Release Date: October 28, 2022
Genre: Alternative Rock, Glam Rock
Label: Sumerian Records
Palaye Royal is a Canadian-American alternative rock and glam rock band based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. With the release of their anticipated fourth record, Fever Dream, on October 28th via Sumerian Records. I found out about Palaye Royale from their previous record, The Bastards, at the start of 2020, and I loved that record front to back ever since. The band went with producer Chris Greatti with this release, who has produced acts such as YUNGBLUD, Poppy, and WILLOW, as well as previous Palaye Royale tracks. For the record, they say it's their boldest and most visionary body of work to date. As for the second record I've heard from this band. It's a solid release but has a few tracks that did feel dragged and could have been better.
The album starts off with "Eternal Life (Intro)" and "Eternal Life." The intro is a good little starter with the raspy vocals and eerie vibe that leads right into "Eternal Life." Remington's raspy vocals are great, along with a crazy instrumental near the end of the song. It's very enjoyable. "No Love In LA" starts off with a rap-like verse. Then it goes into a huge chorus that's super catchy that you can groove to. Listening to the song over and over again, you cannot just head bop to this song. "Punching Bag" was my favourite of the two main singles off Fever Dream. It gives that punch of what Palaye Royale offers, and it shows in the music. It has those great raspy vocals from Remington and some great backing of bass, drums, guitars, and even some keyboards. It's a super catchy tune! I have been listening to it for months and months on end. "Broken" feels like one of those album tracks with a repetitive chorus that has been climbing the charts for alternative radio and that you can kind of get behind. The title track, "Fever Dream," is kind of the type of rock song you hear on a typical rock record with hard-hitting drums and a clean guitar solo at the end of the song. It's an alright song but does come off as repetitive. "Line It Up" starts with a strum of acoustic guitar but gets into the typical band setting with surprise guest vocals from LP that fits the dynamic of the song just right. It's a good track. "Toxic In You" is a very quick song. When I was listening and didn't realize the song was already half over. It gets to the point very quickly. The hard dynamic of the drums and the catchy rhythm with the guitars makes it a solid track.
"Wasted Sorrow" is a head bop from the start and feels like the song you can put on a good long car ride. With a harder ending to the song. It's very enjoyable. "Paranoid" was a song I was just taking in and trying to see what they went with. Listening and enjoyed every second of it. I have nothing bad to say about it. "Oblivion" was more of the sadder type of song on the record. With a full acoustic guitar for the whole song. The only thing I can say I heard in the song was there was a lot of reverb in Remington's vocals, and it's a more laid-back song. I feel like this doesn't need much of that as it kind of kills the mood of such type of song it is. "Lifeless Stars" kind of felt like a longer, almost dragged-out track.
"The King Of The Damned" starts with a hard-hitting instrumental and with a large atmosphere of vocals -a very atmospheric song in general. Felt like a typical rock song you hear on the radio but longer than a normal rock song. It's another good song. The final two tracks are "Off With The Head" and "Off With The Head (Outro)." "Off With The Head," I just can't get into. Maybe it was the lyrics or just the overall atmosphere of it, but it's just not for me anyways. The outro of "Off With The Head" felt a lot better than the actual song. Like it was dragging along, but not as bad as the main song. It has its moments. Overall, the fourth album from Palaye Royal is good. It has its good tracks and its not-so-good tracks. I personally think The Bastards was still better than Fever Dream, but others may find it to be the other way around. Fever Dream sounded great mixing-wise, however. I do say check it out if you're a fan of Palaye Royale already, and if you're not, maybe there's something on it that will hook you in.