So What? (While She Sleeps album)

So What? (stylised in all caps) is the fourth studio album by British metalcore band While She Sleeps. It was released on 1 March 2019, through the band's independent label Sleeps Brothers, in collaboration with Spinefarm Records and UNFD. It was produced by the band themselves and Carl Bown.

So What?
Studio album by
While She Sleeps
Released1 March 2019
RecordedJune–October 2018
Genre
Length48:23
Label
Producer
While She Sleeps chronology
You Are We
(2017)		 So What?
(2019)
Singles from So What?
  1. "Anti-Social"
    Released: 29 October 2018
  2. "Haunt Me"
    Released: 21 December 2018
  3. "The Guilty Party"
    Released: 30 January 2019
  4. "Elephant"
    Released: 24 February 2019

Background and recording

On 7 June 2018, the band confirmed via social media that they were in the process of writing a new album.[3] Production on the record was completed in October 2018. In an interview with Metal Hammer, guitarist Sean Long stated "I think people know the name While She Sleeps, but they don’t have a real idea of what sort of band we are. That makes me really proud, and we are aiming to surprise people again."[4]

Release and promotion

In October 2018, a figure in a white hazmat suit and gas mask was posted to the band's social media, holding a flash drive said to contain unreleased music. The drives could be retrieved from these figures at specific points around in London and Sheffield.[5] The drives contained a snippet of the song "Anti-Social", which was premiered during the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show on 29 October 2018.[6] The music video for the song was released the same day, confirming the band's fourth album would be called So What? and would be released on 1 March 2019.[7] The second single, "Haunt Me", was released on 21 December 2018,[8] and the third single, "The Guilty Party", was released on 30 January 2019.[9]

On 18 February 2019, the band released a behind-the-scenes documentary from filmmaker Roscoe Neil, detailing the album's recording process and some difficulties the band faced leading up to the album's release.[10] The documentary revealed that Carl Bown, the producer for both This Is the Six and Brainwashed, had produced the album. Five days later, the fourth single, "Elephant", was premiered on the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show, along with a music video later the same day. So What? was fully released on 1 March 2019.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Already Heard[1]
Dead Press![2]
Exclaim![11]
Kerrang![12]
Louder Sound[13]

So What? has received a generally positive reception for numerous music critics. Several reviews have indicated that the album is a slightly different direction for the band, drifting away from traditional metalcore roots in favor of a more alternative, even electronic, sound. Writing for Louder Sound, Stephen Hill calls the album "easily the most experimental and oddly challenging album the band have ever put together."[13] Paul Travers of Kerrang! also notes the changes, saying "there are plenty of riff-heavy body-slams and fiery, politicised lyrics, but this is a shinier, more melodic, accessible and sonically polished affair than its predecessors."[12] In his review for Exclaim!, Max Morin calls the album a "mixed bag where some ideas work and others don't," and criticizes it for feeling "more like a transparent attempt at marketability than genuine musical vision."[11]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by While She Sleeps.

No.TitleLength
1."Anti-Social"4:12
2."I've Seen It All"4:12
3."Inspire"4:10
4."So What?"4:32
5."The Guilty Party"4:26
6."Haunt Me"4:31
7."Elephant"4:38
8."Set You Free"4:17
9."Good Grief"3:38
10."Back of My Mind" (featuring Griffin Dickinson of SHVPES)4:27
11."Gates of Paradise"5:20
Total length:48:23

Notes

  • All track titles are stylised in capital letters.

Personnel

Charts
Chart (2019) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] 63
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[15] 14
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] 130
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[17] 126
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[18] 8
Scottish Albums (OCC)[19] 14
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 22
UK Albums (OCC)[21] 21

References
  1. Andy Davidson. "Review: While She Sleeps – SO WHAT?". Already Heard. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  2. Dylan Tuck. "ALBUM REVIEW: While She Sleeps – So What?". Dead Press!. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  3. "WHILE SHE SLEEPS on Twitter: "WE ARE WRITING A NEW ALBUM."". twitter.com. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  4. "WIn the studio with While She Sleeps as they work on album number four". Metal Hammer. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  5. "While She Sleeps To Give Away New Music On Saturday". Kerrang!. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  6. "NEWS: While She Sleeps share video for new single, 'Anti-Social'!". Dead Press. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  7. "While She Sleeps Release New Song"Anti-Social, Announce New Album and UK Dates". Kerrang!. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  8. "While She Sleeps Unleash New Song and Video for "Haunt Me"". Altpress. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  9. "While She Sleeps Drop New Track "The Guilty Party"". Spinefarm Records. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  10. "NEWS: While She Sleeps release 'So What?' video documentary!". Dead Press!. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  11. Max Morin. "Reviews While She Sleeps So What?". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  12. Paul Travers. "Album Review: While She Sleeps - SO WHAT?". Kerrang!. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  13. Stephen Hill. "While She Sleeps' provocative new album So What? is the sound of genres being mashed". Louder Sound. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  14. "ARIA Chart Watch #515". auspOp. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  15. "Austriancharts.at – While She Sleeps – So What?" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  16. "Ultratop.be – While She Sleeps – So What?" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  17. "Ultratop.be – While She Sleeps – So What?" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  18. "Offiziellecharts.de – While She Sleeps – So What?" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  19. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  20. "Swisscharts.com – While She Sleeps – So What?". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  21. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
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