the horrors this world holds.
"Fallin (Temptation)" feels like the most interesting of the songs, in the more abnormal structuring and composing qualities. The vocals are almost not even rapped as opposed to being spoken, a monotone quality that adds to the nature of the lyrical content, the slow loss of power and control that comes with an addiction. It definitely stands out from the rest of the songs, which is a pretty incredible feat considering how strong the entirety of the release is. There's a more personal tone to this song, a drawing from experiences that gives it more weight and punch.
"Darkside" feels most similar to the sound of Vol. 1, but is significantly different in the story it tells and the darkness it holds - probably the darkest song of the release. Jordan displays his truly incredible storytelling skills by laying out the tale of a kid who, after being bullied, ignored, and abused, lets this all build within until he lashes out at those around him in the way of violence and murder. It taps into a narrative that we are quite familiar with at this point - school shootings - in a way that is terrifying and quite relevant for our day and age. This song especially reveals the ability of Jordan to create music and message that people, specifically younger people, can relate to, sympathize with, and feel empowered by to spark conversation and fight for change.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I believe grandson is on an ever climbing trajectory, and it's only going to keep getting more and more intense. What a powerful and extremely necessary voice in a time of tribulation and polarization. And what fantastic music.
Rating: 4/5
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