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

As the title suggests, it has been a while since I posted something here.

Enter lie: Lots of things going on in my life that I'm trying to sort out.

Enter truth: I'm playing Starcraft 2 and don't have time to waste on the rest of my life.

Anyway, I'll keep this update brief:

I'M CURRENTLY LISTENING TO:

1. The Gaslight Anthem- American Slang...*****
2. The Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound...****
3. Boyce Avenue- All We Have Left...***
4. Celldweller- Wish Upon A Blackstar Chap. 3...***
5. Disturbed- Asylum (single)...*****
6. Eminem- Recovery...****
7. Goo Goo Dolls- Waiting For The Rest Of It...*****
8. It's Alive- Human Resources...***
9. Janus- Red Right Return...*****
10. Sevendust- Cold Day Memory...*****

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO:

1. Disturbed-Asylum
2. Filter- The Trouble With Angels
3. Stone Sour-Audio Secrecy
4. Linkin Park-A Thousand Suns
5. Goo Goo Dolls-Something For The Rest Of Us
6. Limp Bizkit-Gold Cobra
7. 10 Years-Feeding The Wolves
8. Alter Bridge-III
9. Thriving Ivory-Through Yourself and Back Again
10. The Murderdolls- Women and Children Last
11. Jimmy Eat World- Invented

Quite an expansive list there. Still, it doesn't cover everything, and I'm sure something else will pop up on my radar. Stay tuned! It's going to be a busy few months of reviews.WHere