Album Review: Papa Roach Who Do You Trust

On January 18th 2019 alt-rock powerhouse Papa Roach released their tenth full length effort Who Do You Trust. For fans of singer Jacoby Shaddix’s hard hitting combination of rap and singing, as well as the bands signature sound won’t be disappointed. While the band sticks to what it knows best and does it well enough to define a genre, they aren’t afraid to push in a new direction and try to expand what they are capable of. This twelve track release of theirs showcases exactly that; Papa Roach’s deft high-wire act of staying true to their past while pushing themselves to evolve and expand the possibilities of their sound.

The lead track “The Ending” showcases perfectly what Papa Roach is trying to do. It has their signature sound, yet it also has a more layered synthesizer sound as well. It’s a departure, yet familiar all at the same time, and it works really well. One of the first singles to be released “Renegade Music” definitely bears this out as well. You’ll instantly recognize that it’s a Papa Roach song, but you’ll also hear the Rage Against The Machine influence. “Not The Only One” starts out simply with just an acoustic guitar that is also carried out through the verses and has a bit of a pop feel to it. But the choruses are heavy as is the end. If the song was one or the other, it would either be too pop for the band, or it would just blend into one of their other songs. It’s the combination of the two that makes it work and showcases their desire to try different sounds yet hold on to their roots. The title track “Who Do You Trust” is classic Papa Roach at it’s absolute finest. It is anthemic, the sound is big, the lyrics have angst to them, and you know you’ll be singing the chorus along with Jacoby Shaddix when you catch them on tour. “Feels Like Home” flexes its pop-punk muscles with it telling the story of a relationship ending. While it has a bit of Blink 182 influence, it also has more maturity and polish than anything that Blink 182 has ever done. If there is one song that is truly a departure for Papa Roach, it’s “Top of the World”. While it retains Jacoby Shaddix’s distinctive rap and singing style, the song has a distinctive snyth and drum track sound to it. “I Suffer Well” is a straight up punk rock song. With screaming lyrics, a breakneck pace, and short duration, it lives up to that genre perfectly. The final track of the album “Better Than Life” is similar in style to “Top of the World” in that it is also a synth sound to it, but it has a little more of Papa Roach’s sound to it.

Is there a chance that this album will ruffle the feathers of some fans? Anytime you try something new and expand your boundaries there is that risk. But the band should be applauded for continuing to push and grow. Overall, this is another great effort by Papa Roach. The different styles of all the songs mesh well and as a whole the album flows very well. If this album is any indication of the quality of music that will be released this year, then 2019 will be a banner year for music fans.

Tracklist:

1 – The Ending

2 – Renegade Music

3 – Not The Only One

4 – Who Do You Trust

5 – Elevate

6 – Come Around

7 – Feel Like Home

8 – Problems

9 – Top of the World

10 – I Suffer Well

11 – Maniac