MAYHEM Album Review

Introduction

On March 7th, 2025, Lady Gaga's new album came out. After a year of hit singles, including the Grammy-winning Die With A Smile, this was a much-anticipated release. The album is quite interesting, delving into sounds and styles that Gaga was known for earlier in her career. Here's a track-by-track analysis of MAYHEM, with an overall review following.

Track by Track Review

Disease: This single revolves around a typical (unoriginal) "love as medicine" lyrical trope. Lady Gaga uses it pretty well, though. Excitement builds up well during the pre-chorus, but the song does not have a great bridge. Although this track is one of the album's singles, it doesn't feel very unique. Disease is still fun enough to listen to. It is a nice first song, working well as an introduction to the album.

Abracadabra: As another single, this song has a nice melody on the verse. The intro and chorus outros are cringey. In them, Gaga sings: "abracadabra abracadaaaabra." The "poetic" lyrics feel almost haphazard, since the chorus is gibberish. The track doesn't quite hold together. However, it is produced impeccably. Abracadabra sounds like it is being sung in a large room, which reminds the listener of its eye-catching music video.

Garden of Eden: The intricate melody on this song's chorus is nice. It is refreshing, because not all of the song is so melodic. That's not to say that this track isn't really fun throughout. Garden of Eden is definitely one of the high points of MAYHEM.

Perfect Celebrity: This track, a more serious moment on the album, is about how Lady Gaga feels like she has been changed by fame. She describes how that effects her romantic relationships, and the lyrics are sort of sad. She keeps the song danceable, though. The first verse is more mysterious, but Perfect Celebrity leaps into a rock-and-roll-style chorus. It's bridge is reminiscent of Abracadabra's melody. Perfect Celebrity may not be an incredible song. However, it encourages depth for MAYHEM'S many tracks.

Vanish Into You: This is a love song filled with aching and longing. Lady Gaga asks to "vanish into" her love interest. The track has nice lyrical imagery. Vanish Into You is not groundbreaking, but still pleasant to listen to, and certainly romantic.

Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein): This song provides a nice variety to MAYHEM, as it is sung softer than the rest of the album. Gaga still provides a precise projection of the melody, though, despite her overall volume lessening. Killah has a great chorus and fun, electrified verses. The one thing that this song is missing is a bridge. An instrumental break concludes the track, preventing this song from releasing itself sufficiently. Killah felt wound up and ready to go. It had a lot of movement, but didn't finish anywhere.

Zombieboy: With fun energy and unrestrained lyrics, Zombieboy is a true partying song. It opens with an amusing chant that gets repeated later multiple times. The lyrics to Zombieboy are occasionally cringeworthy. However, the track becomes purer in both melody and text during its bridge. The bridge has romantic lyrics and soaring melodies, which helps the chorus still feel welcomed later. A glittering synth riff wraps up this enjoyable, goofy highlight of MAYHEM.

LoveDrug: The verses of Lovedrug are okay, but it takes VERY LONG to reach the first chorus! The chorus itself is pretty good. This song kind of came and went.

How Bad Do U Want Me: This song sounds like Taylor Swift! I can hear it coming on in Dunkin. It is not as exciting and outgoing as the other ones on the album, but that makes it approachable. Melodically, this track occasionally sounds familiar, but I don't know why. Its chorus is emotional, longing, and fun. Overall, How Bad Do U Want Me is actually a really radio-ready, cute song. 

Don't Call Tonight: Don't Call Tonight has an 80s pop-melody-sounding chorus. It is thematically classic, and Gaga sings about how she wants to stay with somebody that's bad for her. There is nothing wrong with this song, but there is nothing particularly right about it either.

Shadow of A Man: This song has cryptic lyrics, and loses plot quickly. Its chorus is cool and fun, but the pre-chorus feels sloppy. Unfortunately, the track has no real bridge. The outro is definitely sufficient, though. Shadow of A Man feels like it is the perfect length, and ends just before its listener can get bored.

The Beast: This tune's idea goes on for way too long. Gaga spends the whole time explaining how her date turns crazy at midnight. This is obviously a metaphor, but there is too much buildup for it. Overall, The Beast is pretty cringey. It feels like the album could go without this one, and it might be better for a deluxe edition.

Blade of Grass: This song is romantic and sad, yet hopeful and passionate.  It has another example of good lyrical imagery. The chorus melody also feels comforting and powerful. It is partly acoustic, which provides nice variety for MAYHEM. I wish Blade of Grass came at least one track earlier on the album, because it has similarities with Die With A Smile, the proceeding song. Both would feel more powerful if separated. The modulation later in this ballade feels really great. On the whole, Blade of Grass is a nice 4 minutes for listening to.

Die With A Smile: With over 2 billion streams on Spotify, Die with a Smile is quite familiar to most pop music fans. Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga duet sweetly. The song is over-the-top romantic, but it works. Die With A Smile has an old-fashioned feel, but with the duo's modern voices and clear production, it is nice and current. This is a nice way of concluding the album. 

Album Review

Clocking in at just over 53 minutes, MAYHEM is an album that is good at moody, mysterious verses and powerful, belting choruses. At most times, the songs are quite enjoyable. They are ready to party with, and all qualify as good karaoke choices. Despite that, for the most part, the album is delightfully out of place among modern pop. This might be why the tracks have been welcomed by listeners so fully. Pop music fans are still thirsty for something different, just as they were when Lady Gaga made her debut in 2008. 

Additionally, on MAYHEM, personal themes clash with detached yet poetic text. Every line is really a lyric, reminding us that vulnerable pop music doesn't always have to be a complaint about the star's life. Only occasionally, MAYHEM'S melodies get boring. This is due to a couple tracks that truly should have been cut from the album. Lovedrug and The Beast were not worth it! These two songs could be saved for a deluxe edition. Ideally, though, they would simply be removed altogether. Those unnecessary tracks made the album feel awkwardly long. 

Conclusion

Lady Gaga has definitely created some fun new music. Despite the extra tracks, the album is meticulously edited, not to mention impeccably produced. On top of that, Gaga pushes pop's boundaries while maintaining a digestible record. All in all, although it isn't perfect, MAYHEM is definitely an album worth listening too.