More about: Papa Roach

Almost three decades into their career and you would think a band in Papa Roach’s position would have found a lane to stay in. That couldn't be further from the truth. Eleven albums in, and for this Californian collective, now seems to be the time for challenging people's perceptions, stepping outside their comfort zone and refusing to hold back. Ego Trip does exactly that.

Tip-toeing the line between arrogance and assuredness, Ego Trip sees Papa Roach reaching new grounds untouched with a puffed-out chest and the biggest load of confidence the band have ever exuded. 

Papa Roach are channelling something and that something is the killer opening number ‘Kill The Noise’. Huge guitar explosions, soaring choruses and one big beefy breakdown, plus lyrics that cut deep (“My scars keep screamin’/I live through the pain for a reason”), this is perhaps the first taste of Papa Roach doing heavy since 2015.

Something Papa Roach have always nailed is the unapologetic fusion of rap and metal they bring to the table and single ‘Stand Up’ is no exception to that winning formula. “Sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat/Stand up, stand up” repeats Jacoby Shaddix with menace and intimidation, making you instantly get hot under the collar. The verses of ‘Stand Up’ are killer fire rap and nu-metal, whereas the choruses are of anthemic stadium-sized rock quality, Shaddix' vocals powerful enough to echo to the back stand of an 80k cap stadium given the chance. 

From the sweat of ‘Stand Up’ to the swagger of ‘Swerve’, this one enlists the mighty Jason Aalon Butler of FEVER 333 and Sueco for guest vocal proceedings, the rap and rock worlds collide for this stomping single. "Are you stupid of are you blind?" asks Aalon Butler threateningly, injecting some stylish swagger into verses infiltrated with sax. 

Curveball acoustic ballad ‘Leave a Light On’ preceeds final single  ‘Cut The Line’, which is shortly followed up by album closer ‘I Surrender’. ‘Cut The Line’ does two things that Papa Roach does best: delivering some of the biggest choruses in music, and dropping cathartic lyrics to match. “Are you tangled up inside?/Is it something that you hide?/Are you twisted up and don't know why?” sings Shaddix.

Eleven albums in, and Ego Trip sees Papa Roach finding catharsis whilst embracing change. Not the time for comfort in their career or conforming to the norms, Papa Roach are bringing something that does not want to let its foot of the accelerator here. Who are we to stop it?  

Ego Trip is out now.

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More about: Papa Roach