N.W.O. Reviews. WARNING! Spoiler alert!!

I was going to do a more formal, professional-ish review like I have in the past, and perhaps I still will, but for right now, I'll keep it a little more casual.

To start off, this album is good. It surpassed my expectations, which were really low, and is easily miles better than Insomnia and B2BX. However, that's not to say this is a masterpiece, or even a great album by any means. A lot of it is pretty dissapointing and bad. The first half is very strong, with a string of good tracks up until the Mortgage Crisis Intro.

The album starts off kind of average with Live Or Die Free. Not a bad song, just pretty short, generic, and uninteresting. It works well enough to get you into the album. Following immediately is the hard-hitting Bloodfire, arguably one of the band's heaviest and most infectious songs to date. It's only realy flaw is that it simply just doesn't last long enough. It also sets an unsurpassable standard for the rest of the album, much the way that Walk On By and Novus Ordus Clitorus did for their respective albums. Stay Ready and Renegade have a real old-school (hed) vibe to them, and are definately some of the album's strong points. Stepping Stone is decent, but is held back by Jared's uncanny "ability" to mistake an overabundance of explicit profanity and sexual themes for clever and "cool" lyrics. It just comes off as immature and hurts the song in the process. Ordo AB Chao, Family, and Everything All the Time also prove to be stronger tracks that keep the album moving.

Unfortunately, the freshness of the album comes to an abrupt hault by the time Middle Class Blues rolls around. It's much Live Or Die Free; just another filler track with simple, nothing-special punk riff. NWO continues with Flesh and Blood, a prime example of a (hed) experiment gone horribly wrong. The song has few redeeming qualities. Thankfully, things start looking better with Planet X, the complete polar opposite of the previous track. Some surf music combined with a heavy riff and pummeling double bass combined with a short-but-sweet solo makes for a surprisingly good track. Higher Ground is a better-than-you-would-expect hip hop/punk-ish hybrid, but certainly not one of the band's most memorable tracks. Tow the Line isn't too shabby, either.

NWO, sadly, ends on a slower note. Don't be fooled though. Self Aware comes out of nowhere, and what a pleasant surprise it is. It works in many ways, and proves to be one of more original songs the band has done in awhile. Too bad the same can't be said for the official album closer, This Love, which is nothing more than a traditional R&B/hip hop song. What it has to do with (hed) p.e., your guess is as good as mine.

Several tracks suffer the same problems as Stepping Stone lyrically. A lot of other tracks also recycle many lyrics of varying political and sexual topics, which definately give you the feeling of deja vu, and make the listening experience too repetitive for its own good. By now, every fan knows about Jared's crackpot conspiracy theories, but he just doesn't seem to want to change topic long enough to make more than a handfule of tracks that don't have anything to do with them.

I know that the band is still capable of making heavier music. Bloodfire, Renegade, Planet X, and Ordo prove that. They just don't seem to want to embrace that aspect of their music enough to take up more than a fraction of an album anymore. The band is still all over the place with their writing. Sometimes it works in their favor, and many times it does not. While I definately enjoy NWO, I still believe that we won't ever see another truly outstanding album from them. After all, they aren't really the same band they used to be.

I only have the version with the white/blue sky cover. I haven't heard any of the other bonus tracks besides the ones on here. If you ask me, they should have just left them off of the album all together. Work On This, Babylon Fall, and Cities on the Moon are aweful tracks. I don't know what the hell they were thinking with these. Hey Now is listenable, but still nothing great.

Overall, NWO is a fresh, somewhat original album with a few weak tracks that simply can't be overlooked. As a (hed) p.e. fan, I'd give it a 7/10. As a music fan, I give it a 6.5/10

Hahah dude is that some sort of joke. It's clearly NOT Jared singing in that song, sounds nothing like him (he would never sing lyrics like that) and it's also clearly the same vocalist from Killing Spree...

I dig Tow the Line much more now. I thought it would grow.

