Industrial-meets-alternative rock band Dozenz is back, and this time they’ve decided to smash alternative rock and electronic music together in a way that absolutely should not work—but somehow does. Their latest album is a ridiculous blend of raw emotion, industrial crunch, and sweeping cinematic nonsense, all wrapped up in a dark, moody aesthetic that somehow manages to be both brooding and weirdly catchy. It’s got everything: pounding synths that sound like they’re trying to escape a haunted factory, drums that hit like an existential crisis, and melodies that make you feel like you’re the protagonist in an indie film about self-discovery. Every track drags you through themes of identity, defiance, loss, resilience, and transformation—because of course it does. It’s greasy, it’s messy, but damn if it doesn’t hit the spot. It takes every rock cliché you can think of, throws it into a blender set to overdrive, and serves it up with swaggering riffs and over-the-top bravado.
First off, let’s talk about the riffs. If you’re going to indulge in some pretty thick Muse worship, you better bring the goods, and to Dozenz’s credit, they absolutely do. The guitars nail that bluesy, hard rock tone that somehow still works when paired with chintzy synths that sound suspiciously like something lifted straight from Simulation Theory. Highlights include Lie to Love You and Daylight. The former kicks off with a complextro vocal chop sequence before segueing into guitar riffs so crunchy and sleazy they practically leave a trail of cigarette smoke in their wake, while the pulse-pounding drums chug along like they’ve got somewhere important to be. The latter? It’s basically a cute take on Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, but with enough charm in the vocal delivery to make it its own.
Lyrically… Well, you know what you’re getting into. It’s the kind of simple, earnest writing that wouldn’t feel out of place on a 2000s nu-metal record, and honestly, that’s part of the charm. In a world where half the rock charts are just sad guys mumbling over recycled trap beats, this brand of ridiculous bravado is weirdly refreshing.
The production is a surprisingly solid surprise. It’s got a raw, dirty vibe without sounding like it was recorded in someone’s garage on a potato. The drums hit hard, the bass has a nice sleazy groove, and the solos? Oh boy, they go on—sometimes a bit too long—but in a way that reminds you why over-the-top solos are fun in the first place. There’s a clear theatricality to this project, best exemplified with how often this project goes for broke.
That said, the album isn’t without its indulgences. The middle stretch starts to wobble under the weight of its own influences, much like Muse’s Drones did with its sprawling themes and self-importance. Some tracks try a little too hard to be profound and end up feeling like a Greta Van Fleet for Muse that took themselves way too seriously at points if I can be frank. Just when you think it’s all a bit much, they pull you back in with another killer riff or an absurdly long solo that’s equal parts ridiculous and glorious.
And then there’s Rules of The Heart—a track that feels like the band bit off more than they could chew as the track manages to blur bombast and scope with an ethereal feel that I know is trying to go for something U2 could go for and ends up sounding more inspired by early Coldplay. While I am more fond of the latter influence, I can recognize a track falling short of goals and while pointing it out, respect the fact that it tries.
In the end, Be Someone is exactly what you’d expect from a band that wears their influences on their sleeve: grandiose, a little self-serious, but undeniably fun. Whether you’re laughing with it or at it, you can’t deny it’s an experience. Is it groundbreaking? Absolutely not. But if you’re the kind of person who secretly enjoys putting on aviators and air-guitaring in front of the mirror, then you’re probably going to have a great time with it.
In short, it’s loud, it’s dramatic, and it absolutely wants you to know just how serious it is about itself. And honestly? It kind of rules as a result.
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About the Author
A tenured media critic known working as a ghost writer, freelance critic for publications in the US and former lead writer of Atop The Treehouse. Reviews music, film and TV shows for media aggregators.
