“Max Payne Au Chocolat“ by Palejoy

“Max Payne Au Chocolat” by Palejoy is an enrapturing emo rock tune that grips the listener from the first note, and doesn’t let you go until the final whine of the guitar feedback fades away. Palejoy, an innovative band based in Scotland, delivers a compelling narrative over captivating instrumentation with this track. Their clear artistic vision shines in the way each element compliments the rest of the arrangement, offering a chaotic and emotional landscape that never takes away from the storytelling.

Grungy, low guitars ominously open the song before the rhythm slams into the track. Heavy drums with crashing cymbals and hi hats provide the backbone for unrelenting guitars with invigorating riffs. Slight shifts in energy throughout the song allow the tension to rise and fall naturally, building anticipation and resolving it in immensely satisfying ways. A gritty vocal performance carries you through a dynamic journey, moving from low monotone melodies to emotional falsettos to impassioned, growled belting, matching the complicated emotions the narrator is experiencing.

Lines like “your troubles were mine, but it wasn’t fair, you left me crippled in despair” tells us that the narrator felt stuck in a relationship where he carried the weight of the other person’s problems. Though a relationship is about being there for each other, it can feel like a burden if only one of you is actually doing the emotional labor. Palejoy poignantly sings “the weight of your mind is breaking my back” as the arrangement builds to mirror the frustrating situation.

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