Yeah I agree, there is absolutely NO way that is Jahred. And like i said in my review a page back, not even Jahred would sing stupid fuck lyrics like 'the only one who can hear you is the toilet' and 'hold on let me drink my beer' its all just so stupid. Even if they didnt make it though, it doesnt make them any better, because they put it on their album...what the fuck were they thinking?

My Review of NWO (without the intros)

Live Or Die Free - 4/5

Very fun track and a solid way to open up the album...the fast hip hop verses sound cool along with the fast paced music.

Bloodfire - 5/5
Are you kidding me!!! Insane track, definitely one of their best EVER

Ordo AB Chao - 5/5

Obviously we have heard this song a while ago...but it is still amazing!

Stay Ready - 5/5

Truly a classic, and IMO the high point of the album...I played this baby six times in a row the first time a heard it...I could not get enough.

Family - 4/5
Great song -- The punk intro is not the best though, would have preferred the Hip-Hop to be first, and them have a transition into the punk rock...still, it's a great song!

Stepping Stone - 3/5

Here comes the sexcore it's a good thing the chorus is cool otherwise I would probably not really like the track.

Renegade - 5/5

Amazing. I find myself humming the chorus once it's over, so damn catchy, pure HED!

Everything All The Time - 4.5/5

Now, this is sex-core done right! It's so filthy, but Jah goes so filthy that we attribute that he is a psycho rapist or something...it's dark, and catchy as hell!

Middle Class Blues - 4/5

I love this song...the punk rock vibe is brilliant here...I wish they would have done more with it.

Flesh and Blood - 3.5/5

I think I'm the only one that actually likes this song lol, but sue me, it's a great tribute to old school punk rock! The lyrics are cool, and the bass line is sick. Mind you, I grew up on music that sounds just like this.

Planet X - 3/5

Cool song, but I often change the track before it ends...not a good sign.

Higher Ground - 5/5

This song is really cool, great beat, really funky. The semi-punk parts are really different, in the sense that they use a keyboard in place of blistering guitar. Still, this song makes me want to party.

Tow The Line - 2.5/5

Not that great...really average song. No need to elaborate.

Self Aware - 5/5

Amazing, pure genius. Reminds me a lot of Deftones, whom I love very much. It has a lot to it, and it is a very nice surprise after everything prior.

This Love - 4/5

I like this song a lot...then again I love 2Pac so there you go

Work On This - 5/5

I love this song! I don't know why, but I do...it's filthy, dirty and that damn girl is in the whole thing, still, I am nodding my head in pure enjoyment. The beat is sick...if it doesn't make you want to dance something is wrong with you!

Babylon Fall - 5/5

Really cool track (I guess they saved a bunch of hip-hop for the bonus tracks) this should be recognized as one of their best hip-hop songs ever constructed due to the lyrics, and of course the phat-ass beats.

Born 2 Ride - 4.5/5

Starts off pretty OK, it's catchy, fun, etc and once Big B comes in I really realize how great this track really is! So damn catchy, and big B was a really nice surprise, and actually helped the track rather then hurt it.

Girlfriend - 2/5

Why do you guys like this song? It's so fucking annoying! Some of you have quoted it as "beautiful" and such, but just listening to the lyrics you can see how horrible the message is in this "song." It makes "Amerikan Beauty" look like a PG movie. it's a shame, because the beat is cool...P.S. I hate the girl in the chorus, shut her up please!!!

Bucky Lasek - 4.5/5

Cool song, wish they would have developed it into a full length track! Still, this 1:30 track almost gets 5 stars.

Don't Fuck With Us - 2/5

If the lyrics would have been better, this would have been a really cool song. P.S. This is Jahred singing, why do you guys think it's someone else? It's obviously him, making his voice more raspy and punk-rock.

Cities on the Moon - 4/5

Really interesting experiment, and it's mostly successful...don't flame me, I think it's catchy so shut up!

Hey Now - 5/5

Such a cool song! Are you serious! I want to skank skank straight to the dance floor in the 50's and woo the ladies when I hear this...seriously though this song was another fantastic surprise, and something they have never done before.

