The Chemistry Of Common Life

Pitchfork 8.8/10 Whether it's their second release or their 60th (no one's even pretending to be sure), Fucked Up's The Chemistry of Common Life is really easy to get excited about. A lot's been made about how it could possibly revitalize hardcore, although framing it within genre terms tends to lead to the wrong questions: Is it too melodic and instrumentally diverse to qualify as hardcore? Maybe. Is it heavy and chaotic enough to sa tisfy fans of the debut, even while it dramatically broadens their fanbase? Possibly. Can a band as destructive as Fucked Up really carry an entire scene on their sweaty, unshaven backs? Stranger things have happened.

A.V. Club A While it's offset on a few songs by "clean" female vocals, Damian Abraham's glass-gargling roar remains the primary source of Fucked Up's visceral energy. From this point on, it'll be more exciting to see how much farther beyond gut-level the band is willing to go.

NME 4/5 ‘The Chemistry Of Common Life’ finally proves that rather than being a messy gimmick, Fucked Up are a startlingly talented punk rock band.

The Line of Best Fit 7/10 Despite their juvenile name, The Chemistry of Common Life proves that Fucked Up are much more than just an idiotic, nihilistic punk band who leave trails of destruction and wrecked studios in their wake.

DIY 4/5 There are not many bands like Fucked Up and there are not many frontmen like Pink Eyes. Cherish and idolise them. Make them your favourite band and do whatever you have to in order to see them live. Even if you have to kill a man.

All Music 4/5 The Chemistry of Common Life, is a lush, expansive masterpiece that dismisses the theory that punkers have to follow a concrete formula of short and fast songs with raw-edged production.

The Skinny 3/5 It’s pretty trippy, yes, but never strays too far from the dirty aggression Fucked Up knows only too well.

Slant 4.5/5 Chemistry is a natural and seamless masterpiece that might never have happened but for the band's own need to thumb its nose at expectations.

Pop Matters 8/10 The Chemistry of Common Life is made by an expansive search party of scalpels, each handled with surgical precision. And together, they make a pretty deep cut.

Spectrum Culture 90% That long-awaited second helping has finally arrived, and clocking in at more than 52 minutes, it seems Fucked Up have figured out how to take a great idea that’s been languishing for a long time, and revitalize it with a vengeance.