Alpha Drive One’s Unbreakable Beast Is Still Finding Its Identity

On August 24, Alpha Drive One released their second mini album, Unbreakable: Fragile Beast, marking another chapter for the eight-member group. The group—Leo, Junseo, Arno, Geonwoo, Sangwon, Xinlong, Anxin, and Sanghyeon—formed through the survival show Boys 2 Planet and officially debuted in January of this year.

I was a fan of Alpha Drive One when they debuted, and I genuinely enjoyed their first mini album. Unfortunately, I haven't kept up with the group as closely since Geonwoo went on hiatus, and I’m hoping he is able to return soon so I can enjoy seeing the full group again. Still, the release of new music immediately caught my attention. I wanted to see whether Unbreakable: Fragile Beast would build naturally on the sound and identity established by their debut or take the group somewhere completely different.

After listening to the album, my biggest takeaway is that Alpha Drive One clearly have a lot of different musical colors but Unbreakable: Fragile Beast sometimes feels like it is still figuring out how all of those colors are supposed to fit together.

Born Dire

“Born Dire” wastes absolutely no time introducing itself. There is no gentle buildup or atmospheric opening that eases you into the record. The song practically throws you into the middle of the action, immediately establishing an aggressive, high-energy sound.

I had already heard the track floating around TikTok, so I wasn't completely unfamiliar with it going into the album. Personally, it isn't my favorite song on the record, but I can understand why it would appeal to certain listeners. It leans heavily into a darker, harder sound that feels influenced by rock and electronic punk. There is an almost physical quality to the production—it makes you imagine a live crowd jumping in unison, heads banging, and a mosh pit forming somewhere in the middle of the venue.

More than anything, “Born Dire” feels like a strong representation of the beast part of Unbreakable Beast. It is loud, intense, and unapologetic. Whether or not it is my personal taste, I think the song communicates a very clear image of what Alpha Drive One can sound like when they lean into something heavier.

Diamond Hour

“Diamond Hour” is much more my speed.

Where “Born Dire” feels like being pushed into a moving crowd, “Diamond Hour” gives you room to settle into the rhythm. The slower beat creates an easy groove, and the song allows the members' vocals to take more of the spotlight.

What I especially like is that it feels more melodic without completely abandoning the darker identity established earlier. It is upbeat and polished, but it doesn't sound like Alpha Drive One suddenly decided to become an entirely different group. There is still a sense of edge underneath the smoother production.

This is the kind of song that made me want to hear more from their vocal line because there is clearly more they can do when the production gives them enough space.

One More Time

“One More Time” moves in a different direction, drawing noticeably from R&B with a slight hip to it. The rhythm gives the track a little more swagger, and it feels like a natural middle ground between some of the album's harder sounds and its more melodic moments.

It isn't necessarily the track that stood out to me the most, but I appreciate that the album isn't afraid to experiment with different genres. Alpha Drive One seems to have a wide range of influences, and this song is another example of that versatility.

Talk to Me

Then we get to “Talk to Me,” and this is where I really started thinking about what Alpha Drive One could sound like if they leaned further into R&B.

This song is a vibe.

There is something much smoother and more effortless about it. The R&B influence allows the members to show off their vocals in a way some of the harder tracks don't necessarily allow. Instead of relying primarily on intensity, the song lets the vocal tone, rhythm, and atmosphere carry it.

Honestly, I could see this being a very interesting direction for Alpha Drive One in the future. If they continued exploring R&B while incorporating their existing hip-hop and darker influences, I think they could develop a sound that feels much more distinct to them.

OMG

“OMG” is probably the song that confused me the most.

Not because it is necessarily a bad song, but because it feels so disconnected from the rest of the album. It has this very fresh, almost “boy next door” feeling that I have a hard time associating with the members or with the identity Alpha Drive One have established so far.

That kind of concept worked for “Never Been 2 Heaven” on their first album. There was something about that song that made the lighter, fresher image feel believable within the context of their debut. But “OMG” doesn't quite have the same effect for me.

The biggest issue is the placement. When surrounded by songs that lean toward darker, heavier, hip-hop, and R&B influences, “OMG” feels like it wandered in from an entirely different album.

Good Life

“Good Life” stays on the fresher side of things, although I think it works better than “OMG.” It reminds me somewhat of “Cinnamon Shake” from their first mini album, particularly because of its lighter energy and slight funk influence.

It's a fun song. It has an easygoing quality that makes it enjoyable to listen to, and I can imagine it being particularly fun to perform live.

But I still find myself questioning the overall direction of the album. When your album is called Unbreakable Beast, I expect to encounter a fairly strong sense of cohesion around that concept. Instead, we go from heavy rock-inspired tracks to R&B, hip-hop, and then suddenly into bright, playful pop.

Experimentation isn't a bad thing. In fact, I think Alpha Drive One is at their most interesting when they experiment. I just wish the experimentation felt more intentional.

Welcome Home

And then “Welcome Home” came on, and suddenly I had an entirely different thought.

Throughout the album, I had been wondering why Alpha Drive One hadn't appeared to have a bigger hand in shaping the music themselves. Knowing the different musical styles and influences the members have shown interest in, I genuinely believe they have the potential to create something really special if they are given more creative control.

Then “Welcome Home” started playing.

My immediate reaction was basically, Oh. This is actually really good.

Alpha Drive One are credited on the lyrics, and I think that involvement makes a noticeable difference. There is something about the song that feels more naturally suited to them. It made me want to hear what the group could create if they were given even more opportunities to participate in the writing, production, and overall creative direction of their music.

If there is one thing I hope the group takes away from this album, it is that they have the potential to be more than performers of songs handed to them. They have the voices, range, personalities, and apparent musical influences to develop a stronger identity of their own.

I especially think R&B could be a gold mine for Alpha Drive One.

They don't have to abandon the darker, heavier elements that make up part of their identity. Instead, they could combine those influences with R&B and stronger vocal-focused production to create something that feels distinctly theirs. Their voices have so much potential, and I would love to hear more songs that actually give them the room to demonstrate that range.

Unbreakable: Fragile Beast is an interesting second chapter for Alpha Drive One because it shows just how many directions the group can go in. There is electronic punk influence, R&B, funk, and bright pop scattered throughout the track list. The problem is that the album doesn't always make those different sounds feel like pieces of the same puzzle.

At times, I found myself wondering which version of Alpha Drive One the album actually wanted to introduce me to.

But perhaps that uncertainty is also part of what makes the group interesting. They are still early in their career, and they have plenty of time to figure out exactly what their musical identity should be. What I don't want them to do is become boxed into one sound simply because it is what people expect from them.

Instead, I would love to see them become more involved in deciding what that sound actually is.

Because Welcome Home reminded me that Alpha Drive One isn't lacking potential, they may simply need more opportunities to show it. Their vocals deserve more space, their individual influences deserve more consideration, and their creative input could be one of the things that ultimately makes their music feel uniquely theirs.

I went into Unbreakable: Fragile Beast wondering whether Alpha Drive One had changed since their debut. I came out of it more interested in what they could become next.