Electron are a London-based duo who originally hail from Portugal. Their second album, Is This Worth Living For?, is about to be unleashed, and it’s a superb chunk of modern metal.

Jason Payne (guitar/vocals) and Joanna Hyde (bass/vocals) base their songs around the experiences of many young people these days…feeling detached, alone, and searching for some kind of purpose. The music is very well written with virtuoso performances. I’m not sure if the band has used an actual drummer on the album, or if the drums are programmed. The production from Romesh Dodangoda (Florence Black, Nova Twins, Bring Me The Horizon) is punchy and crystal clear.

Electron have a unique sound. They switch from crushing heaviness to Depeche Mode-style electronic moods with ease. There are plenty of singalong anthems in the mix too. Jason describes the inspiration behind the album: “The motivation behind these tracks came from hating the idea of a perfect life or world portrayed on social media,” begins Jason about the new album. “Everything and everyone seem to be so fake; it feels like we’re constantly being pushed towards what society expects us to be – there’s no room for individuality.

People have a hard time accepting and loving themselves for who they really are or look like. As we started writing, it propelled us to question: who are we? What are we doing here, and where do we go to? Metaphysics and existentialism are the strongest themes and emotions on this record. Because in a world that we can’t relate to, we’re left to wonder where we really belong.”

The album opens with the fantastic Trap. When it arrives, the heaviness is devastating, but the light and shade of the track is very effective. A catchy chorus makes the song memorable after the initial listen. Lie To Me mixes the electronic element of the band with monster guitar riffs perfectly. Brilliant stuff.

Jason sums up the next track: Dying To Feel Alive – “With all this modern-day disconnection, we’re left feeling increasingly isolated, day by day. We strive for meaningful connections, conversations, emotions… But sometimes everything feels fake and unreal.”

You Betray is a mid-paced epic with another earworm of a chorus. Electron mixes up the different foundations of their songs so well, you know they are essentially a metal band, but they could easily be an amazing dark electronic band. Toxic is another absolute banger of a track. A huge anthemic chorus and a Godzilla-sized riff make it a real standout tune. Another highlight of the album is the guest appearance of Skindred’s Benji Webbe on the track Taken. Benji’s ragga vocal delivery works perfectly. We get live versions of Burning Inside, Echoes Of A Dying World and You Betray to conclude the album.

Overall, Is This Worth Living For? is a very strong effort from Electron. The seemingly easy transition between musical styles makes for an interesting listen. I look forward to seeing what happens next for Electron. 

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Author: Kenny Kendrick