Review by Paul Monkhouse for MPM
The world is being torn apart by billionaires, Tech Bros, AI and corrupt politicians. Barring the rise of the technology, it seems like nothing much has changed but there’s always voices raised that stand against the tide and none more powerfully and consistently than Tom Morello. Having spent a career creating the soundtrack for the revolution, the wrongs rained down on society seemingly fuels his creativity, giving an outlet for the cries of the many and really upsetting those in ivory towers. This latest release is one of his finest works yet and is as incendiary, intelligent and potent as anything he’s done before, his ability to meld incisive ideas with wrecking ball riffs his superpower.
‘Everyone Gets Everything They Want’ displays the usual razor-sharp writing and huge riffs but this time it’s a family affair as son Roman joins Morello, along with some other very special guests. Everything is done with surgical precision and the sound is the perfect balance between gleaming polish and human warmth. Everything here crackles with a vital life, reaching out from the speakers and putting the listener in the centre of the action, the rallying calls stirring the blood with a visceral connection.
Short instrumental ‘Beth From Electronics’ opens things before the title track kicks in with its huge riff and sugar rush chorus. The arse-kicking ‘Adjourn It’ features the father and son team, along with Serj Tankian, the whole thing a fiery polemic that itself could tear down walls. Further contributions are made by Ireland’s very own Kneecap on the explosive ‘Unconquered’ and Beartooth add floating vocals to the massive attack of ‘Everything Burns’, each artist bringing their own particular flavour to proceedings.
Whilst heavy hitters with massive grooves abound in numbers like ‘Soldier In The Army Of Love’, ‘Date Night’ and ‘Untethered’, there’s no shortage of light and shade in the less raucous numbers and in these moments Morello shows just what a man for all seasons he is. The stripped back piano and vocals of ‘I Am Not Yours To Command’ and the modern folk of ‘The Last Rung On The Ladder’ show how this lighter touch can be just as potent when it comes to storytelling, the latter featuring the sort of sound that Mark Knopfler would coax from his guitar during some superb fretwork.
Closing with they defiant blast of ‘They Can’t Kill Us All’, the album comes to an uncompromising end and there’s nothing left to do but carry that spirit into the next battle. Given how things are, Morello yet again captures the zeitgeist and puts everything down with both an unstoppable passion and an eloquence that goes further, harder and with more accuracy than any number of modern metal bands. A man for our times, Morello is bringing the fight to those in charge of society and leading the charge for humanity. With people constantly complaining that music and politics shouldn’t mix, ‘Everyone Gets Everything They Want’ is the ultimate riposte and shows that using your voice is more important than ever. An album of righteous fire.
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