ALBUM REVIEW: I SEE STARS - THE WHEEL (12/09/25)
After nearly a decade-long hiatus since Treehouse (2016), electronicore pioneers I See Stars return with their long-awaited, highly anticipated new album THE WHEEL, a deeply personal and arguably ambitious concept album. The record is framed as a “time capsule capturing the past seven years of our lives,” spanning personal trauma, growth, and creative reboot. Produced by David Bendeth and mostly mixed by Zakk Cervini - though Tom Norris also worked on a couple of tracks - THE WHEEL captures vocalist Devin Oliver at his most vulnerable, while musically, the band delivers their most mature and focused work to date.
The album opens with ‘Spin It,’ inspired by a literal spinning wheel used during sessions. Each day, the band would spin a digital wheel to choose which song to work on - a playful creative tool that became a central theme and the album opener. Next up, the title track ‘The Wheel’ grabs attention with its distorted talk-yell vocals and warped electronic sounds that slowly evolve into a dubstep vibe, creating an intense and unexpected mix.
’D4MAGE DONE’ blends the band’s signature aggression with electronic elements, featuring heavy riffs, synth layers, and dynamic vocal shifts between clean singing and harsher screams. Similarly, tracks like ‘Eliminator’, ‘Drift’, and ‘are we 3ven?’ highlight the band's continued skill in blending dense electronic textures with powerful riffs and memorable vocal hooks.
’FLOAT’ provides an ambitious shift away from the heaviness, also highlighting clean vocals by Oliver. The track carries a dreamy, almost ethereal vibe, marked by synth elements and melodic vocals that contrast with some heavier moments, like a balance of light and dark.
With a soaring chorus and textured synths, the eighth track ‘Flood Light’ blends electronic depth into a more rock-heavy framework - here the band leaves aggression behind for something much more mellow. ’carry on for you’ follows, delving into deep personal territory. Written in the wake of Devin and Andrew Oliver losing their uncle to pancreatic cancer, the song is built on a strong electronic and post–drum & bass foundation, the track gradually builds as guitars and drums join in, delivering a heartfelt and sincere emotional message.
’SPLIT’, released in mid-2024, offers a raw exploration of the psychological and emotional toll of chasing a dream within an industry that often commodifies artists. Oliver describes the track as a journey through the band’s evolution, from signing a record deal as teenagers and leaving high school to pursue their passion, to grappling with mental strain and self-doubt amid the relentless machinery of the music industry. Here the track embraces a darker, more aggressive edge.
The eleventh track, ‘Lost It’ (feat. Palaye Royale)’, features a dynamic, somewhat unexpected collaboration that introduces fresh texture to I See Stars’ signature electronicore sound. Remington Leith’s guest vocals, paired with distinctive drum work, bring a distinct Palaye Royale flair, especially evident in the second verse which momentarily feels like their own song. His and Devin Oliver’s vocals blend seamlessly, creating a compelling contrast that elevates the track to one of the album’s highlights.
Next up is ‘Afterdark’, a song that steps away from the album’s heavier moments, offering a noticeably tamer sound. It opens with just Oliver and an electric guitar, creating a stripped-back, intimate atmosphere that gradually builds into a soaring, unmistakably I See Stars chorus, complete with layered vocals, guitars, and drums.
The album often feels like it’s navigating two distinct paths: one side leaning into heavy electronicore intensity, while the other explores emotional melodies and more subdued, atmospheric moments. ’Anomaly’, released as a double single with ‘Drift’ in 2023, is part of the first, combining both heavier and melodic elements on a deeply personal track. The song comes from a period when Devin Oliver was struggling with health issues: a rare neurological disorder that caused chronic physical pain, headaches, and depression.
The closing track ‘Curtain Call’ serves as an emotional post-rock album closer that “taps on every thing we talked about on the whole record.” Devin voices poignant questions like, “Will you ever love? Will you ever love me?” - a powerful, reflective finale ending the journey with gravity and catharsis.
Over nearly two decades, I See Stars has evolved their sound with precision and purpose, and with THE WHEEL, they bring it all together in a record that’s vulnerable and undeniably powerful. After years of relative quiet, the band returns with an album that steps away from the blistering heaviness or unfiltered aggression I See Stars fans are so familiar with. Indeed, THE WHEEL is a somewhat different beast. It’s less about relentless force and more about the journey and finding meaning in struggle, delivering their most ambitious and emotionally charged work to date.
