Arms Around the World

Without context, the album is about a 3.6. In the context of the previous self-titled effort, it comes in around 3.2... Some great songs and a fun remake of a Monkeys tune, however due to label pressures, Barry was reportedly forced to soften his style and compromise his musical integrity. While the softer songs are good, the heavier songs demonstrate that left to his own devices, Barry would have transitioned Code of Ethics into a powerhouse of dark, heavy electronica. The previous Album set the standard high with Satellite Babies and the genius pairing of Chasing the Dragon and Sands of Time. With CoE's self titled album as a springboard, Arms Around the World should have been so much better. I blame the industry for this just-above-average release. It still has some great tunes, though, and overall it flows pretty well.