WOODZ’s enormous success with Drowning came at an interesting time, when he was on hiatus due to military conscription and couldn’t immediately capitalize upon the track’s unlikely chart rise. Since returning, he’s released several new songs but nothing has yet recaptured Drowning‘s fortunes. Now, he’s back with his first full album — a sprawling seventeen-track work.
“Human Extinction” is quite an eye-catching title for a K-pop track and the song itself doesn’t extend many olive branches to those casual fans who may have discovered his work through Drowning. To WOODZ’s credit, he’s clearly not pulling his punches in search of another megahit. Human Extinction reminds me of something you’d hear on an early Muse album. With this comparison in mind, I wish the mixing had given more precedence to the vocal. WOODZ is (intentionally) buried in his own track, his voice a haunting texture running just beneath the blistering rock instrumental. It’s a curious choice, especially for a title track.
This approach makes Human Extinction more of an object of admiration than a song I’d actively put on a playlist. I love the guitar line that follows each chorus and the driving energy that frames the entire track, but the melodies aren’t strong enough to pull me in — especially given the distant feeling of the vocal performance. Still, this is one of the more interesting pieces of music delivered by a mainstream artist this year.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5
Grade: C
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