New Band: Sound And Fury

I've decided that I don't actually buy albums that often any more. I either trade or "acquire" them from various contacts. So, in order to feel better about myself, and to give back to the community (I believe the first one more), I have decided to try and buy a new CD every week at the store on my College Campus.

This week my acquisition, was the debut, self-titled album, by Sound And Fury. Now, at the store where I go, they have a "Metal Pick of The Month" section, where you can listen to the albums, which I always give a quick run-by. Normally it is fulled with genres like death/black metal, or something with -core in the name, but occasionally it can be good for a find. I saw the Sound And Fury albums, and the artwork really stood out to me, it is bitchin'. It's a mob of people with skulls for heads. That's it, but it is really neat to look at. At the station I listened to part of the first track, and should have listened a little harder, but I was with someone and didn't want to be a dick (plus she is cute). So I took the CD with the cool cover art and bought it.

About thirty minutes later when I was headed home, I finally had a chance to listen to my purchase. All I have to say about the group is - meh. It is not a bad album, but it is not a good album. It seems to ride the fence between punk and hard rock, with some songs falling into the former, and some falling into the latter. The lyrics are wishy-washy, with no real significance as far as I can tell, and the guys voice is slightly annoying. Sometimes he is just too whiny to take seriously. The music itself is just alright too, nothing really stands out, alot of attempts as solos, and just when I think they might have crested the guitar playing into something decent, they go back to the chorus. The whole albums seems to follow into the latest fad of the record companies, when it comes to rock - a re-hash of that 80's style of straight forward, nothing out of the ordinary rock. This band joins the ranks of Airbourne, and The Answer (see my take), where they are trying to be too much like someone else (very AC/DC or Kiss), and not enough about being their own band. And while Airbourne and The Answer can pull it off (at least somewhat), with Sound And Fury, it seems forced.

So this album is nothing special, and that's all it is. The band seems to be headed somewhere, but I'm not sure where. I am interested to see what else Sound And Fury releases in their life time. Hopefully it will be something more substantial that what I have before me. Only time will tell.