Somebody’s gotta work on these K-pop names. When I scan ChRocktikal’s band name, my mind wants to see “crocodile” or “cockatiel” and then gets confused and angry when the letters don’t line up the way they should. Regardless, this band has been highly anticipated by fans of Dreamcatcher, whose Siyeon fronts them as vocalist. Post-Dreamcatcher efforts have been iffy at best, but ChRocktikal’s (seriously, that name takes my fingers forever to type) hard rock sound comes closest to recapturing what was exciting about the group.
Of course, here we lose the novelty of “idol group doing rock music” and replace it with… straight-up rock music. Bands are quite popular in the Korean charts right now, but most opt for a lighter sound. PEACE (비둘기) has a harder edge, recalling the kind of pummeling rock that used to be quite popular in Korea during the 90s. The charts have since lost their taste for this particular sound, and I’m not sure a song like PEACE will be enough to reignite interest. It’s a confrontational piece of music, forgoing catchy hooks in favor of a more attitude-forward energy.
Siyeon lets it rip, especially during the chorus. She swaggers and howls in a way that fuels PEACE with undisputed star power. This is most evident during the song’s opening verse and chorus. Its first minute is tight and focused, making me wish the rest of the track was just as sharp. A slowed-down segment after the second chorus does little to build tension, causing the middle of the song to feel saggy before a guitar solo and final chorus rush in to compel interest once again.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8
Grade: B-
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