Code Orange: Ranked and Reviewed!
Code Orange have quickly become one of my favorite metal acts ever. Their growth as artists and songwriters alongside their unique blending of genres such as metalcore, hardcore punk, industrial metal, and even some alternative and sludge metal make them a band to keep an eye out for. They are exceptionally talented artists who have managed to pump out multiple amazing projects that push the boundaries of what modern metal should be. With the release of their new single, I felt it would be fun to finish off the Code Orange discography with a little ranking and review of each album and EP this band has produced, going in chronological order.
Album/EP Ranking:
1. Underneath
2. Forever
3. The Above
4. I Am King
5. Love Is Love // Return To Dust
6. Full Of Hell & Code Orange Kids
7. Code Orange Kids - Demo
8. Embrace Me // Erase Me
9. 2008 Demo
10. Cycles
Side Notes: I am aware that The Hurt Will Go On is an EP, but it mostly feels like a two song single with a remix thrown in, especially with how the new single is two singles in one. Code Orange Kids, while under a different name, is just Code Orange before Code Orange. I’ve already reviewed Under The Skin, and it feels weird to compare it to the others, since it’s mostly re-recordings of the same songs on other albums.
Code Orange Kids' first project is something I was not expecting. This album is a straightforward, ugly, messy hardcore punk album. It definitely draws influence from bands like Dead Kennedys, the punk sound is completely realized here, and it's a lot of fun. It does get really repetitive by the end, and not very many songs stick with me, but all of them are energetic, fun bangers that you'll have a good time with for 25 minutes.
Favorite Tracks: Graverobbers, Kill the Bro's, Don't Cross the Picket Line
Favorite Tracks: Graverobbers, Kill the Bro's, Don't Cross the Picket Line
Apparently I missed this along with more Code Orange Kids demos that I've promptly added to the site, so that's cool. Anyways this EP is fucking good! There's tons of cool ideas that I can see being expanded on later in their career, especially the closer Roots, which features this strange, distorted drum opening that's super cool. There's not a ton here that you wouldn't get on other Code Orange Kids releases, but what is here is really goddamn good, check it out on YouTube.
Favorite Tracks: Coasts, Violence, Roots
Favorite Tracks: Coasts, Violence, Roots
Embrace Me // Erase Me is the shortest EP on this list, only clocking in at a tiny 6 minutes. In those six minutes, though, it manages to be a pretty darn good introduction to what Code Orange are as a band. They started out with similarly harsh vocals, but much more sludgy guitar and bass tones with a hardcore edge. As a result, I think this album feels like possibly their heaviest work, just an absolutely chugging 6 minutes that never lets up. A really solid start to this great band.
Favorite Tracks: All of them!
Favorite Tracks: All of them!
Cycles feels like somewhat of an unnecessary addition to this band’s journey. Yes, it’s actually quite decent, as it’s just more Code Orange, but the songs here feel kind of… empty? For a 10 minute EP, this album feels quite long, there’s no real standout moments until kind of the ending, which is kind of pushing it. I don’t know, it’s a perfectly fine EP, but it feels like the band are just standing in place rather than continuing.
Favorite Song: Take (The Soil is Calling)
Favorite Song: Take (The Soil is Calling)
This feels much less like a Code Orange project and more so like a Code Orange cameo spanning two tracks on a Full of Hell EP. As solid as Code Orange are on this EP, their performances on both of the tracks they’re on are quite forgettable, and Full of Hell kind of steals the show anyways. They absolutely tear in this EP, and Code Orange feel even less memorable as a result. A solid split EP for sure, but I wish Code Orange had more time to shine.
Favorite Tracks: Fox Womb, Reeds in a River, Dry
Favorite Tracks: Fox Womb, Reeds in a River, Dry
This is the one and only album under the Code Orange Kids mantra, and, you know what, this is a great way to close out an era! I can see this one growing on me 5 points, as this LP is everything I wanted out of Code Orange Kids. This album still has the beastly sludge shown in their previous works, but adds much more interesting and layered tracks. There are also some more atmospheric songs that really heighten the experience, and songs like these barely make a return on any of their other works, which is kind of a shame. A really good album that I can see growing on me with time.
