ALBUM REVIEW: Set It Off - Set it Off

Konstantina Buhalis
6 days ago
2 min read

Article Contributed by Konstantina Buhalis

Set It Off Album Artwork Person pressing hands against cracked glass in a dark setting, face partially obscured, creating an eerie and mysterious atmosphere.

Set It Off has been a major player in the rock and alternative scene since 2008, when they gained notoriety through their YouTube channel, eventually signing to Equal Vision Records and then Fearless Records. In the last year, Set It Off went independent and released their latest self-titled album on November 7, featuring Rock and Nu-Metal influences.

Dopamine Era

In 2023, Set It Off left Fearless Records and began what they called the Dopamine era with a tour and a single to support their new move to independence, including the release of “Win Win” with Scene Queen. In 2024, Set It Off re-released “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing [Reborn]” to reference their relationship with Equal Vision Records, leading to their self-titled release on November 7th, which received critical acclaim and renewed excitement for the band.

In addition, they are currently on tour through December, supporting their new album, and their podcast, “Talk it Off,” features the band discussing the new album, the tour, and behind-the-scenes details.

Self-Titled Tunes

From the jump, Set It Off’s latest is an exciting gauntlet-throwing effort that blends elements of rap, nu-metal, hardcore, and pop-punk. With the multi-genre sound, SIO is untethered and free from the constraints of label desires. The album opens with “Pathological,” a rap track featuring a hard trap beat mixed with nu-metal riffs, drawing on Korn and Insane Clown Posse. Lyrically, the song takes the anger and frustration from the last few years and brings it to the forefront through jabs and quips, with lines like “Go and take another Ritalin, can you tell me who the villain is?”

Further into the album is “Creating Monsters,” a fun, heart-pounding track that feels right at home in an anime and features vocal stylings reminiscent of early Panic!, with a quick interpolation of “It Don’t Mean a Thing if You Ain’t Got That Swing.” It maintains a dark cabaret aesthetic and gives itself the room to be invitingly chaotic. Through the album, the writing maintains consistent themes and shows artistic growth through the lyrics and the incredible arrangements.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the album is varied and serves as an amalgamation of the last 20 years of alternative rock and emo, paying tribute to their history, contemporaries, and the modern soundscape. Set It Off’s self-titled is their little black revenge dress of an album.

Soundcheck Rating: 7/10

Featured Tracks:

"What’s In It For Me?"
"Parasite"
"Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing (Reborn)"

Catch Set It Off on tour until December 10th. Tickets at setitoffband.com