- Stone Sour have returned with their third album, Audio Secrecy. Corey Taylor promised the fans an unbridled darker and more mature album, and that’s exactly what the band delivers. While not as devastating as their previous albums, Audio Secrecy finds the band expanding on their influences in interesting and catchy new ways.

The title track is a short mood-setting piano driven piece.  It’s certainly isn’t anything special and you’re welcome to skip it because the next three tracks find the band surging ahead on full force. Mission Statement, Digital and Say You’ll Haunt Me are heavy on melody with catchy choruses that will be stuck in your head long after the album is over. The songs are “lighter” than anything found on their previous albums, but I mean that in a good way. Think olive oil rather than deep fat fryer. In fact all the tracks on this 14 track juggernaut follow a similar recipe. The Bitter End is probably the only song which sounds like it belongs on their debut album. Still, all of them function on different levels and the band’s musicality comes across on each of them. However, a couple of the songs do sound like filler and the second half of the album bears the weight of the slower songs.

Having said that, there is still a lot of diversity present on the album. The band has grown collectively as musicians. Proof of this lies in the standout tracks Hesitate and Miracles. These tracks are unlike anything the band has done before. The former reminds me of Fall to Pieces by Velvet Revolver. It's almost pop rock but it's also an emotionally laden track with a deep seated positivity. Meanwhile, Miracles sounds like the lovechild of Ride by Cary Brothers and Snuff by Slipknot. Similar flourishes of genius are spread out all over the album and make the entire experience feel special. But the star of this album is Corey Taylor. He has never sounded better and his lyrics have never meant so much. Musically, Josh and Jim litter the album with muscular riffs and solos, while Shawn and Roy keep the pace up with a tight rhythm section.

So what’s the verdict? Well, Stone Sour have finally made the album they wanted to. They’ve figured out that they don’t need to be an offshoot of Slipknot. They’ve certainly expanded on the styles they established in their previous albums. As a result, they’re now in a place where they are comfortable. It might create a gulf between their fans, but the fact remains that it is an inspired collection of songs. Overall, the album might be called Audio Secrecy, but I can’t find a reason to keep this album a secret.  

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FINAL RATING: 3.5/5

The first track off the new Disturbed album is called Remnants. It’s a fitting title since most of these songs sounds like leftovers from previous album sessions.

It’s not that Asylum is a bad album. In fact, it features the trademark Disturbed sound we all love and think we can fight battles to. However, too many songs fail to excite. Some overstay their welcome and some just sound downright awful. Don’t believe me? Then take a walk with me through the twisted and macabre halls of Disturbed’s Asylum.

The opening track, Remnants, is an instrumental opener which isn’t all that spectacular. It’s brief, doesn’t do anything to set the tone for the album, and is entirely forgettable. This is especially true since the next track, Asylum, is Disturbed at the top of their game. It’s David Draiman at his maniacal best. The rest of the band is also on top form with crushing guitars, blistering drums and a hammering bass line.  The Disturbed juggernaut continues tearing down walls with The Infection. It’s a song which highlights all of the band’s strengths. However, the real star of the song is Dan Donegan with his spellbinding guitar solo. The Warrior is a boring song. The opening of the song sounds like a sped up version of the intro to their song Indestructible. Just listen to it carefully and you’ll see what I mean. Also, whereas Indestructible made me feel like I could take on an army, The Warrior merely makes me consider the idea before retreating at the prospect of certain defeat. Not Good.

The mediocrity continues with the laughably bad Another Way To Die.  Musically, it is on par with what Disturbed do best. Lyrically, it’s abysmal. The lyrics are obvious and overtly preachy which completely drags the song down. Best keep this one in the straightjacket. The antithesis to this is the track Never Again, which features some of the most inspired lyrical work from the band to date. It’s a heavy song in every way, from message to execution. The Animal is a dark and groovy track. The musical arrangement is spot on in transporting you into the band’s lycan fantasy. However, the lyrics are just plain stupid, especially in the chorus. Unfortunately, that’s the last of the good stuff because the remaining tracks, save for one,  are mind numbingly boring.

Crucified reminds me off some of the softer moments on Believe. That’s not a good thing because half of that album was a stinker as well. It’s just a stale song which sounds like the band was running out of ideas. Serpentine is about a succubus but comes off like a bad break up song written by the Hot Topic alumni. My Child is a very interesting song. Draiman finally finds his stride as his words conjure up dramatic imagery and paint the world around the listener black. The music compliments Draiman’s genius by shifting effortlessly and at times mesmerizingly, between unbridled fury and calculated harmony. Alas, all good things must end and Sacrifice and Innocence do exactly that. The tracks are heavy and mosh pit ready, but they’re also passable and you won’t know when one ends and the other begins.

I think Disturbed should have called the album “Remnants”. The majority of the tracks here sound like reworked b-sides. Having said that, the band has expertly crafted an album heavier than anything they’ve done before. Nevertheless, considered as a whole the album is disappointing. However, the real disappointment is David Draiman. This is his weakest performance, lyrically and vocally, on any Disturbed album and he comes across as unexciting and unoriginal. In contrast, the rest of the band is technically impressive. There are plenty of riffs and devastating drums to please most fans. Also, despite some drab arrangements on a few songs, Dan Donegan really shines through with his guitar playing. Overall, it’s not a great album. It never will be. In fact, it’s the band’s weakest collection of songs. After ten years the band sounds enervated on the disc. There is no doubt that the album will sell well and Disturbed will continue to put on the best show this side of hell for their fans. I’m just going to wait it out until next time when they do something truly disturbed.  

FINAL RATING: 2.5/5