In the ever-evolving landscape of modern metal, few artists possess the emotional rawness and musical dexterity of Daniel. The St. Louis-based performer’s single, “Failure”, is a tour de force of cathartic vulnerability and forward moving intensity, taking on the most human struggle of trying to meet the expectations of others with both unflinching honesty and technical acumen.
Daniel’s vocals, powerful and vulnerable at the same time, find that perfect balance of seething anger and deep introspection as he channels the anguish of emotional conflict. But “Failure” is more than just an attempt to vent about parental or societal pressures that crush one as they are laid raw over a thick, down tuned nu metal bed of grooves. Daniel’s instrumental versatility shines through the track ebbs and flows through dynamic, almost progressive metal inspired shifts. From dizzying lead runs to moments of tranquil ambience in the shadow of an ever mutating rhythmic foundation and ever moving beat, Daniel always keeps you on your toes. Where guitar tones swing, from chilling clean textures, to total pulverizing distortion, on a dime, reflecting the push and pull of battling interior emotions.
As far as Daniel’s songwriting chops go, “Failure” goes most crucially from mere cathartic exercise to an artful, cohesive statement. Although its sonic ferocity and raw-nerve lyricism are as ferocious as the ferocity of anything I’ve heard in some time, there’s an unmistakable sense of purpose and thematic focus to the single that, over the course of its ascent, culminates in a thrilling, transcendent, and purgative crescendo. And everyone is in on it, you can hear the personal investment in every impassioned scream, seamlessly grafting the personal onto the universal. A perfect track for anyone who has ever hit a point where life builds up and you’re drowning in the feelings you’ve been ignoring, this track is an anthemic reinforcement that you are not alone in your struggle, and that confronting your inner demons paradoxically gives you more strength.
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