THE PLAGUE: Hope for the F.U.T.U.R.E.
The Plague – Hope for the F.U.T.U.R.E.
(Fixt Music)
Producer/multi-instrumentalist David Adam Monroe’s stated goal is “to make futuristic Christian rock.” Hailing from New York, Monroe discovered Celldweller’s (Circle of Dust/Klayton’ alter ego) keyboard-driven electronic rock music and was inspired by the way he blended synthesizers and rock guitars. He made his own music as The Plague, recording Hope for the F.U.T.U.R.E. and then turned his ear to remixing Celldweller tunes.
While Klayton’s influence is felt here, the influences are much more disparate than just industrial and rock/metal. There’s also emo crooning, metalcore breakdowns, and more. It’s a lot to take in. The music is indeed futuristic, in the sense that it feels a little like it would be a fitting soundtrack to an action-based sci-fi movie. On the other hand, it doesn’t offer us all that much new in the way of musical direction, other than the way it combines wide-ranging sounds.
There are songs on Hope that are essentially techno songs with vocals. There are post-hardcore/metalcore tunes. There are a lot of emo-ish vocals. And there are songs that combine all of the above. The question really is whether you enjoy those types of sounds. More traditional metalheads are likely to shun this coming-together of unconventional sounds. At the same time, I could really see younger “metal” listeners really digging this. I’m thinking those who enjoy Pierce the Veil, Bring Me the Horizon, Black Veil Brides, and the like.
Lyrically, there are some truly interesting things going on here. The band bio states, “The Plague’s post-apocalyptic themes portray the struggles of being human, encouraging people to break free of the superficial and to know they are not alone.” This is definitely a recurring theme in the lyrics, and while there is not an explicitly Christian element (no JPM’s here), there is definitely a pointing to something higher, especially in songs like “Make Me Over” where Monroe sings, “You are the one who makes me shine.”
However, this isn’t your typical Christian rock album. Despite being described as “futuristic Christian rock,” there are a number of songs with f-bombs and other profanity, so be forewarned if that’s something that you don’t want to hear.
While I personally can’t see myself listening to this frequently, there’s no denying the talent and innovation that went into creating Hope for the F.U.T.U.R.E.
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