This is a poor album! I think lot of people are going to love it. That is fascinating.

Time to exorcise some demons; there is an audience for Kingdoms, and a massive one. There is an audience for Born Of Osiris’ A Higher Place. The razor’s edge in regards to both is the endless argument of opinion. There were critical values of quality in the past that are even now being warped into the subjective (such as melody and even ability), but certain mainstays are applicable (such as originality and distinctness). Both the aforementioned albums have received low scores on this website, and yet that still fundamentally means they have received low scores from myself. Would that still be the website’s agenda or distinction if another equally able contributor gave a different score? Here come the feelings of ineptitude, where my opinion may be respected, but by no means be an authority. It will not sway the thousands (millions?) from genuinely loving this album, while I have the misfortune of not finding something to enjoy on it. On the matter of opinion, this very album has received a lower score from Hearwax than Devourment’s Unleash The Carnivore; both discs are unoriginal, and both have… breakdowns, BUT, my own subjectivity aligns me to appreciate noise with blast beats and gurgles over hooky popcore chords. Gurgles? Did I really just type that? What the hell is wrong with me?

In summation, my opinion is neither provable or justifiable, and flawed by inevitable prejudice. For the love of God, stop reading this now.

Ok, you’ve stuck around, because you sense, like in any review, I have an opinion. Opinions are sometimes candy, sometimes bitter, sometimes validating, and often alienating. On top of this, they would not be opinions if we did not need to justify them amongst other opinions. In this sense, while a review of Broadway’s Kingdoms will fundamentally be part of a niche population opinion of those who hate infectious pop punk on principle (which I can assure has no place in this text) there is undoubtedly that massive audience.

Broadway use drop d chord progressions, noodly “emotional” leads (with the odd sweep picking) and pepper it with a few breakdowns. The vocals are soaring yelps and crooning that are reminiscent of Anthony Green and Craig Owens (the latter of which contributes guest vocals). Needless to say, these choices come with the territory. There is nothing original and profound regarding these tracks; the melodies are dry, the lyrics exaggerated and exasperatingly ironic, and ultimately a plagiary. Yes, there are lifted transitions on every song, and the “identity” that invariably goes along with them are carefully copied from watered down already watered down bands. These are qualities that are a little more removed from the subjective, and thus make this lack of quality ever more important to highlight; Broadway have not broken out yet, but they will. They will be incredibly lucrative and entertain a lot of fucking people, because is that not what it is all about? The opinion here on Kingdoms stands in opposition to the widespread popularity that it will receive. It needs to. Would a hardworking band like Broadway’s praise be worth it without the opposing judgment giving it a bit of context? I would say now is a good time to put on some Paramore.

(3.5/10)