In today’s world of music, you have to find a way to continue to evolve, even if that means potentially alienating some for your old fans to gain new ones. Motionless In White are the perfect example of this with their newest and latest record Graveyard Shift. This record contains every element of Motionless In White while creating a theme of new elements that every metalhead can learn to love. Influences from all of Motionless In White’s musical archive can be heard, but MIW takes a step in a new direction and it is quite beautiful to say the least.
The single “Loud (Fuck It)” is one of the most evidential changes that the band has presented. The song represents not living for anyone else except yourself and saying forget what everyone else says about what you’ve done. Motionless In White put this song on their record to let people know that you have to do what you want, and you can’t let anyone take you down from it – including making slight changes in your music, like the bouncy catchy chorus of this song that anyone could get into. Other songs that are representative of this are songs such as the other single from the album, “Eternally Yours”, which is a beautiful love ballad about being with someone forever and vocalist Chris shares a new side of his vocals, with a deep, soothing, and all-around great vocal range in the chorus. Motionless In White does include stuff for the fans that have been there from the beginning, including songs such as “Soft” and “570,” which are very breakdown heavy and have many older sounds from their previous albums such as Creatures that blend well with the newer sounds of Graveyard Shift.
Heavily influenced by heavy-metal rocker Marilyn Manson, the new album takes a more industrial metal/horror approach. The keyboards on this album really help bring the album to life, just like in the opening track “Rats,” with electronics that take you right into the album, followed by heavy and slow riffs, slow and drawn out vocals, and a massively heavy chorus. Motionless In White take elements from the industrial music of the earlier 90s and combined it with today’s sound, and the result is completely brilliant.
Lyrically, Graveyard Shift is what you would expect from a Motionless In White record – songs that can be very dark and then turn around and be either comedic or inspirational for some of life. One of the more easy-going and catchy songs on the record, “Not My Type: Dead As Fuck 2,” is a great energetic song with words that are easy to sing along to, and a chorus that will both make you bang your head and laugh at the same time. Most of the album touches on a lot of things that we go through and it teaches us to let some of that darkness out, hence the name Graveyard Shift. Whether you’re an old fan or a new fan, there will be something for everyone to grasp on this wonderful record.