Music Reviews of Crossover, Avant Garde, Nu-metal
Band Spotlight
Chiodos
Perhaps no one can explain the sheer ferocity and timid quietness it is better than when vocalist Craig Owens says “we don’t want to let the kids down” when discussing the group’s intense vocals live at shows. Well they never let a single kid down with their vicious assault on the ears and grip on the jugular...
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03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Crossover, Avant Garde, Nu-metal
Linkin Park — Minutes to Midnight Buy it at Amazon
Shedding the skin of rap-metal seems to have worn out Linkin Park’s faithful, at least for the moment. Perhaps what’s really going on is that “Minutes to Midnight” is separating Linkin Park’s fanbase from truly avid to mainstream mallrats. Regardless, this well-received (critically at least) full-length is produced in part by Rick Rubin and the group seems intent on changing their direction into one that is more ballad-friendly but still with plenty stadium-rocking affairs to keep the adrenaline pumping. The glitzy production is what gives the album its edge, whereas before Linkin Park merely relied on screams, harsh rasps, and machine gun raps. It may take a while for the masses to accept, but it’ll grow on them for sure.
- J-Sin
Fair to Midland — Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True Buy it at Amazon
This group signed to System of a Down’s Serj Tankian’s label has almost shed its labeling of just another nu-metal maven with this new entry. Slightly more progressive in the vein of Mars Volta, “Fables...” decidedly treads the worn walkway of Tool and wanders into the territory of some of the more mall-friendly nu-metal bands these days. It’s not something that anyone outside of Ozzfest loyalists will really love, and you’ll just really wonder why they’re wasting their talent on these lame predictable bores.
- J-Sin
Framing Hanley — The Moment Buy it at Amazon
Nu-metal + pop-punk = record sales! Hey if we also brush our hair the wrong way and let our bangs grow out we could totally like rock Fuse! Yippee!
- J-Sin
Static-X — Cannibal Buy it at Amazon
Nu-metal with bad hair and worse lyrics. Your parents won’t let you listen to it, not because it’s “bad for you” but because if you’re going to rebel, you actually have to do it to somewhat decent music. I’d rather listen to a hemorrhoid pop.
- J-Sin
The Sammus Theory — See It Through Buy it at Amazon
Thick bass guitar that reminds one of Tool makes this progressive rock outfit forget about their conceptual debut “Man Without Eyes”. Their debut left a lot of audiences saying either “what”, or “okay that’s nice but why did it sound so hollow”. Well to be fair it was probably more of the former than the latter. Regardless, the Sammus Theory fixes all the flaws on “See It Through”. The album rolls with nu-metal churning guitars and extremely well-produced hooks complete with firm vocals and extremely well thought-out rhythms. Nice.
- J-Sin
Framing Hanley — Hear Me Now Buy it at Amazon
I didn’t know that Breaking Benjamin had a new album out. Produced by Brett Hestla (Dark New Day), Framing Hanley are nu-metal hard alternative cast-offs. Occasionally blessed with a nifty riff or a blissful pop hook, they’ll probably sell a lot of albums and in a blink be just as relative as all the bands they sound like.
- J-Sin
Ozomatli — Don't Mess with the Dragon Buy it at Amazon
Ozomatli has for years fused the divergent sounds and cultural influences of their native and beloved City of Angels, Los Angeles. They continue that trend on their fourth full-length album. Ranging from hip-hop to funk to Afro to Latin to pop-punk and ska, “Don’t Mess with the Dragon” is a stern warning to all of those crossover artists that they “can’t touch this”. But all MC Hammer allusions aside, this is a far cry from a band whose sunk into the doldrums of the once mighty nu-metal scene. Instead Ozomatli refuses to join forces with that evil and continues to face in the more sunny punk-soaked one in a very Warped Tour-esque way. Dynamic musicianship complements the well-thought out compositions.
- J-Sin
Sevendust — Alpha Buy it at Amazon
Sevendust is a nu-metal survivor who still manages to crunch out albums despite not really changing their sound from album to album. While many might see that as a lack of growth or maturity from a band whose presenting their sixth full-length album, I abstain. It shows that despite the fact that it’s clear that their self-titled debut was their best work, that the band honed onto a particular sound and grew as much as possible within its confines. But now that we mention their eponymous debut, I have to say that “Alpha” is the closest thing to that particular unleashing. It’s been ten years, try them again, you might be surprised.
- J-Sin
The Exies — A Modern Way of Living with the Truth Buy it at Amazon
Opening with stripped down raw singer/songwriter abandoness, The Exies impress upon a sort of Migala passion. But that doesn’t last past the first song—this is a rock ‘n’ roll band that puts the nu back into nu-metal. Similar in vein to 30 Seconds to Mars (whom they’ve toured with as well as Breaking Benjamin, the Used, Evanescence, Sparta, and others), The Exies churn out guitar-driven modern rock perfect for the squared circle. Speaking of wrestling, their hit single “Ugly” was used by the WWE for the theme to their Survivor Series pay-per-view. I wish they had more material like the first song…
- J-Sin
Korn — MTV Unplugged Buy it at Amazon
I was just telling someone the other day, “what the hell happened to MTV Unplugged?” Well here you go. Korn is the first one to step into the subdued setting, which is a tad strange. These old geysers look a bit silly with their dreads and gym outfits but they still know how to rock. Joining them on stage is The Cure on “Make Me Bad / In Between Days” and Amy Lee (Evanescence) on “Freak On a Leash”. They don’t come close to touching the mint jewel of MTV Unplugged—Nirvana, but it’s a certainly up there in the top five performances of the show.
- J-Sin
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