REVIEW: Poppy’s ‘Negative Spaces’ is a Shapeshifting Masterclass of Metal and Pop Fusion
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
SHARPENING HER TEETH AND BITING DEEPER INTO EVERY SONG – With her sixth record Negative Spaces, Poppy dives headfirst into her metal roots while showcasing her unmatched ability to defy genre boundaries. Across 15 riveting tracks, the genre-fluid artist solidifies her identity as a fearless innovator, blending ferocious metal energy with pop sensibility. Her signature shapeshifter energy pulses through the record, reflecting an artist who has fully embraced her instincts and is unapologetically crafting her most daring work yet.
Negative Spaces sees Poppy weaving together industrial metal, nu-metal, hyperpop, and hardcore elements with an astonishing fluidity that few artists could replicate. Her pop-perfect vocals glide seamlessly into blood-curdling, banshee-like screams, embodying an electrifying duality that defines the record. These transitions feel as natural as they are exhilarating, a testament to Poppy’s confidence in pushing creative boundaries.
Produced by Jordan Fish (formerly of Bring Me the Horizon), adds a razor-sharp polish to the chaos. Fish’s industrial expertise breathes life into the mechanical grind of heavy guitars, propelling the album into a visceral soundscape. His touch brings a metallic sheen to the raw emotion of Poppy’s screams.
Standout tracks like “nothing” and “new way out” exemplify this duality, with guttural breakdowns seamlessly giving way to crystalline melodies. On “negative spaces,” Poppy juxtaposes delicate, almost ethereal verses with blistering guitar riffs, creating a sonic push-and-pull that mirrors the album’s exploration of inner conflict. Meanwhile, “crystallized” taps into hyperpop tendencies, layering glitchy, distorted vocals over relentless drums, proving her ability to merge worlds with precision.
Lyrically, Negative Spaces explores themes of identity, autonomy and self-reclamation. Poppy confronts the chaos within herself and the external expectations placed upon her, crafting a narrative that feels as cathartic as it does empowering. Her lyrics echo with raw honesty, amplifying the intensity of her sound and making her artistic evolution even more compelling.
Kicking off with the explosive opener, “have you had enough?” The track plunges listeners into a cauldron of industrial metal and early 2000s nu-metal nostalgia, nodding to icons like Nine Inch Nails and Kittie while carving out its own searing identity. It’s a fierce introduction to an album that thrives on rawness and guttural intensity.
The song’s opening immediately grabs attention with a grimy, mechanical rhythm, evoking the gritty industrial soundscapes that dominated the 90s. Layered atop are Poppy’s signature distorted guitar riffs – unpolished and electrifying – that set the stage for her visceral vocal delivery. The unrelenting energy is heightened by caustic screams that tear through the chorus like a battle cry.
Lyrically, the track cuts deep, with Poppy declaring: “Cause the cycle is vicious / the greed is sickness / evil is all around / always reaching for something / will leave you with nothing.”
Following the industrial chaos of Negative Spaces’ opener, “the cost of giving up” offers a raw and emotional pivot, showcasing the songstress’ ability to channel vulnerability with piercing authenticity. The second track lays bare a cry for support, as she pleads for someone to help carry the weight of her struggles. A haunting blend of melancholic guitars and stripped-down percussion creates a somber yet powerful backdrop, leaving plenty of room for Poppy’s voice to take center stage. Her vocals shift between delicate, almost trembling tones in the verses and a more impassioned delivery in the chorus, amplifying the urgency of her message.
“They’re all around us” is a masterclass of raw energy and aggression, standing out as one of the most intense offerings on Negative Spaces. Opening with classic heavy metal riffs that immediately command attention, the track wastes no time unleashing chaos. Poppy’s screeching, banshee-like vocals rip through the sonic landscape with razor-sharp precision, delivering an uncompromising assault that sharpens its teeth and bites deeper with every moment. Midway through the track, Poppy shouts with chilling clarity: “Ignorance is a poison!”
