[Album Review] Deadlock (3rd Mini Album) – Xdinary Heroes

Ahead of their upcoming comeback next month in October, I am finally reviewing Xdinary Heroes’ 3rd mini-album, Deadlock, which was released in April of this year. The mini-album features 7 tracks in total, including the title track Freakin’ Bad, the side tracks Good Enough and Dear H. and four additional side tracks. Links to the named songs and my thoughts on the additional side tracks can be found below, as usual.

To me, this is their best mini-album to date. The band has really grown on me since their debut, and my thoughts on this mini-album would be evident of this. And given the trajectory of my interest in this band and the fact that they still in the early days of their career, I expect my initial comment on Deadlock will be short lived with their future releases coming our way. But until I do form a view on their future comebacks, I will continue to enjoy the likes of Deadlock.

1. Come Into My Head – Starting off the mini-album is Come Into My Head. And it does so with a lot of energy from the members and the instrumentation. The track mixes the likes of EDM, hip-hop and rock into one singular track. Throw in what I know of Xdinary Heroes from their previous work, and the expectation for a dynamic track was very much fulfilled. The rapping in the second verse felt very sleek and the distorted guitars gave Come Into My Head a very intriguing element. There is a lot to like in the first track already, kicking off the mini-album positively. (8/10)

2. Freakin’ Bad (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Freakin’ Bad. (8/10)

3. Bicycle – Going down the alternative rock path, Bicycle adds a lot of head banging to the album. The guitar work in this song is amazing, from the twangs following the first chorus to the shredding just before the final chorus. The bass guitar adds so much momentum to the song, while the drumming concentrates that head-banging energy already mentioned. The keyboard adds a level of freshness to the track, as well. The vocals/rapping was on point, and the buildup in the instrumentation was very worthwhile. A very strong side track from the group. (10/10)

4. checkmate – Toning down the instrumentation is checkmate. The rock sound does still come through, but it kind of simmers in the background. Even the instrumental break where we got the guitar solos was held back. The drums were quite consistent throughout checkmate, and the beat gave it potential to be a dance track. The vocals were also consistent, but there wasn’t any edge. Overall, checkmate is a decent track, but not the most eventful one on this mini-album. (7/10)

5. Good Enough – Click here for the full review for Good Enough. (10/10)

6. Man In The Box – Man In The Box blows my mind. I really like how playful and strong their delivery and vocals are in the song, which just gives Man In The Box so much character. The rapping adds to that feeling, with the members sounding like they are rapping/speaking to me and breaking the fourth wall. The melodies have a spooky edge to it and the rock instrumentation just adds so much dynamic energy and flair. It is also super catchy, with the “I am a man in the box, yeah” and the “Bum Bum Bum” both etched into my mind by the time the song is complete. I highly recommend this track. (10/10)