Song Review: Sung Hanbin (ZEROBASEONE) – Undead

Solo debuts from male idols can go a few different ways. On the one hand, the streamlined nature of these songs can make for very propulsive material, freed from the need to accommodate multiple voices and styles. But more often, agencies seem to follow the same template (**cough**Justin Timberlake Justified**cough**) and end up with diminished returns. Ever since he competed on Boys Planet, I sensed an extra ambition in Sung Hanbin that made me wonder if he’d be able to sidestep these tropes on his eventual solo work. Today, Undead answers this question in stunning fashion. Yes, Hanbin, bring the drama! When I talk about missing K-pop’s 2nd and 3rd generation, Undead‘s style of bombastic, theatrical production is one of the key elements I’m referencing. Screw subdued, mid-tempo slop. Give me a song that sounds like a soundtrack to the end of the world — the audio equivalent of pyrotechnics. Hanbin seems to agree, as he stuffs Undead with so many musical goodies. From hints of a choir to a thundering footfall of percussion to a sing-to-the-rafters chorus, the track doesn’t skimp on the goodies. Tie it all together with some fun Halloween-friendly theming and you’ve got an instant, ...