This represents exactly my thoughts... Despite I really like Chester's voice in most of THP, there're moments when it gets really, I don't know, annoying? Mark the Graves, ALITS or All For Nothing are the best examples... A Line In the Sand could be one of my favorites LP tracks ever, but, the chorus is just... meh. The screams are completely unnecessary. And it's not about the heaviness like some people say, it's about the fact of forcing something to sound heavy when it wasn't supposed to. And it gets worst if we talk about the mixing, because, damn, just listen to Chester at the end of ALITS screaming desperately to be heard behind all those guitars...
Well his best vocal period (2007 ish) was after the band took a break for a while. Now they've pumped out 4 albums very steadily and toured basically non stop doing one thing or another. I think they should do another hiatus. Maybe we would get some Fort Minor or something. Chester could rest up and come back stronger than ever!
first post! I think Chester's vocals on the album are great, ALITS has that grit he used to have, and his screaming on Keys to the kingdom are epic! I listen to a bit of heavy music, and Chester has one of the best screams I've ever heard. hope he keeps doing it. Also on wastelands, his vocals fit the lyrics so well, ''when tomorrow disappears, when the future slips away, when your hope turns into fear'' it almost sounds like his vocals have hope, they are more cheery, upbeat, then when he sings the line 'When your hope turns to fear'' they get progressively darker until he semi screams 'In the wastelands of today!' or am I just crazy? either way, thanks for reading my first post!
Ok, since Chester voice (especially on ALITS) apparently gets a lot of shit with this particular album, I'm just gonna tell my honest opinion too. I love, love, love ALITS chorus. I think those type of vocals from him are infinitely more interesting than the soapy poppy "perfect" voice Chester had on songs like Irridescent or IBG. I can actually feel emotions and passion in the ALITS chorus, and that wasn't especially with Irridescent chorus, for example. I mean, I really like soft melodious singing. However, when Chester does it, I think it sounds really bland at times. Almost "fake". Mike, to me, is better at translating emotions with soft vocals than Chester is.
I agree with this. I would like to see Mike sing more of the softer song choruses in the future or even better LP go on a 3 year hiatus and Mike can do a non rap side project.
Yes.. This! We should make a thread discussing about the future of LP7, hiatus, side-projects & other collaborations.
They wanted the vocals to sound raw!! His vocals are really powerfull in this album I think KTTK is one os his best performances when it gets to screaming!!
THIS!!! Fuck the poppy side of chester I mean ok I like the vocals from Burn It Down Iridescent or like Leave Out All The Rest too but Chesters best vocals are the aggressive ones and I think they fucking nailed it in everything on THP we had enough of those "perfect" melodic vocals and ballads now I just like to here 2 or 3 on the next records for atleast LP7 and more raw and aggressive vocals
I'm with you. -A Line in the Sand: Ruined the song -War-It's not his style. -Keys to the Kingdom- He sounds awful. -Guilty All The Same-The song feels like a demo. His vocal performance could have been better. I blame this more-so on Mike, then Chester, with production. -Until It's Gone and Final Masquerade he sounds great.
Well, I could sum up this post like this.. "Bubblegum Chester >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Raspy Chester" And I definitely don't agree. But to each to their own.
At many points in the album, Chester has his "squeaky" voice come out. That's more than likely what you mean by annoying. Regardless, his delivery on a couple songs is kickass. If you don't enjoy Chester's vocals on KTTK, War or ALITS, tell me what you want, but it seems something more biased than anything else. Its nothing different than the people on here claiming TLTGYA > Everything else ever released by the band. The same people ranting about Chester's vocals also praising Mike and claim they only like the ATS vibe from this album. If you don't like a song like War for the type of music it is, I totally understand, but when it's because of Chester, you have to be insane. Its one of his most unique set of vocals which I really can't recall ever hearing, not to mention he doesn't sound weak on the track at all. I'm all for Chester's vocals on THP. He does sound weaker in general when he isn't aggressive, but nonetheless he gives a solid performance. I will say however, that for LP7, I would be more than happy to hear a tad more editing in his vocals to have less complaints.
I can at least get how people like chesterpops vs. chestscreams, but IMO KTTK is probably the best screaming performance from Chester. War is also a great song. It kind of reminds me of an STP song with LP flavor(Mike did say on twitter that it's a song Chester brought to the table) and I'm okay with that. I don't rate this band by albums per se. But I believe that this is at least their third best album(at least) Because this album is the best mashup of all their previous work. LT was supposed to be that, but it was only electronic rock added to ATS music. THP has elements from HT, M, and contains the rawness from MTM. MY favorite songs are becoming KTTK, AFN, and MTG. I will admit ALITS is not my favorite song, but it has more to do with it feeling like a song made to finish off a quota for the album. It is a good song, just sounds too similar instrumentally to GATS. HT will always be my favorite album, MTM will always be the most pleasantly surprising rock album, and THP gives me nostalgia of music that never will be in the main-mainsteam again, cause you don't know what you got, until it's gone; while also pushing the band forward into a new direction that I hope they pursue
First. I think chester sounds awesome in Thp. The raw unpolished style fits perfectly. Hi does a great job here. Many of us are used to the polished style so it may be hard to accept for some people even knowing they choose to do it like this. Imo, he sings on this album in ways he have never sung before. Mixing the soft with agressive to screamo in a very good way. I belive that if he sing a song in a certain way... It is because he chooses to do so because he can. Sure his voice is not exactly like it was 10 years ago but he have the skille to adjust to almmost anything. My favorite chester moments on the THP is. Kttk choruses raw screaming. Final masquerade, perfect singing. And i gotta say my favorite screams are in MTG, they are crazy, they are so powerful. Alits is nice too
Regarding some of the posts here, its not that I don't like Chesters screams... I love them, but they feel unnecessary, not to mention on Wastelands he just kinda shouts. Guilty all the same sounds thin and off key in parts. It's just a very weird album for Chester vocally imo. Singing it weird keys sometimes, unnecessary screaming.
What would be necessary screams then? That's very subjective. If some want to be extreme, they can say screams are never necessary in music. Or always necessary.