The chorus is both anthemic and confrontational, as Poppy sings, “When your spirit’s black and blue / and the heroes all desert you / will you curse what’s coming true? / and the hate won’t count you out / it’ll leave you in the shadows.”
The song’s pace is driven by high-speed, frenzied guitars and thunderous percussion, creating a whirlwind of intense metal mayhem. The riffing is both brutal and intricate, a perfect backdrop for Poppy’s visceral vocal delivery.
At the midpoint of Negative Spaces, Poppy shifts gears with the refreshingly experimental “crystallized,” offering a striking departure from the record’s earlier intensity. Leaning into hyperpop and electronica, the track envelops listeners in a shimmering soundscape, filled with glitchy beats and ethereal synths. It’s a daring and perfectly timed move that showcases she’s as comfortable in delicate, futuristic textures as she is in chaotic metal riffs.
“Crystallized” acts as a moment of breath amidst the album’s heavier tracks, yet it doesn’t feel out of place. As the track fades out, it seamlessly transitions into “vital,” a return to the songstress’ signature gritty rock sound but with a softer, more intimate touch.
On “vital,” Poppy’s vocals take center stage, trading the brutality of earlier tracks for a tender and heartfelt delivery. The softer instrumentation – while still rooted in rock – gives her lyrics the space to shine: “You hold me in a vicious cycle / you lie to me casually, and I’m lying in denial.”
Opening with haunting, Evanescence-style verses, “nothing” dives headfirst into themes of defiance and survival. The lyrics are both a plea and a challenge as Poppy defends herself against an unnamed aggressor.
Her lyricism, “Can’t sleep with my eyes closed / they’ve come for blood / cut them / they’re multiplying / they walk among us,” builds on the fear and frustration of someone constantly on guard. As the track climaxes, Poppy transitions back to her signature screaming, unleashing an intense vocal delivery that feels like a primal response to the pressure and demands she’s resisting.
“The center’s falling out” is Negative Spaces at its most unrestrained — a no-holds-barred display of sonic brutality and emotional catharsis. Drawing clear inspiration from her feature on Knocked Loose’s “Suffocate,” this song delivers crushing beatdowns and an unrelenting ferocity that leaves listeners breathless.
Channeling pure aggression through her ferocious screams, the songstress conveys a performance so visceral it feels suffocating. Her vocal delivery, unrestrained and primal, demands attention, pulling listeners into the maelstrom of sound and emotion.
Hitting like a gut punch, the chorus resonates with existential dread and rage: “Hell has no end / hate has no bounds / you’re breathing / but the center’s falling out.”
The title track of Negative Spaces serves as both the heart of the album and a testament to Poppy’s shapeshifting artistry. With a more alt-rock leaning sound, the song strips back some of the album’s ferocity to reveal a reflective, emotionally resonant core. It’s a moment where Poppy’s chameleon-like energy shines, proving once again that she can fluidly move between chaos and contemplation without missing a beat.
Musically, “negative spaces” builds on a foundation of gritty alt-rock, with atmospheric guitars and driving percussion that lend an anthemic quality to the track. The production balances rawness with polish, creating a sound that feels intimate yet expansive. The track’s alt-rock sensibility acts as a grounding force within the album’s diverse sonic palette, tying together its moments of chaos, experimentation and catharsis.
Album closer “halo,” is a breathtaking and dramatic closer that provides a striking contrast to the album’s heavier moments. The song begins with an ethereal energy, setting the stage for a haunting finale. With its electrifying guitar solos, otherworldly atmosphere and emotional depth, “halo” captures Poppy’s ability to blend beauty and chaos in her music.
Negative Spaces is a fearless declaration that Poppy is unafraid to explore, experiment and defy expectations. The songstress delivers a bold statement of artistic freedom, marking another milestone in her ongoing evolution as an artist. This record is not just a return to her metal roots but a complex reclamation of her voice, instincts and creative genius. Throughout its 15 tracks, Poppy effortlessly merges the polished with the primal, blending industrial metal, nu-metal, hyperpop, and alt-rock with a seamless grace that underscores her shapeshifting genius.
