Hellmode

{{Infobox album

| name = Hellmode

| type = studio

| artist = Jeff Rosenstock

| cover = Jeff Rosenstock - Hellmode.jpg

| alt = A pink-tinted collage of photos and drawings with "HELLMODE" written in a blackletter font across the middle

| released = August 31, 2023

| recorded = Summer 2022

| studio =

EastWest Studios, Hollywood, California
The Atomic Garden, East Oakland, California

| genre = Punk rock

| length = 41:03

| label = Polyvinyl

| producer = Jack Shirley

| prev_title = Ska Dream

| prev_year = 2021

| next_title =

| next_year =

| misc = {{Singles

| type = studio

| single1 = Liked U Better

| single1date = May 23, 2023

| single2 = Doubt

| single2date = June 27, 2023

| single3 = Healmode

| single3date = July 27, 2023

}}}}

Hellmode (stylized in all caps) is the fifth{{efn|Not including Ska Dream (2021).}} solo studio album by American musician Jeff Rosenstock, released through Polyvinyl Record Co. on August 31, 2023. It has received positive reviews from critics.

Writing and recording

Most of the songs on the album were fleshed out when Rosenstock spent a few days staying near Joshua Tree National Park; he went there to write after a tour was canceled due to COVID in early 2022.

Rosenstock recorded the album in summer 2022 with producer Jack Shirley. The album was primarily recorded at EastWest Studios in Hollywood, California, and the Atomic Garden in East Oakland.

On recording the album, Rosenstock said, "I had a day where I was just running shit from Hellmode through the fucking echo chambers that were used on Pet Sounds. That's huge for me! What a fucking dream. We had a parking spot in the back. It certainly energized me. I was like, 'How do we get this to sound like something from those major label punk records in the '90s—the ones that sounded good, the ones that sounded like the band went somewhere real and had somebody record it well and have that punch?' I don't know if the space necessarily made that so or anything, but it was cool to see all the names on the wall and feel like we were part of that continuum of music. We're a bunch of scrappy weirdos and we don't often feel like we're a part of it."

Release

Hellmode was announced on June 27, 2023, with a release date of September 1. Along with the announcement, Rosenstock released the second single, "Doubt". "Doubt" also came with a music video made by members of the team behind the cartoon series Craig of the Creek, for which Rosenstock composes the score. Prior to the announcement, the lead single "Liked U Better" was released on May 23. The third single, "Healmode", was released on July 27, with a lyric video by Dan Potthast starring a snail named Champ.

The album was surprise-released a day early on August 31.

Reception

{{Music ratings

| title =Hellmode ratings

| MC =84/100

| rev1 =AllMusic

| rev1score ={{Rating|4|5}}

| rev2 =Clash

| rev2score =9/10

| rev3 =Exclaim!

| rev3score =8/10

| rev4 =The Line of Best Fit

| rev4score =8/10

| rev5 =Paste

| rev5score =7.5/10

| rev6 =Pitchfork

| rev6score =8.0/10

}}

{{Metacritic album prose|Hellmode|positive|84|6}} Exclaim!{{'}}s Adam Feibel called Hellmode "an album of fun, catchy punk anthems" which "hits all the right notes" that are "quintessential Rosenstock". Editors at Stereogum named Hellmode Album of the Week, with critic Patrick Hosken characterizing the album as "rife with climate anxiety, mental anguish, and tender acoustic moments" that has two halves of "amplified apprehension and a handful of songs based around the acoustic guitar". Pitchfork{{'}}s Nina Corcoran called the album "the prettiest" Rosenstock has made, "but it still gets you riled up." AllMusic's Mark Deming claimed that "Rosenstock has a hard time being comfortable with happiness, and while it doubtless makes life stressful for him, it's great for his muse, and Hellmode is loaded with great songs."

