Stampede (Out Now + Discussion)

Been listening to the album all day but wanted to wait until I could listen to full HQ streaming to discuss.

I have mixed feelings about some aspects of the album, but for the most part I actually really like it in regards to it being a 2019 (hed) album. It's the first album since Truth Rising that has a distinguishable sound to it that sets it apart and you can call a signature (hed) sound...even though it's not the same signature style they used to have. If that makes sense lol.

I really dig how they stepped out of their comfort zone (if they even have a comfort zone) and did something modern, mainstream(ish) sounding; lol if you told Jahred 10 years ago he'd be inspired by the likes of artists like Drake, Travis Scott, etc, he would have punched you. I know I might be in the minority, but the auto tune works for me on a lot of the album...but unfortunately, when it does not work, it is one of the biggest downfalls. Sometimes it is not needed and Jahred forces it anyways, maybe to create a cohesive sound throughout, or maybe because he's never used it before and got trigger happy since he is the one that produces most of it/all of it lol.

My 3 favorite songs are PWF, NOAPOLOGIES, and BOSSUP. They all have this really Dark Pop/Alt/80s-ish vibe that I really fucking dig. I also really like NARRAGANSETT and DIEANOTHERDAY.

Biggest gripes I have with the album are the 1. unneeded effects in some parts of some songs. Biggest examples are in No Apologies during the prechorus, I can't even understand what the fuck he's saying because of the distortion and autotune. Other examples are in DIEANOTHERDAY the chorus sounds dope but I don't know what the fuck he's saying because of the effects/mixing which brings me to 2. the mixing; holy fuck it's bad in some songs. NOAPOLOGIES is such a dope fucking but when the chorus hits, it sounds so hollow, and the same problem arises in DIEANOTHERDAY. Basically, the gripes are not with the songs themselves...Jahred killed it with lyrics, composition, melody. But when the mixing is not good, it's NOT good. and so many effects/autotune/distortion.

P.S. You can hear Jahred's age. But that's not a dig at him. He sounds old, but he definitely can still KILL it.

Also, I think the biggest revelation of the album comes at 3:15-3:35 of NARRAGANSETT. I'm pretty sure Jahred says that's it, and that there's one more record coming in 2020. is (hed) retiring??!!

Lets discuss.

I think you dug this album a lot more than I did MadMadMan.

The fact that (hed) pe (or is it Jahred now?) continues to evolve has always been one of the reasons I have admired them so much. And this, more than any other album, is an evolution in leaps and bounds. The ape became an alien. In point of fact, I don't feel there is much left of (hed) pe’s sound on this new effort.

I can see this album being incredibly divisive amongst the fan-base. I’ve always avoided auto-tuned vocals like the plague, and in almost every song, Jahred has digitised his voice...I'm glad you dig it MadMadMan, but for me, this Kanye-esque/Drake-ish genre isn’t my cup of tea, so unfortunately I’m not resonating with this album .

I admired the samples, and they each had me smirking, and created a nice cohesive spine for the entirety of the album, without taking away from each song.

Still, I must admit I did like ‘Playingwithfire’ more than anything else. Killer riff and killer chorus.

Can someone please tell me what the fuck is with ‘Nice2MeetU’!? I had to double check I was listening to the correct album when that came on...The vocals have a distinct Marilyn Manson style to them, but it is such a strange appendage to the album...

And yup! Sounds like (hed) pe is retiring...I mean Jahred...Hahaha. Sorry, I keep doing that...

Wtf will Jahred do for money now? Pizza delivery? High-school teacher? Astronaut?

Be interested to see what the others think...

For me this album is a mixture of Travis Scott music along with the hed pe rock/raggae mix, so as usual, they are the only ones doing this kind of mix this time again. This album will be unique in his genre.

Since rappers are mostly lazy with their looped instrumental, we have a band playing here.

This album definitively requires you to like or have listened to Travis Scott, i've been listening to him since I saw his livestream performance on Coachella 2017, it took me some time to start to enjoy his music and when you got it, you're good, at least he made me also liking this new hed pe cd too haha.

NOAPOLOGIES : Travis Scott with a guitar chorus, well done
CANIROCK : Good hed pe formula
PWF : Well done as NOAPOLOGIES
BOSSUP : Same as CANIROCK
WHYNOTME : Remind me This Fire, however the english chorus sounds fucking weird (i'm not english native), Jahred part is better, a good song for Truth Rising fans at least
RISE : Correct
UNTOUCHABLE : Another Travis Scott with guitar mix, but thoses dubstep effects at the end, seriously in 2019 ? It reminds me the dubstep song featuring Jahred in 2012.
NARRAGANSETT : Sounds like an Hollywood Undead track during the chorus, don't like it at all
DIEANOTHERDAY : Chorus mix completely fucked up, hard to enjoy, Jahred is singing from the bathroom ?
TIMEOFMYLIFE : Good 'ending' track.
NICE2MEETU : What the fuck is this shit, should have been an hidden track... I'm gonna delete the track of the album I think, not jahred, not an hed pe track. It sounds like a bad joke.

I'm happy with this new cd, i really hope we'll get more from Suburban Noize Records, I don't want to wait 3 years again.

hed2012, I can definitely respect that this isn't your cup of tea. I know a lot of people don't like the auto-tune music. maybe you will listen to it more and be able to overlook it lol.

Honestly, the more I listen to it, the more I enjoy it. There are no tracks I hate, some I just find boring and skip, Untouchable, Rise, and Why Not Me.

With all the interviews I have read/listened to, and listening to the album, this is definitely an album about personal reflection. I got a weird sad feeling about it lol, it feels like it's the end of the road but he's happy, content.

I forgot to mention in my original post but I agree with both of you, Nice2MeetU is a fucking trainwreck. WHAT THE FUCK was Jahred thinking? There was no point in putting vocals over that track, you can't understand anything that's going on. Something interesting about it though, is that it's not on the digital version. It's not on Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, etc. Must only be a physical track.

When Hed played in Leeds last year Jahred said something along the lines of we won't be back next year but see you all in 2020 for our last tour. He then said something to Trauma like 'got to call it a day sometime'.

I hoping a final album is a bit heavier than Stampede. The amount of autotune on this effort is making it hard for me to get into. There are moments I really like but then the song will switch back to autotuned parts and it takes me out of it.

Fair call Boar,

I think this might divide fans in his choice of genre, which is 'way out' from previous works.

I can't say I don't respect Jahred for pushing the envelope full-tilt though!

Agreed with MadMadMan. The album does get better after a few listens, like most albums tend to do.

I feel the first four songs are the strongest, but then the rest of the album takes a dip. And the songs I do like on this album, I only like, but do not love. I was hoping for some tracks that I loved.

To me, this is the most disappointing release to date. And yes, I even feel this wins out against Insomnia in making it to the bottom of my pile.

For me, it's not bad, it's pretty good at times...But feels overall, quite lacklustre. I give it a 6/10 at best.

Am stoked you are beginning to enjoy it MadManMan. I'm really glad other fans are really taking to the album too. I think that's fantastic!

This is the first album that is completely free of misogynistic lyrics. Hahaha! Changing times...

Maybe I will resonate with the next albums choice of genre.

I found the opening samples involving an older man pretending to be hip in his discussion of weed to be rather self-reflective; potentially making a statement about old man Jahred moving into a genre that the kids love.

Damn and this used to be my fav band with it's tremendous musical width...I barely listened to it only once!

By far the worst (hed) PE or Jahred's album, don't know what da fuck this is!

pretty bad. hoping for a great, final album if there will be one.