Heavy Song of the Week: “Bruised Sky” Is Poppy at Her Most Metal

1 hour ago7 min read

The announcement of Poppy's forthcoming album 'Empty Hands' was heralded by the seismic shockwave of 'Bruised Sky,' a track that doesn't just flirt with metal but fully embraces its chaotic, cathartic heart. This isn't a mere dalliance; it's a homecoming, the logical culmination of an artistic journey that began in the saccharine, subversive pop of her early internet-breaking days and has steadily descended, album by album, into a far darker and more textured sonic landscape.Where her 2020 album 'I Disagree' masterfully blended nu-metal and industrial elements, and its follow-ups further sharpened the edges, 'Bruised Sky' feels like the final, glorious shedding of any remaining pop skin. The guitars here are not just heavy; they are tectonic, shifting between downtuned, sludge-metal riffs that recall the primal weight of early Black Sabbath and passages of blistering, technical ferocity that would feel at home on a Code Orange record.Poppy's vocal performance is the track's devastating centerpiece, a masterclass in dynamic range that sees her pivot from a haunting, ethereal croon into a guttural, full-throated scream that carries a surprising amount of emotional clarity amidst the aggression. Lyrically, the song continues her tradition of exploring themes of control, identity, and liberation, but here the metaphors feel more visceral, more bruised, as if she's fighting her way out of a suffocating reality.The production, likely helmed again by a collaborator like Chris Greatti, is impeccably raw, allowing every snare hit to crack with gunshot intensity and every bass drop to feel like a physical blow. This track solidifies Poppy's position not as a pop star playing dress-up in a metal costume, but as a genuine and vital force within the modern heavy music scene, a artist who has successfully weaponized her pop sensibilities to craft anthems that are as catchy as they are crushing. For long-time followers, 'Bruised Sky' is a triumphant payoff, and for the uninitiated, it's a formidable introduction to an artist who has definitively carved out her own unique and punishing niche.

#featured

#Poppy

#Bruised Sky

#metal

#new album

#Empty Hands

#heavy music