4SmokazOnly - 2.5/5

Potential, but just doesn't deliver mostly due to the failed lyrics and generic club beats behind it.

In summary, I am very happy with this album. It has enough good stuff on it to keep me busy for a while...it will not leave my ears all week more than likely.

Granted, it is not better than S/T or B2BX, but it is better then OIA and Insomnia (It's tied with Broke). If the tracks 4 stars and above were on the album and you left out the rest this would be one of their best works.

Here's my 5 star Tracklist (that would make a tight, 5-Star album):

1). Bucky Lasek (Intro)

2.) Bloodfire

3.) Renegade

4.) Stay Ready

5.) Family

6.) Babylon Fall

7.) Ordo (Ab Cho)

8.) Born2Ride

9.) Everything All The Time

10.) Higher Ground

11.) Hey Now

12.) This Love

13.) Work On This

14.) Self Aware

Lyrically speaking this is Hed's worst album, even Isomnia has better lyrics. Having all those SubUrban Noize artists on halve of the songs doesn't work either. For example Dirtball (or whatever the fuck the band?/ artist? is called -- I'm not a SubUrban Noize Records fan), ruins Stay Ready.

Stay Ready is ok, even with that additional guy but Born2Ride would be much better without Big B, I just don't like him and would prefer to listen to Jared rapping this part instead. But apart from that I still think the two are among the best NWO songs.

I might be sending an anthrax letter to Sub Noize I still havn't gotten a dam thing at my house. No CD's, No Shirt, No Stickers, No Key Chain, No Nothing... WTF, I am so livid about this right now.

^^^ A joke if any of you are FBI

hedfan1 wrote:

I might be sending an anthrax letter to Sub Noize I still havn't gotten a dam thing at my house. No CD's, No Shirt, No Stickers, No Key Chain, No Nothing... WTF, I am so livid about this right now.

You can try writing to them but it doesn't mean you'll get a reply, they don't seem to care much about thier customers. They've replied to only 1 out of 3 emails I've sent them lately.

So I wouldn't mind if you sent them the anthrax ;P

Maikoes wrote:

Lyrically speaking this is Hed's worst album, even Isomnia has better lyrics. Having all those SubUrban Noize artists on halve of the songs doesn't work either. For example Dirtball (or whatever the fuck the band?/ artist? is called -- I'm not a SubUrban Noize Records fan), ruins Stay Ready.

Really, dude? Really? Insomnia, and especially OIA have faaar worse lyrics than most of the stuff on NWO. And the SubNoize artists on only on like 3 tracks, not half. I'm hardly a fan of any of them either, but Dirtball actually sounds pretty good on Stay Ready. The songs with Tech 9 and KMK aren't very good to begin with, so they really have nothing to do with how good or bad they are.

Shakezulah wrote:

Maikoes wrote:

Lyrically speaking this is Hed's worst album, even Isomnia has better lyrics. Having all those SubUrban Noize artists on halve of the songs doesn't work either. For example Dirtball (or whatever the fuck the band?/ artist? is called -- I'm not a SubUrban Noize Records fan), ruins Stay Ready.

Really, dude? Really? Insomnia, and especially OIA have faaar worse lyrics than most of the stuff on NWO. And the SubNoize artists on only on like 3 tracks, not half. I'm hardly a fan of any of them either, but Dirtball actually sounds pretty good on Stay Ready. The songs with Tech 9 and KMK aren't very good to begin with, so they really have nothing to do with how good or bad they are.

(anonymous) wrote:

hedfan1 wrote:

I might be sending an anthrax letter to Sub Noize I still havn't gotten a dam thing at my house. No CD's, No Shirt, No Stickers, No Key Chain, No Nothing... WTF, I am so livid about this right now.

You can try writing to them but it doesn't mean you'll get a reply, they don't seem to care much about thier customers. They've replied to only 1 out of 3 emails I've sent them lately.

