Stick To Your Guns’ Keep Planting Flowers: A Bold, Dynamic Release
Released on January 10, 2025, Keep Planting Flowers by Stick To Your Guns has already received critical acclaim, with a solid critic score of 83. The album showcases the band’s commitment to their blend of hardcore punk and metalcore while offering fresh perspectives on social and personal themes. With this album, Stick To Your Guns continues to solidify their place in the modern hardcore scene.
A Testament to Their Evolution
Keep Planting Flowers is a clear testament to Stick To Your Guns’ evolution as a band. While they have maintained their roots in hardcore, the album sees them experimenting with new sounds, incorporating elements of melodic metal and even softer, more introspective moments. The result is an album that balances aggression with melodic depth, offering a new experience for both longtime fans and newcomers.
Aggressive Energy with Purposeful Lyrics
One of the album’s key strengths is its aggressive energy, which is channeled through powerful riffs and relentless drumming. However, the energy is not just for show. Stick To Your Guns has always been known for their thoughtful, socially conscious lyrics, and Keep Planting Flowers is no exception. The band uses their aggressive sound as a platform to discuss issues like inequality, mental health, and personal growth.
A Standout Track: “Unbreakable”
A standout track from the album, “Unbreakable,” epitomizes the band’s ability to fuse hard-hitting musicality with emotionally charged lyrics. The song’s soaring chorus, paired with its relentless breakdowns, perfectly conveys a message of resilience and strength, making it one of the album’s most impactful moments.
Melodic and Lyrically Introspective
While Keep Planting Flowers contains plenty of hard-hitting moments, the album also explores more melodic and introspective territory. Tracks like “Seeds of Change” offer a breather, with cleaner vocals and more atmospheric instrumentation, allowing the band to explore themes of hope and personal evolution. These moments of contrast make the album’s aggressive tracks even more impactful.
Production Quality That Elevates the Sound
The production quality on Keep Planting Flowers is top-notch. The album’s production elevates the band’s sound, ensuring that every instrument is distinct and powerful. The balance between the heavy, distorted guitars and the more melodic moments is expertly managed, with producer Sam Pura capturing the band’s raw energy while polishing the sound for a more accessible feel.
Collaborations and Guest Features
Stick To Your Guns has always been known for their collaborations, and Keep Planting Flowers is no different. The album features guest appearances from notable artists within the hardcore and metal scenes, further expanding its sonic boundaries. These collaborations add texture and variety to the album, helping to showcase different facets of the band’s evolving sound.
Themes of Personal Growth and Social Responsibility
Keep Planting Flowers explores both personal and societal themes, delving into issues like mental health, societal division, and the importance of personal growth. Tracks like “Rise and Roar” challenge listeners to overcome adversity, while “The Weight We Carry” delves into the struggles individuals face in today’s world. The album’s lyrical content is designed to inspire change and reflection, making it as emotionally rich as it is musically intense.
The Power of Stick To Your Guns’ Sound
One of the most impressive aspects of Keep Planting Flowers is the sheer power of Stick To Your Guns’ sound. The band’s ability to deliver aggressive, fast-paced hardcore tracks without sacrificing the emotional weight of their music speaks to their growth as musicians. Each song hits hard, with intricate guitar riffs and intense rhythms that draw listeners in and hold their attention.
Standout Musical Moments and Complex Arrangements
While Keep Planting Flowers delivers on aggression, it also features some standout musical moments that display the band’s complexity. In tracks like “In This Together,” the band integrates more complex arrangements, moving away from straightforward verse-chorus structures and showcasing their ability to craft songs that are both sonically intricate and emotionally impactful.
A Call to Action: The Album’s Political Edge
As with many of Stick To Your Guns’ previous works, Keep Planting Flowers also features a political edge. The album is not afraid to tackle societal issues head-on, with tracks like “Revolutionary” calling for unity and change. The band’s approach to politically charged topics is both bold and thought-provoking, reinforcing their position as one of the most socially conscious bands in hardcore music today.
Tight Rhythms and Solid Musicianship
Throughout Keep Planting Flowers, the band’s rhythm section holds everything together. The drums and bass are tight and precise, driving each song forward with force. This solid foundation allows the band’s guitarists to take center stage, weaving intricate melodies and solos that add depth to the music.
A Critical Success for Stick To Your Guns
Critically, Keep Planting Flowers has been well-received, with many reviewers praising its balance of aggression and melody, as well as its thought-provoking lyrics. The album showcases Stick To Your Guns’ growth as musicians and lyricists, earning them a spot among the most respected bands in the hardcore and metalcore scenes.
A Resounding Statement in Hardcore Music
Keep Planting Flowers is a resounding statement in the world of hardcore music. Stick To Your Guns has once again proven that they are not afraid to push boundaries, mixing elements of melody and social commentary into their aggressive sound. This album further solidifies their place in the modern hardcore landscape.
An Album for Hardcore Fans and New Listeners Alike
For hardcore fans, Keep Planting Flowers delivers the intensity and power that the genre is known for. But for those new to Stick To Your Guns, this album serves as a great introduction to their sound, showcasing the band’s ability to craft both emotionally impactful and musically dynamic songs. The album is a perfect entry point for anyone interested in the modern evolution of hardcore music.
Conclusion: An Essential Album for 2025
In conclusion, Keep Planting Flowers is an essential release for fans of hardcore and metalcore in 2025. Stick To Your Guns has delivered an album that balances aggression, complexity, and introspection. With its sharp songwriting, powerful performances, and socially conscious themes, it is clear that this album will be remembered as one of the standout releases of the year.
