American band Pop Evil has been the definition of persistence in the Modern Rock era. With origins dating back over two decades, the members of Pop Evil took their lumps at local shows around Michigan for some time before any real exposure. Years of struggle would finally lead them to get signed in 2007, resulting in the release of their debut full-length, Lipstick on the Mirror, in 2008. The first taste of real success, their single “Hero” would find its way to the top 25 at Active Rock radio.
From here, 2009 would be an even bigger year, with “100 in a 55” peaking on the Active Rock charts at No. 8, thus making it one of the longest-standing singles at Active Rock of the year. This would snowball into touring in support of the likes of Whitesnake and Judas Priest, making Pop Evil a name people were starting to recognize. Naturally, they were riding high, and 2011’s follow-up record, War of Angels, took them even higher up on the mountain.
Although it seemed like Pop Evil had finally reached their desired level, they clearly wanted more, and each new album pushed the limits of their sound and style. This is evident with 2013’s Oynx, 2015’s Up, 2018’s self-titled, and 2021’s Versatile. Each album offered something different, and the band once again sought to surprise listeners with the release of Skeletons in 2023.
An album preceded by two big radio hits – “Eye of the Storm” and “Paranoid (Crash & Burn)” – it appeared Pop Evil had completed another stylistic transformation. Singles that were quite different, the band released “Dead Reckoning” in January of 2023 and blew everyone out of the water with one of their heaviest songs to date. A track featuring Fit For A King left many wondering what to expect from the remainder of Skeletons. Finally, Skeletons emerged on March 17th through MNRK Music Group… and immediately rattled fans’ cages.
With eleven tracks in total, right off the bat, it must be said that Skeletons is furious. This means that it contains Pop Evil’s signature stadium sing-along choruses but a new range of heaviest that the band has not shown before. Furthermore, amidst this newfound heaviness, subtle textures such as keyboards and electronic tones add another layer to Pop Evil’s sound.
Led by Vocalist Leigh Kakaty and Guitarist Dave Grahs, longtime Guitarist Nick Fuelling, plus Drummer Hayley Cramer are joined by the newest member, Bassist Joey “Chicago” Walser (Devour the Day & Egypt Central). With a dynamic lineup and clearly firing on all cylinders, together they create an album that puts Pop Evil more within a Modern Metal sphere than ever before.
This is clear with songs like “Circles,” “Who Will We Become,” and “Wrong Direction” (which features Blake Allison of Devour the Day). However, in between all of this, Pop Evil still offers some more Hard Rock-driven vibes on the title track and “Worth It,” both of which will surely satisfy a certain portion of their fanbase. And then there are more difficult-to-describe cuts, mixing modern Pop and Hip Hop in the form of “Sound of Glory,” as well as “Raging Bull” (featuring ZILLION).
When it is all said and done, Pop Evil appears to be hell-bent on never resting on their laurels. Perhaps this is a product of their formative years when they realized they would need to keep moving forward in order to survive. Whatever it may be, it is clearly a result of their determination to push themselves to the limits. Inspiring to see, it reminds us that, much like the message behind Pop Evil’s music, if we do not believe in ourselves, cultivate positivity, and continue to move forward, then we only have ourselves to blame. Hands down, it is one of the most eye-opening Pop Evil albums to date. This is why Cryptic Rock gives Skeletons 4 out of 5 stars.
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