So I wouldn't mind if you sent them the anthrax ;P

Opps wrong quote last post.

Shakezulah wrote:

Maikoes wrote:

Lyrically speaking this is Hed's worst album, even Isomnia has better lyrics. Having all those SubUrban Noize artists on halve of the songs doesn't work either. For example Dirtball (or whatever the fuck the band?/ artist? is called -- I'm not a SubUrban Noize Records fan), ruins Stay Ready.

Really, dude? Really? Insomnia, and especially OIA have faaar worse lyrics than most of the stuff on NWO. And the SubNoize artists on only on like 3 tracks, not half. I'm hardly a fan of any of them either, but Dirtball actually sounds pretty good on Stay Ready. The songs with Tech 9 and KMK aren't very good to begin with, so they really have nothing to do with how good or bad they are.

How was OIA bad? It was supposed to be over the top. Songs like CBC were never meant to be taken seriously. And wasn't Stepping Stone supposed to be a bonus track on OIA (not sure about this one). The demo(s) we got sounded decent. At least better then the shit we got now. Insomnia had Atlantis A.D. NWO has no song with decent lyrics. I love how Jahred always says that each album Hed tries to sound unique, but the last three albums the lyrics stayed the same (the same boring conspiracy shit). Hell, when I heard the song Everything All The Time for the first time, I was afraid Jahred was going to make some comments (again) about fucking a woman with a vibrator The problem I have with Hed nowadays is like it seems they want to sound like all those shitty artists on SubUrban Noize.

Quote :

How was OIA bad? It was supposed to be over the top. Songs like CBC were never meant to be taken seriously. And wasn't Stepping Stone supposed to be a bonus track on OIA (not sure about this one). The demo(s) we got sounded decent. At least better then the shit we got now. Insomnia had Atlantis A.D. NWO has no song with decent lyrics. I love how Jahred always says that each album Hed tries to sound unique, but the last three albums the lyrics stayed the same (the same boring conspiracy shit). Hell, when I heard the song Everything All The Time for the first time, I was afraid Jahred was going to make some comments (again) about fucking a woman with a vibrator Shocked The problem I have with Hed nowadays is like it seems they want to sound like all those shitty artists on SubUrban Noize.

If you dont like it then dont listen to it, its that easy
or do you think hed pe will change their lyrics if you tell'em to?
that conspiracy stuff is what jahred is into at the time, so you like it or you dont.
I dont care I think the music is great

Maikoes wrote:

Shakezulah wrote:

Maikoes wrote:

Lyrically speaking this is Hed's worst album, even Isomnia has better lyrics. Having all those SubUrban Noize artists on halve of the songs doesn't work either. For example Dirtball (or whatever the fuck the band?/ artist? is called -- I'm not a SubUrban Noize Records fan), ruins Stay Ready.

Really, dude? Really? Insomnia, and especially OIA have faaar worse lyrics than most of the stuff on NWO. And the SubNoize artists on only on like 3 tracks, not half. I'm hardly a fan of any of them either, but Dirtball actually sounds pretty good on Stay Ready. The songs with Tech 9 and KMK aren't very good to begin with, so they really have nothing to do with how good or bad they are.

How was OIA bad? It was supposed to be over the top. Songs like CBC were never meant to be taken seriously. And wasn't Stepping Stone supposed to be a bonus track on OIA (not sure about this one). The demo(s) we got sounded decent. At least better then the shit we got now. Insomnia had Atlantis A.D. NWO has no song with decent lyrics. I love how Jahred always says that each album Hed tries to sound unique, but the last three albums the lyrics stayed the same (the same boring conspiracy shit). Hell, when I heard the song Everything All The Time for the first time, I was afraid Jahred was going to make some comments (again) about fucking a woman with a vibrator The problem I have with Hed nowadays is like it seems they want to sound like all those shitty artists on SubUrban Noize.