Favorite Tracks: Liars // Trudge, Calm // Breath, Bloom (Return to Dust)
Favorite Tracks: Liars // Trudge, Calm // Breath, Bloom (Return to Dust)
NEVRMIND IT GREW ON ME IT GOES HARD
I Am King is the first album under the band’s current name, Code Orange, and it is yet again another strong showing from the band. It’s a pretty different shift from Code Orange Kids’ signature style, with this album leaning less towards the sludgy tones and more towards the animalistic and heavy as shit breakdowns that pound you into the dirt. The album isn’t very diverse, but it doesn’t really need to be, as it’s quite short. Even if it’s not their most impressive piece, it’s still a very solid album with some great songs.
Favorite Tracks: I Am King, Starve, Thinners of the Herd
I Am King is the first album under the band’s current name, Code Orange, and it is yet again another strong showing from the band. It’s a pretty different shift from Code Orange Kids’ signature style, with this album leaning less towards the sludgy tones and more towards the animalistic and heavy as shit breakdowns that pound you into the dirt. The album isn’t very diverse, but it doesn’t really need to be, as it’s quite short. Even if it’s not their most impressive piece, it’s still a very solid album with some great songs.
Favorite Tracks: I Am King, Starve, Thinners of the Herd
NOW THIS IS CODE ORANGE! This is really where the band kicked into gear, keeping the sludgy intensity of their previous works while melding really strong songwriting into every track. I really don’t have much to say on Forever other than HOLY SHIT THIS FUCKING SLAPS. While it’s not Code Orange’s absolutely most destructive and brutal showing, it’s for sure their most interesting and entertaining display of power. This album pulls you in with this evil, pummeling atmosphere that never relents until the end. There are so many riffs on this thing that get my head moving every single time, it’s wild. Brutal breakdowns and wild riffs aren’t the only thing this album has going for it, though, as ballads like Bleeding In The Blur and Ugly break up an otherwise completely unrelenting experience. While the alt metal/rock influences are hidden a little bit on these tracks due to this album’s more sludgy production, it’s still very much there, and it’s great that Underneath builds off of it in such a natural way. Even if I do prefer the record that follows this one, Forever is still an amazing time that is well worth checking out for anyone interesting in hardcore.
Favorite Tracks: Forever, Kill the Creator, Bleeding In The Blur, The New Reality
Favorite Tracks: Forever, Kill the Creator, Bleeding In The Blur, The New Reality
Underneath is (at the time of writing this) Code Orange’s most recent album release. While I think this album and Forever are very close to each other in quality, I feel like Underneath shows just how far the band have come. They maintain the aggressiveness that they’ve had right from the start, with crushing breakdowns and animalistic vocals throughout. The album also adds on elements that diversify the standard Code Orange experience, with many industrial samples, alt metal/rock ballads that break up the more traditional metalcore/industrial metal tracks, and an overall sense of cohesiveness and atmosphere that isn’t matched by anything else in their discography. Truly an amazing album, and one of my favorites of the 2020’s.
Favorite Tracks: Swallowing The Rabbit Whole, Sulfur Surrounding, Erasure Scan, Underneath
Favorite Tracks: Swallowing The Rabbit Whole, Sulfur Surrounding, Erasure Scan, Underneath
Pre-Album Thoughts: After digging through many snippets on their obscure websites and overplaying the new singles, I can safely say that I am absolutely stoked for this new album. I don't think many people are gonna like, and definitely not as much as I will, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed, who knows, maybe this is an AOTYcore album. Enough about that, though, I cannot express how hyped I am for this album, it's gonna be fire.
First Listen Thoughts: That was weird. I’m both incredibly happy with this album and also a little disappointed? I dunno, it’s certainly amazing and I’ll be listening to it for a while, but something tells me this doesn’t have the same “thing” that Underneath had. Maybe I just need to adjust to the new atmosphere. Amazing album, kinda strange though.
Post-Review Thoughts: Goddamn.
First Listen Thoughts: That was weird. I’m both incredibly happy with this album and also a little disappointed? I dunno, it’s certainly amazing and I’ll be listening to it for a while, but something tells me this doesn’t have the same “thing” that Underneath had. Maybe I just need to adjust to the new atmosphere. Amazing album, kinda strange though.
Post-Review Thoughts: Goddamn.
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