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Art of Doubt
by
Art of Doubt Image
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 26 Ratings

  • Summary: The seventh full-length release for the Canadian indie rock band was produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. NOW Magazine
    Sep 25, 2018
    80
    Art Of Doubt shows that you can still find comfort in the sounds of your past, especially if the bands who shaped you have adapted and evolved along with you.
  2. Exclaim
    Sep 21, 2018
    80
    Metric have created from a point of questioning who they are as a band and what they have to give. Their new album is an exercise in dispelling that doubt.
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    Sep 24, 2018
    80
    This time around, though, the band operates with a little more future-facing pride and compulsion. It’s a lesson on how to do it yourself, and do it well. Defiance never sounded so good.
  4. Under The Radar
    Sep 27, 2018
    70
    It's still some sweet ear candy just not as tart. Overall though, Art of Doubt proves that Metric are no one trick pony and are willing to push the envelope outside of their comfort zone to create a layered and attractive sound that should still play well to large audiences.
  5. PopMatters
    Oct 12, 2018
    70
    What Metric do well is craft their songs in ways that benefit the dancefloor. They are not necessarily dancing material, especially when concentrating on the lyrics, yet there is an ethereal quality to Emily Haines' voice that complement the strings of James Shaw and Joshua Winstead.
  6. The A.V. Club
    Sep 21, 2018
    67
    While album standout “Risk” delivers a slick and insistent groove with lyrics about trying to cut through layers of emotional distance--too many tracks find themselves lacking the enticing hooks that fuel so much of Metric’s appeal.
  7. Consequence
    Sep 21, 2018
    58
    Despite presenting a more interesting record after 2015’s tedious Pagans in Vegas, Metric undoubtedly falter on their latest release. Their emphasis on guitars has certainly helped them, but Art of Doubt feels lacking in creativity. It’s a safe album, but safety can be insipid.

See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Malts18
    Feb 16, 2022
    10
    This is Metric's 7th album and it rivals their best. The polish is there now to smooth out the rougher edges of OWUWAYN and Live It Out. SongsThis is Metric's 7th album and it rivals their best. The polish is there now to smooth out the rougher edges of OWUWAYN and Live It Out. Songs like Underline the Black and Now or Never Now show just how far Metric have come and evolved. There is not a single hole in the album as all 12 are cohesive, work, and take you on a cool ride. AOD is certainly one of their best and a huge relief to Metric fans slightly worried after Pagans in Vegas.… Expand
  2. m_sawyer
    Sep 23, 2018
    10
    In a parallel universe, this was the album that followed 'Live It Out' and 'Fantasies' as it's an amazing blend of the two.
  4. Prisci2
    Sep 27, 2019
    9
    I need to write a review for this thing. Being binge listening to it A LOT and it's actually pretty damn good. I will come back and do just that.
  5. Etienne_H
    Oct 6, 2019
    9
    After the bitter aftertaste that Pagans in Vegas left, I was skeptic about the release of Art of Doubt. Now or Never is an okay song and gaveAfter the bitter aftertaste that Pagans in Vegas left, I was skeptic about the release of Art of Doubt. Now or Never is an okay song and gave me enough hopes in the return to the formula that made Metric one of my favorite bands. Needless to say that I was positively surprised by the album, far more reminiscent of the grandiose album Fantasies than to the previous album which left me to think that Metric had fallen to the "dirty sugar factory" that they criticized in their very first album. Emily Haines truly challenged herself in this album, using to her advantage her wide vocal range, especially in the eponymous song Art of Doubt, where she goes as far as to scream, but also in Risk, which is probably my favourite song in the entire album. For fans of the old work of the band, I strongly recommend the purchase of this album.… Expand
  6. Mildor
    Nov 2, 2019
    8
    Sounds have evolved through 7 sounds, Art of doubt sounds modem without losing a bit of metric scene
  7. marcmyworks
    Oct 3, 2018
    7
    Meh-tric? Metric’s 'Art of Doubt' may be their 7th entry, but it’s far from Heaven. It’s not a bad album and does have some major fun momentsMeh-tric? Metric’s 'Art of Doubt' may be their 7th entry, but it’s far from Heaven. It’s not a bad album and does have some major fun moments but overall, like the cover art, it lacks a lot of character. Emily Haines does challenge her vocal range as much as she did on 2005’s 'Live It Out' but overall the echoing guitars and light synth sounds too much like Metric-light. Download: Dark Saturday, Now or Never Now, Love You Back, Dressed to Suppress… Expand
  8. Lajaleaa
    Nov 8, 2018
    7
    ( 79/100 )

    Metric comenzó es banda de Toronto cuyo estilo ganó público rápidamente. Hasta en la actualidad la banda ha explorado variables    ( 79/100 )

    Metric comenzó es banda de Toronto cuyo estilo ganó público rápidamente. Hasta en la actualidad la banda ha explorado variables de lo que su nombre significa y no fue hasta éste año cuando la banda estipula que han logrado el álbum más "Metric" que han hecho. Producido por Justin Meldal-Johnsen y con Emily Haines como vocalista, esta banda nos presenta "Art of Doubt", una propuesta de Indie Rock Alternative un poco Pop que no resalta pero tampoco se queda pequeña. La música es un reencuentro de la banda después de 3 años de haber presentado "Pagans In Vegas". Este reencuentro los evidencía como un grupo en el que fluyen varias ideas jóvenes y con energía suficiente para expresarse sin temor al tiempo. Esa fue la fortaleza que encontré, sin embargo, ese dinamismo de ideas también evidencía las influencias de la banda y, al querer ser sinceros consigo mismos, recrean varias de esas formulas que ahora solo son usuales y poco original. Entre la intensidad y la sensibilidad hay un buen equilibrio, pero en la segunda mitad del álbum, las canciones se vuelven un poco más predecibles. Sin embargo, en la primera mitad, las canciones tienen una energía y una idea interesante de escuchar, y junto a su energía musical, se vuelven un comienzo agradable. A Metric se le conoce por sus letras anticapitalistas y opinión socio-política y no se separan de ese impulso en éste álbum, pues cantan sobre la desigualdad de oportunidades gracias al contexto económico, el romance actual y sus riesgos, la ironía e hipocresía social, la esperanza como un antivalor y los dilemas de la fuerza de voluntad en una sociedad exhaustiva. Metric regresa no para provocar un aplauso fuerte, sino para recordarnos que existe y aunque su existencia no sea la más relevante hoy, su nuevo álbum nos deja con ganas de exigir más coherencia tanto artística como social.

    Best:
    Dark Saturday
    Love You Back
    Die Happy
    Now Or Never Now
    Art of Doubt
    Dressed To Suppress
    Risk
    Seven Rules    … Expand

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