Most proggers hear the name Disturbed and say "Aren't they that nu-metal band that does the awful cover of Genesis' "Land of Confusion"?". Well, yeah, they do a cover of "Land of Confusion" on their latest Ten Thousand Fists, and it's pretty good all things considered, but it's a small speck on an otherwise powerhouse slab of melodic and solid modern metal on the band's third album. In fact, I hate using the nu-metal tag on these guys anymore, as they have moved so far away from the screaming vocal , chunka-chunka riff driven sound that permeates so many albums these days. Disturbed create wonderfully catchy songs that have plenty of bruising yet intelligent guitar riffs, thought provoking lyrics, and the unique vocal delivery of David Draiman.
Packed with 14 memorable and heavy numbers, Ten Thousand Fists comes across like the album Metallica should have made a few years ago. From the ballsy and reckless opening anthem that is the title track, complete with Draiman's forceful venom, to the sledgehammer melodies of "Just Stop", this album begins and never lets up for one second, with strong track after strong track at every stop on the CD. Crunchy speed metal is all the rage on "Guarded", while the band pulls some cagey metal out of their hat on "Deify" and "Striken", complete with plenty of catchy melodies. If you liked the bands raging debut album, give a listen to the aggressive metal of "Sons of Plunder", and the mix of atmospherics, keyboards, and soaring vocal harmonies on "Overburdened" recall the bands sophomore release. In fact, much of Ten Thousand Fists takes the styles of the two first albums and combines them quite well, as the album is as hard hitting as The Sickness but has the catchy melodies and sophistication of Believe. It works on all levels here.
Oh yeah, how about "Land of Confusion" you ask? It's a capable homage to Genesis, although whether the band are fans of the prog rock legends remains to be seen, but I give them credit for covering a song that obviously falls outside the metal genre. Disturbed have proven with this release that they are more than capable of putting together solid and melodic metal time and time again. They now have three winners in a row, let's see if they can continue the trend. Check it out.
Track Listing
1. 10,000 Fists
2. Just Stop
3. Guarded
4. Deify
5. Stricken
6. I'm Alive
7. Sons of Plunder
8. Overburdened
9. Decadance
10. Forgiven
11. Land of Confusion
12. Sacred Lie
13. Pain Redefined
14. Avarice
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