= Year-end lists =

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+ Hellmode on year-end lists ! scope="col" \| Publication ! scope="col" \| {{tooltip\|#\|Placement}} ! scope="col" \| {{tooltip\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="row" \| Beats Per Minute \| 42 \| {{Cite news \|last=Poland \|first=Dana \|date=December 12, 2023 \|title=BPM{{'}}s Top 50 Albums of 2023 \|work=Beats Per Minute \|url=https://beatsperminute.com/bpms-top-50-albums-of-2023/ \|access-date=December 14, 2023}}
scope="row" \| Exclaim! \| 36 \| {{Cite news \|last=Barnabe \|first=Dylan \|date=November 30, 2023 \|title=Exclaim!{{'}}s 50 Best Albums of 2023 \|work=Exclaim! \|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/exclaim_50_best_albums_of_2023/page/2 \|access-date=November 30, 2023}}
scope="row" \| The Needle Drop \| 1 \| {{Cite news \|last=Fantano \|first=Anthony \|date=December 23, 2023 \|title=Top 50 Albums of 2023 \|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlloTwEBBE8 \|access-date=February 3, 2024 \|work=The Needle Drop}}
scope="row" \| Our Culture Mag \| 40 \| {{Cite news \|last=Pappis \|first=Konstantinos \|date=December 1, 2023 \|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2023 \|work=Our Culture Mag \|url=https://ourculturemag.com/2023/12/01/the-50-best-albums-of-2023/ \|access-date=December 7, 2023}}
scope="row" \| The Ringer \| 12 \| {{Cite news \|last=Harvilla \|first=Rob \|date=December 6, 2023 \|title=The 27 Best Albums of 2023 \|work=The Ringer \|url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2023/12/6/23989332/best-albums-2023-sza-lana-olivia-100-gecs \|access-date=December 7, 2023}}
scope="row" \| Treble \| 48 \| {{Cite news \|last=Brown \|first=Ed \|date=December 5, 2023 \|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2023 \|work=Treble \|url=https://www.treblezine.com/50-best-albums-of-2023/ \|access-date=December 7, 2023}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+ Hellmode on year-end lists

! scope="col" | Publication

! scope="col" | {{tooltip|#|Placement}}

! scope="col" | {{tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row" | Beats Per Minute

| 42

| {{Cite news |last=Poland |first=Dana |date=December 12, 2023 |title=BPM{{'}}s Top 50 Albums of 2023 |work=Beats Per Minute |url=https://beatsperminute.com/bpms-top-50-albums-of-2023/ |access-date=December 14, 2023}}

scope="row" | Exclaim!

| 36

| {{Cite news |last=Barnabe |first=Dylan |date=November 30, 2023 |title=Exclaim!{{'}}s 50 Best Albums of 2023 |work=Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/exclaim_50_best_albums_of_2023/page/2 |access-date=November 30, 2023}}

scope="row" | The Needle Drop

| 1

| {{Cite news |last=Fantano |first=Anthony |date=December 23, 2023 |title=Top 50 Albums of 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlloTwEBBE8 |access-date=February 3, 2024 |work=The Needle Drop}}

scope="row" | Our Culture Mag

| 40

| {{Cite news |last=Pappis |first=Konstantinos |date=December 1, 2023 |title=The 50 Best Albums of 2023 |work=Our Culture Mag |url=https://ourculturemag.com/2023/12/01/the-50-best-albums-of-2023/ |access-date=December 7, 2023}}

scope="row" | The Ringer

| 12

| {{Cite news |last=Harvilla |first=Rob |date=December 6, 2023 |title=The 27 Best Albums of 2023 |work=The Ringer |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2023/12/6/23989332/best-albums-2023-sza-lana-olivia-100-gecs |access-date=December 7, 2023}}

scope="row" | Treble

| 48

| {{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Ed |date=December 5, 2023 |title=The 50 Best Albums of 2023 |work=Treble |url=https://www.treblezine.com/50-best-albums-of-2023/ |access-date=December 7, 2023}}

Track listing

All songs written by Jeff Rosenstock. Song titles are stylized in all caps.

"Will U Still U" – 3:21
"Head" – 1:31
"Liked U Better" – 2:50
"Doubt" – 4:28
"Future Is Dumb" – 3:48
"Soft Living" – 4:46
"Healmode" – 3:22
"Life Admin" – 2:43
"I Wanna Be Wrong" – 2:34
"Graveyard Song" – 4:31
"3 Summers" – 7:09

Personnel

= Musicians =

Jeff Rosenstock – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, saxophones, clarinet, organ, synthesizers, piano
John DeDomenici – bass
Kevin Higuchi – drums, percussion
Mike Huguenor – electric guitar
Dan Potthast – acoustic guitar, Wurlitzer electronic piano, vocals
Chris Farren and Laura Stevenson – additional vocals
Jeremy Hunter – trombone (1)
Skylar Suorez – vibraphone (7)
Christine Mackie – trash can (8)
Gilbert Armendaríz, Lauren Brief, Sim Castro, Laura Hammond, PUP, and Neil Sharma – "International Vox & Clap Co. Class of 2022"

= Technical =

Jack Shirley – producer, recording engineer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer
Jeff Rosenstock – mixing engineer, photography, layout
Logan Taylor – assistant engineer
Dave Alegre – illustrations
Hiro Tanaka – photography
Rick Johnson – front of house engineer

