Xdinary Heroes is nominated for a range of awards this year in the 2023 Kpop Review Awards, such as for Best Band Performance (for Break the Brake), Best Ballad (for Good Enough), Best Rock Song (for Break the Brake) and Rising Star of 2023. If you want to support Xdinary Heroes and your other favourite artists, songs and performance, click here to vote today.
I kick the week off with a review for another song that I should have reviewed when it was first released. Xdinary Heroes dropped their fourth mini-album Livelock and the lead single Break The Brake over a month ago. This latest release follows on from Xdinary Heroes’ April 2023 comeback with the mini-album Deadlock and the lead single Freakin’ Bad.
There is a reason to why I nominated Break the Brake for Best Rock Song of 2023 in the 2023 Kpop Review Awards. I just love how relentless the song gets when the rock really peaks in the chorus, which pretty much satisfies the rock craving in me. Break the Brake without doubt has a lot of head-banging potential behind it. The guitar work and drumming just feels so electrifying and energetic. The guitar shredding we get towards the end of Break the Brake was definitely very intense and cool, but I agree with the majority that the guitar solo was too brief. The synth work we get when the rock elements are stripped away adds an additional layer of cool energy and flair that makes Break the Brake unique. The groans in the background of the chorus also introduces a screamo-like vibe to the song, adding to the energy and intensity of the song. I do remember thinking the hooks were a little under baked when I first heard the song. But over a month on from its release, I find the hooks of Break the Brake (i.e., the “I’m gonna break the brake” and the “I want some more/gimme some more yeah” lines) to be super catchy. The rough vocals adds to the rock aesthetics and gives the song further texture. Break the Brake is an even more awesome song and highlights Xdinary Heroes trajectory as artists (which is also the reason why they are nominated for Rising Star of 2023).
The music video for Break the Brake sees another Groundhog Day situation, with the members again being prisoners (just this time they are being transported by train) and waking up again and again when the train goes straight into a massive dust cloud. Using the prisoner revolt as cover, the members show their determination in trying to survive the dust cloud and rescuing their instruments by ensuring the train doesn’t slow down as it approach the dust cloud (which kills them) and that they travel full speed out of the dust cloud to survive (and go to where the grass is very much greener). It is a pretty cool concept, but I must admit the CGI police car that speeds to catch up with the train was pretty bad. I also like how the video feels action-packed, which correlates well with the song.
Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10
Author: kpopreviewed from kpopreviewed.com