Memphis May Fire are an important band for this generation. They are unafraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves, giving their already powerful music more depth – and that depth is something that their fans revel in, as the majority are able to relate to the issues and struggles they talk about. It’s more important now than it has ever been to be open and honest about hardships and struggles. Memphis May Fire provide many with an outlet for that.
2018 sees them unleash ‘Broken’, a record that follows the same suit as their previous releases. A sonically staggering record crammed full of pain, heartache, and a powerful message. That message? Sometimes it’s OK not to be OK.
Their last record ‘This Light I Hold’ was a more radio friendly offering than their previous efforts, and ‘Broken’ is a continuation of that, brimming with melody and sprinkled with heaviness and aggression in all the right places. Lead single ‘The Old Me’ has the potential to be a crowd favourite, featuring a bouncy tempo and a memorable chorus courtesy of front man Matty Mullins. ‘Heavy Is The Weight’ plays out like a ballad, flowing from soft verses into soaring choruses with ease. There’s plenty of aggression for long time fans to get lost in too, found in tracks like the punishing ‘Mark My Words’ and ‘Who I Am’.
The lyrical content is the true star of the record though, and what the band want listeners to connect with more than anything. Mullins digs deep into his personal experiences to write some moving and relatable content, tackling subjects like self-harm, inter-personal competition, anxiety and loss. This is everything that you’d expect to hear from a Memphis May Fire record. Well produced, unapologetically catchy, and lyrically powerful.
If you’re listening to this record hoping for it to sound like ‘The Hollow’ or ‘Challenger’, you’re going to be disappointed. They aren’t that band anymore. They have elements of their roots scattered throughout, sure, but on the whole, they’re a more commercial band than they once were. They’ve grown as musicians and as people, and the records they’re making are a representation of that growth. ‘Broken’ displays a band still hungry and clawing for the top spot of their genre. Weighty, infectious, and full of heart, this is another solid record from a solid band.
DAVE STEWART