= Recording =

Recorded at EastWest Studios (Hollywood, California) and the Atomic Garden (East Oakland, California), with additional home recording by Jeff Rosenstock, Jeremy Hunter, and Skylar Suorez
Pre-production at Balboa Studios (Los Angeles, California)

Charts

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Chart performance for Hellmode

! scope="col"| Chart (2023)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|UKDigital|52|date=20230908|rowheader=true|access-date=December 6, 2023}}

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{Cite magazine |magazine=Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/jeff_rosenstock_hellmode_album_review |title=Jeff Rosenstock's Hellmode Is a Soundtrack to Modern Living |department=Music |language=en-CA |first=Adam |last=Feibil |issn=1207-6600 |date=2023-08-29 |accessdate=2023-08-31}}

{{Cite magazine |magazine=Paste |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/jeff-rosenstock/jeff-rosenstock-hellmode-interview |title=Jeff Rosenstock Pulls Hope from His Washing Machine of Chaos |department=Features |language=en-US |first=Matt |last=Mitchell |issn=1540-3106 |date=2023-08-30 |accessdate=2023-08-31}}

{{Cite web |website=Stereogum |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2234362/jeff-rosenstock-hellmode/reviews/album-of-the-week/ |title=Jeff Rosenstock Hellmode Review |department=Album of the Week |language=en-US |first=Patrick |last=Hosken |date=2023-08-29 |accessdate=2023-08-31}}

{{Cite news |last=Minsker |first=Evan |date=June 27, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock Announces New Album Hellmode, Shares Video for New Song "Doubt" |work=Pitchfork |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/jeff-rosenstock-announces-new-album-hellmode-shares-video-for-new-song-doubt-watch/ |access-date=June 27, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Corcoran |first=Nina |date=May 23, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock Announces 2023 North American Tour, Shares Video for New Song |work=Pitchfork |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/jeff-rosenstock-announces-2023-north-american-tour-shares-video-for-new-song-watch/ |access-date=June 27, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Breihan |first=Tom |date=July 27, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock – "Healmode" |work=Stereogum |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2231401/jeff-rosenstock-healmode/music/ |access-date=July 27, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Sacher |first=Andrew |date=July 27, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock shares new song, accompanying essay, & video starring a snail |work=BrooklynVegan |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/jeff-rosenstock-shares-new-song-accompanying-essay-video-starring-a-snail/ |access-date=August 28, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Sacher |first=Andrew |date=August 31, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock gives Hellmode surprise early release |work=brooklynvegan |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/jeff-rosenstock-gives-hellmode-surprise-early-release-listen/ |access-date=August 31, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Fu |first=Eddie |date=June 27, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock Announces New Album Hellmode, Shares "Doubt" |work=Consequence |url=https://consequence.net/2023/06/jeff-rosenstock-hellmode-doubt-stream/ |access-date=June 27, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Kohner |first=Kyle |date=30 August 2023 |title=A vulnerable Jeff Rosenstock makes a chaotic world bearable on Hellmode |work=The Line of Best Fit |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/jeff-rosenstock-hellmode-makes-a-chaotic-world-bearable |access-date=August 31, 2023}}

{{Cite news |title=Hellmode {{!}} Jeff Rosenstock |work=Bandcamp |url=https://jeffrosenstock.bandcamp.com/album/hellmode |access-date=July 27, 2023}}

{{Cite AV media |url=https://shows.acast.com/6227e8c5ee21f60012554cb6/episodes/64eebd8afc643000112395ae |title=Going Off Track - Jeff Rosenstock |date=August 30, 2023 |type=podcast |access-date=September 3, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Deming |first=Mark |date=September 1, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock - Hellmode |work=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/hellmode-mw0004032979 |access-date=September 6, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Corcoran |first=Nina |date=September 5, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock: Hellmode Album Review |work=Pitchfork |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jeff-rosenstock-hellmode/ |access-date=September 5, 2023}}

{{Cite news |title=Hellmode by Jeff Rosenstock Reviews and Tracks |work=Metacritic |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/hellmode/jeff-rosenstock |access-date=September 5, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Rosenberg |first=Sam |date=September 1, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock Wrestles With Collapse on Hellmode |work=Paste |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/jeff-rosenstock/jeff-rosenstock-hellmode-review |access-date=September 8, 2023}}

{{Cite news |last=Roseblade |first=Nick |date=August 31, 2023 |title=Jeff Rosenstock – Hellmode |work=Clash |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/jeff-rosenstock-hellmode/ |access-date=September 8, 2023}}

}}