So because OIA is supposed to stupid, that doesn't make it bad? The lyrics on that album are beyond aweful, whether they are meant to be taken seriously or not. Shitty writing is shitty writing...you can't justify that. Not every song on Insomnia had shitty lyrics, but most of them did. Atlantis A.D. and Walk On By are probably the two best examples. However, Bloodfire, Ordo, Stay Ready, some of Family, and Self Aware all have pretty decent lyrics. B2BX was very strong lyrically when it came out, because Jared hadn't started getting into all that conspiracy shit before. He hasn't written anything REALLY good since Blackout though. Believe me, I miss the old (hed) as much as the next guy, but there's no changing the way they are now.

Broke2012 wrote:

yesh, like, forever?
i live in europe, i'll need to wait for the album like, till... ehh, well, prolly a week and a half
and there is no tour planned for europe yet

Broke you should've ordered it from bol.com
I got it on release date!!!
first time they didn't fuck me over

Shakezulah wrote:

Maikoes wrote:

Shakezulah wrote:

Maikoes wrote:

Lyrically speaking this is Hed's worst album, even Isomnia has better lyrics. Having all those SubUrban Noize artists on halve of the songs doesn't work either. For example Dirtball (or whatever the fuck the band?/ artist? is called -- I'm not a SubUrban Noize Records fan), ruins Stay Ready.

Really, dude? Really? Insomnia, and especially OIA have faaar worse lyrics than most of the stuff on NWO. And the SubNoize artists on only on like 3 tracks, not half. I'm hardly a fan of any of them either, but Dirtball actually sounds pretty good on Stay Ready. The songs with Tech 9 and KMK aren't very good to begin with, so they really have nothing to do with how good or bad they are.

How was OIA bad? It was supposed to be over the top. Songs like CBC were never meant to be taken seriously. And wasn't Stepping Stone supposed to be a bonus track on OIA (not sure about this one). The demo(s) we got sounded decent. At least better then the shit we got now. Insomnia had Atlantis A.D. NWO has no song with decent lyrics. I love how Jahred always says that each album Hed tries to sound unique, but the last three albums the lyrics stayed the same (the same boring conspiracy shit). Hell, when I heard the song Everything All The Time for the first time, I was afraid Jahred was going to make some comments (again) about fucking a woman with a vibrator The problem I have with Hed nowadays is like it seems they want to sound like all those shitty artists on SubUrban Noize.

So because OIA is supposed to stupid, that doesn't make it bad? The lyrics on that album are beyond aweful, whether they are meant to be taken seriously or not. Shitty writing is shitty writing...you can't justify that. Not every song on Insomnia had shitty lyrics, but most of them did. Atlantis A.D. and Walk On By are probably the two best examples. However, Bloodfire, Ordo, Stay Ready, some of Family, and Self Aware all have pretty decent lyrics. B2BX was very strong lyrically when it came out, because Jared hadn't started getting into all that conspiracy shit before. He hasn't written anything REALLY good since Blackout though. Believe me, I miss the old (hed) as much as the next guy, but there's no changing the way they are now.

elgringoloco. I've every right to critize the album, seeing as I actually spend money on it. Especially after the horrible Insomnia album. I'm not saying I hate NWO, as of a matter of fact I think it's better then Insomnia. I just hate the lyrics.

About OIA, exactly. It's like watching a really over-acted comedy with a bad script (for example the Monty Python series). Not that OIA was funny or a master piece, but I can't find another good example at the moment. And didn't B2BX start the whole conspiracy shit? Novus Ordos Clitorus talked about the Skulls & Bones, Bohemian Grove, etc. I agree it had good lyrics, but maybe that's because it was new and fresh. The lyrics in NWO sound old/ unoriginal/ immature. I'm glad we agree about one thing though, and that's that we both want the old Hed back, and that Blackout was a good album.

wedged wrote:

mine just landed on the doorslide this morning,
I'm happy that I didn't ruin the surprise by downing the leak.

but GODDAMN this cd kick so much ASS!
I never expected that ( I believe one or two people also mentioned it)
a band can release a disc with 29 tracks and doesn't get boring or dull.
this is what makes (hed)p.e.
their solid diversity over the whole cd.

insomnia was a major letdown , but NWO really sets the record straight for that matter.

