Co-headline

It's kind of clear that I review most of the same stuff over and over. Video games, movies, television, with an occasional review of a book or a restaurant. I try to be eclectic in my reviews, not always jerking off in the name of self-indulgence and actually talk about "new" and "interesting" things that people other than myself care about. With that in mind, I decided to write a review on two music albums that I find myself interested enough in to listen to that have been released in the last month.

Killswitch Engage II by Killswitch Engage (2009) is the second self-titled album by New England metalcore act, Killswitch Engage. To start, I need to bring up my personal biases by stating that I love Killswitch Engage. I've seen them live several times, hung out with Howard Jones (the singer of the group) worked many shows for them back when I worked for Roadrunner Records, and even have a line from one of their songs tattooed on my leg. So yeah; it's safe to say I'm a fan. Looking back, their first studio album, Alive or Just Breathing, and The End of Heartache were some of my favorite albums in high school, and As Daylight Dies rocked--but perhaps not as hard as the other two did.

Killswitch Engage II continued the unfortunate downfall set up for the music set up by 2006's release. From listening to the album for the better part of a month, it is very unimpressive. The writing and guitar work present in all their other work is severely understated, and the songs get downright repetitive. There are a few songs on the album that kick it up to something on par to what they usually do, but the songs are incredibly short. Some of the tracks on the new album are barely two and a half minutes long, which don't work with the slower pace of the songs present in this album. There are about two songs that stick in my head as being good, both of them very near the end of the album, and this is after trying very hard to find something about this album I liked.

Tri-Polar by the Sick Puppies (2009) is the Australian rock band's second major studio release, and again I love all that I had heard before from them. Dressed Up As Life was one of my favorite albums of 2007. So imagine my disappointment when another album from another band that I consider myself a fan of releases another (relatively) crap album two weeks after my favorite metalcore act.

This album does have a few more songs saving it from being all-around crap, but the first half of the album is near unlistenable if you're looking for the clever writing of their prior album. The vocals for the first half ot the album is also disagreeable--just shouting. Not screaming a la Killswitch Engage or Bleeding Through, and not the singing from the first album. It was just plain non-melodic shouting and that's not fun to listen to. The second half of the album is saved, and is more like the Sick Puppies of old. It's saved, but barely.

Both of these albums are good in their own rights. The problem I have is that neither of them meet up to the potential the bands have working for them, and it's clear in the music. This is why I rarely buy CDs anymore.

In news of upcoming reviews, it depends on how far I get in certain games, what movies or television I have time to watch, or books I spend time reading. I've been told my retro reviews are fun, so expect a review on one of my favorite video game series at some point, as well as some classic games I haven't played until recently. Pseudo-obscure movies are going to be big as always, and reviews of British mini-series and television pilots.

-Evan "Dez" O'Connor