Hell Is What You Make It
Encyclopedia
Hell Is What You Make It is the third studio album by electronic rock duo Breathe Carolina
. It was released on July 12, 2011 through Fearless Records
.
posted a video featuring a 30-second preview of the track "Blackout". Recording took place in Los Angeles, California in early 2011. It was officially announced on April 28, 2011 when the band launched a website to promote the album. The website contained a video featuring a forty-second preview of the track "Wooly" whilst displaying the album's title and release date in flash animation. On May 15, 2011, a demo of the track "Sweat It Out" was temporarily posted on YouTube before being shortly taken down. On May 19, the promotional website was updated, containing the album's cover art and track listing.
. The duo participated in the 2011 Scream It Like You Mean It Tour to promote the album. It debuted and peaked at number 42 on the Billboard 200
, only one number higher than their previous album, Hello Fascination
. It also charted within the Billboard Rock, Alternative, Dance and Independent Album Charts.
Prior to the album's release, "Wooly" and "Sweat It Out" were available for streaming on the duo's official social networking sites.
the following day. It has since received moderate airplay on top 40 mainstream radio stations. It has also received generally favorable reviews from music critics, with Alternative Press calling it an "irresistible synth-pop song". A lyric video was uploaded onto the duo's official YouTube account on June 24. An accompanying music video was released onto the duo's official Vevo
page on YouTube on September 20, and has since garnered more than 1 million views. The video features shots of the duo partying and getting into trouble, as well as performing the song at a live event. It was shot during summer 2011 in Los Angelos, California. The duo also performed the song live on Jimmy Kimmel Live
in their first televised performance ever. An extended play
titled Blackout: The Remixes EP was released on September 27 via iTunes
.
Additional musicians
Production
Breathe Carolina
Breathe Carolina is an American electronic rock musical duo from Denver, Colorado, composed of David Schmitt and Kyle Even. Breathe Carolina have released three albums, one EP, and five music videos to date.-Beginnings :...
. It was released on July 12, 2011 through Fearless Records
Fearless Records
Fearless Records is an alternative rock-oriented record label that has been signing artists since 1994. Fearless is based in Westminster, California and are best known for their early pop-punk moments captured in the Fearless Flush Sampler and Punk Bites releases, as well as additional releases by...
.
Background and recording
On December 22, 2010, Fearless RecordsFearless Records
Fearless Records is an alternative rock-oriented record label that has been signing artists since 1994. Fearless is based in Westminster, California and are best known for their early pop-punk moments captured in the Fearless Flush Sampler and Punk Bites releases, as well as additional releases by...
posted a video featuring a 30-second preview of the track "Blackout". Recording took place in Los Angeles, California in early 2011. It was officially announced on April 28, 2011 when the band launched a website to promote the album. The website contained a video featuring a forty-second preview of the track "Wooly" whilst displaying the album's title and release date in flash animation. On May 15, 2011, a demo of the track "Sweat It Out" was temporarily posted on YouTube before being shortly taken down. On May 19, the promotional website was updated, containing the album's cover art and track listing.
Release and promotion
The album was released on July 12, 2011 through Fearless RecordsFearless Records
Fearless Records is an alternative rock-oriented record label that has been signing artists since 1994. Fearless is based in Westminster, California and are best known for their early pop-punk moments captured in the Fearless Flush Sampler and Punk Bites releases, as well as additional releases by...
. The duo participated in the 2011 Scream It Like You Mean It Tour to promote the album. It debuted and peaked at number 42 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, only one number higher than their previous album, Hello Fascination
Hello Fascination
Hello Fascination is the second studio album by electronic rock duo Breathe Carolina. It was released on August 18, 2009 through Fearless Records. It was produced by Mike Green and Matt Squire....
. It also charted within the Billboard Rock, Alternative, Dance and Independent Album Charts.
Prior to the album's release, "Wooly" and "Sweat It Out" were available for streaming on the duo's official social networking sites.
Critical reception
The album has received generally positive reviews from music critics. Tim Sendra of Allmusic gave a positive review, scoring the album 3 and a half stars out of 5, saying, "Hell Is What You Make It finds the duo of Kyle Even and David Schmitt refining their amalgamation of sounds into something both slicker and more powerful than past efforts". The album's lead single, "Blackout", "Last Night (Vegas)", and "Take It Back" were indicated as the AMG Track Picks. Alternative Press also gave a positive review, scoring the album 3 and a half stars out of 5, saying, "The band—and producer Ian Kirkpatrick—bring a lot of dishes to this sonic buffet—and most of them are to be consumed on the dancefloor". While praising "Blackout", an "irresistible synth-pop song", "Wooly", the opening track "where house-techno sequencers and melodic vocals parry with screamo-metal breakdowns and growling", and "Waiting", "the head-nod initiator" that "would sound sweet bumping at a hipster club at 4 a.m," they criticized the tracks "Last Night (Vegas)", "Take It Back", and "Chemicals", calling them a "smack of blatant careerism".Singles
The album's lead single, "Blackout", was available for streaming via MTV Buzzworthy on June 13, 2011, and was released for digital downloadMusic download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
the following day. It has since received moderate airplay on top 40 mainstream radio stations. It has also received generally favorable reviews from music critics, with Alternative Press calling it an "irresistible synth-pop song". A lyric video was uploaded onto the duo's official YouTube account on June 24. An accompanying music video was released onto the duo's official Vevo
Vevo
Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
page on YouTube on September 20, and has since garnered more than 1 million views. The video features shots of the duo partying and getting into trouble, as well as performing the song at a live event. It was shot during summer 2011 in Los Angelos, California. The duo also performed the song live on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
in their first televised performance ever. An extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
titled Blackout: The Remixes EP was released on September 27 via iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
Track listing
Charts
| Charts | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 42 |
| U.S. Billboard Rock Albums | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Independent Albums Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
9 |
| U.S. Billboard Alternative Albums | 8 |
Personnel
Breathe Carolina- Kyle Even – unclean vocalsScreaming (music)Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
, synthesizers, keyboards, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, guitars, bass guitar - David Schmitt – clean vocals, synthesizers, keyboards, programming, electronicsElectronic musical instrumentAn electronic musical instrument is a musical instrument that produces its sounds using electronics. Such an instrument sounds by outputting an electrical audio signal that ultimately drives a loudspeaker....
, guitars, drums
Additional musicians
- Eric Armenta – drums, percussion
- Joshua Andrew – keytarKeytarA keytar is a relatively lightweight keyboard that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stands...
, keyboards - Luis Bonet – programming
Production
- Matt SquireMatt SquireMatt Squire is an American multi-platinum music producer and writer. He has produced, engineered, or written tracks for One Direction, 3OH!3, Good Charlotte, New Boyz, Selena Gomez, David Archuleta, Taking Back Sunday, HIM, The Used, All Time Low, Panic! at the Disco, Boys Like Girls, The Cab,...
– productionSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Ian Kirkpatrick – production, engineering, mixing
- Carlos De Garza – drum engineering
- Sol Amstutz – artwork
- Shervon Esfahani – A&R
- Chris Foitle – A&R