Our Raw Heart
| Our Raw Heart | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 8, 2018 | |||
| Recorded | 2017–2018 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 73:16 | |||
| Label | Relapse Records | |||
| YOB chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 82/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Exclaim! | (8/10)[3] |
| Metal Injection | (9/10)[4] |
| Metal Storm | (8.0/10)[5] |
| Pitchfork | (8/10)[6] |
| Rolling Stone | (3.5/5)[7] |
Our Raw Heart is the eighth studio album by American doom metal band YOB. It was released June 8, 2018, by Relapse Records.[8]
Production[edit]
The album was produced by Billy Barnett.[9] The album was inspired by a serious health issue suffered by singer and guitarist Mike Scheidt in early 2017,[6] and most of the music was written while he was in a hospital bed.[7] The album has been described as a cross between the band's two previous studio albums, mixing the aggression of Atma (2011) with the psychedelic experimentation of Clearing the Path to Ascend (2014).[6] AllMusic classified it as a doom metal album "possessed of hope", with elements of sludge metal, stoner metal and post-metal psychedelia.[1]
Critical reception[edit]
Our Raw Heart was well received by critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 82 based on 10 reviews.[2] Aggregator Album of the Year gave the release a 83 out of 100 based on a critical consensus of 9 reviews.[10]
Metal Injection called the album "engaging and revealing, immediately appealing but with subtle nuances and layers that only become apparent after subsequent listens. It's a powerful and cathartic release,"[4] while Rolling Stone praised the band for "subvert[ing] doom's bleak conventions, painting the genre's slowpoke churn with uplifting melodies, cosmic textures and Scheidt's existential howl like a dreampop Dio."[7] NPR Music said about the album: "the lightness is devastating."[11]
Accolades[edit]
| Publication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decibel | Decibel's Top 40 Albums of 2018 | 1
|
|
| Consequence of Sound | Top 25 Metal + Hard Rock Albums of 2018 | 1
|
|
| Metal Injection | Top 20 Albums of 2018 | 5
|
|
| Vulture.com | 15 Best Albums of 2018 | 12
|
Track list[edit]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ablaze" | 10:13 |
| 2. | "The Screen" | 9:49 |
| 3. | "In Reverie" | 9:43 |
| 4. | "Lungs Reach" | 5:39 |
| 5. | "Beauty in Falling Leaves" | 16:27 |
| 6. | "Original Face" | 7:03 |
| 7. | "Our Raw Heart" | 14:22 |
| Total length: | 73:16 | |
Personnel[edit]
- Mike Scheidt – vocal, guitars
- Aaron Rieseberg – bass
- Travis Foster – drums
- Additional musicians
- Billy Barnett – piano
Charts[edit]
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[16] | 20 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[17] | 37 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[18] | 9 |
| US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[19] | 3 |
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Jurek, Thom. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ a b "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ Tremblay, Mark (June 6, 2018). "Exclaim! Review". Exclaim!. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ a b Bowar, Chad (June 5, 2018). "Album Review: YOB, Our Raw Heart". Metal Injection. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ "Yob - Our Raw Heart review". Metal Storm. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ^ a b c O'Connor, Andy (June 8, 2018). "YOB: Our Raw Heart". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ a b c Weingarten, Christopher R. (June 7, 2018). "Review: Yob's 'Our Raw Heart' Is Dreamy, Uplifting Doom Metal". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ "YOB Release 'Our Raw Heart' on June 8 via Relapse, Announce North American Tour". Relapse Records. June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ "YOB: Credits, Our Raw Heart". AllMusic. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ "Album of the Year Review". Album of the Year. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ Heller, Jason (May 31, 2018). "On YOB's 'Our Raw Heart,' The Lightness Is Devastating". NPR Music. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ Mudrian, Albert (November 15, 2018). "SPOILER: Here Are Decibel's Top 40 Albums of 2018". Decibel. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
- ^ Heavy Consequence Staff (December 5, 2018). "Top 25 Metal + Hard Rock Albums of 2018". Consequence Of Sound. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ "Metal Injection Writers' Collective Top 20 Albums of 2018". Metal Injection. December 28, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ "The 15 Best Albums of 2018". Vulture.com. December 3, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ "Yob Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ "Yob Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ "Yob Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ "Yob Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
