Man, that’s a big song! I love it when a song like this hoves into view, fills all available space, and dominates the listener’s consciousness. “Control” is just such a song, it starts big and then keeps growing, quickly getting to a point when it can’t be ignored, even if you wanted to.
Blending the expansive sound that made nu-metal such a force to be reckoned with back in the day with some more of-the-moment indie-rock fusions, “Control” is a song that is perfect for today’s aficionados of the heavier sound.
But it isn’t just big; it is a song that is intricately put together, the raw guitars and epic vocals woven together with all manner of clever sounds – washes of choral power, spacious dynamics, chiming sonics, poise, and pace.
At its heart, the song reminds us that sometimes we are not the ones in control, that there are times when the rug of familiarity and comfort can be pulled out from under us so unexpectedly that we find ourselves spiraling out of control with nothing to grab on to help stable ourselves. At times like these, we look for anything we can to both slow our fall and fill the void that has been left.
“Control” is the sound of an immovable musical object meeting an unstoppable sonic force; the result is a massive, explosive, incendiary, and awe-inspiring experience to find yourself confronted with. But it is also melodic and masterfully put together. In other words, it is big AND it is clever!