I just don't have the words to describe it -yet.
but I know this cd is gonna be a longtime favorite.

I wouldn't go as far as saying it's better then broke or self titled,
but it gets really really close!!

Fucking agreed. This album is pure fucking sex homies. Best album since Blackout for me. Hell, I think I might even dig this more than Broke.

I'm gonna write up my review pretty soon.

Shakezulah wrote:

Maikoes wrote:

Lyrically speaking this is Hed's worst album, even Isomnia has better lyrics. Having all those SubUrban Noize artists on halve of the songs doesn't work either. For example Dirtball (or whatever the fuck the band?/ artist? is called -- I'm not a SubUrban Noize Records fan), ruins Stay Ready.

Really, dude? Really? Insomnia, and especially OIA have faaar worse lyrics than most of the stuff on NWO. And the SubNoize artists on only on like 3 tracks, not half. I'm hardly a fan of any of them either, but Dirtball actually sounds pretty good on Stay Ready. The songs with Tech 9 and KMK aren't very good to begin with, so they really have nothing to do with how good or bad they are.

I agree. The majority of the lyrics on OIA and Insomnia are absolute garbage. Agreed that Dirtball sounds tits on Stay Ready too.

B2BX was very strong lyrically when it came out, because Jared hadn't started getting into all that conspiracy shit before???

Nah dude...gotta disagree with that one. Even self titled is dripping with lyrical content dealing with conspiracy theories. They've been into that stuff since day 1.

N.W.O. fucking owns!

Zombified wrote:

This album compares to Broke and S/T. I think in some ways its even better.

thats a bit of a stretch. it does have some fantastic stuff on it though. i think musically it is fucking rad, but lyrically it falls short of self titled and broke. i love all of the new world order and conspiracy stuff. but when it comes to date rape and jahs girlfriend telling the world shes a slut - i find it immature and quite boring and uninteresting. for me most of these songs like everything all the time, stepping stone, work on this and girlfriend would have been fucking tip top had he put more depth and character into the lyrics, to hear about how hes such a player and has a girl with a 'pussy tighter than yours' is boring. these songs have very little lyrical quality.

still loving the album though, i just try to ignore the actual lyrics and listen to those particular songs concentrating on the music and the cool hooks and shit.

I don't know if anyone point this out yet, but this is hed's first album without a phone ringing in a song.

What? For real. I can't think of a phone ringing on Church, Self Titled and Blackout??? Cool!

Andy Factor Everything All the Time has dope lyrics!!!!!!!!! I love them!

hed_2012 wrote:

Everything All the Time has dope lyrics!!!!!!!!! I love them!

Me too, they're sick.

andy_factor wrote:

Zombified wrote:

This album compares to Broke and S/T. I think in some ways its even better.

thats a bit of a stretch. it does have some fantastic stuff on it though. i think musically it is fucking rad, but lyrically it falls short of self titled and broke. i love all of the new world order and conspiracy stuff. but when it comes to date rape and jahs girlfriend telling the world shes a slut - i find it immature and quite boring and uninteresting. for me most of these songs like everything all the time, stepping stone, work on this and girlfriend would have been fucking tip top had he put more depth and character into the lyrics, to hear about how hes such a player and has a girl with a 'pussy tighter than yours' is boring. these songs have very little lyrical quality.

still loving the album though, i just try to ignore the actual lyrics and listen to those particular songs concentrating on the music and the cool hooks and shit.

I know what you mean, but this album doesn't bother me as much.

hed_2012 wrote:

What? For real. I can't think of a phone ringing on Church, Self Titled and Blackout??? Cool!

Andy Factor Everything All the Time has dope lyrics!!!!!!!!! I love them!

I read it somewhere on the old forum. Maybe it was wrong.