This was their first industry produced album, I checked them out after I saw them in Guitar One magazine and saw "Faithless" on MTV.
Injected is:
Danny Grady - Guitar/Vocals
Jade Lemmons - Guitar
Steve Slovisky - Bass
Chris Wojtal - Drums
When She Comes: 4.5/5
The opening riff is very nice, the song kind of bouncing rhythimcally but it rocks with lots of energy. Jade breaks into a kick ass solo right after the first verse. Then the song goes back to the main riff and after the second verse the song builds up until a second solo is ripped into. Steve and Chris are just pounding throughout this song. Great opener.
Burn It Black: 5/5
Thrashing guitars start off this track which are then slowed down just a bit to settle into a nice energetic riff. The rhythm section is still going mad in this one. I like the lyrics about feeling down trodden in life. Another awesome solo by Lemmons towards the end.
Bullet: 4.5/5
The school violence song which fit at the time. Basically saying you're a piece of sh*t if you go to school kill people. Grady also somewhat talks about how he thinks the gunman could possibly be confused and scared at the same time but it's no excuse. One of the heaviest songs on the album. Much better than P.O.D.'s attempt.
Faithless: 4/5
The ending of "Bullet" has an ambient drum track that leads nicely into this song. Probably the most radio friendly track but still pretty good. I saw the video on MTV one day thought the band had potential so I checked out the the album. The first solo is a bit too simplistic but the ending solo more than makes up for it layered underneath the main riff.
It Only Hurts Awhile: 5/5
Much slower than the first 4 songs, kinda laid back in a nice melody spaced in between the drumming. It's a slow track but also has a lot of power behind it. Chris and Steve stand out here very nicely and showcase their skills well.
I-IV-V: 4.5/5
I'm supposing it's called I-IV-V for progression reasons. Injected always has plenty of melody interwoven into their songs but always have an incredibly strong sound. They're not afriad to be loud while making songs that aren't balls out rock. The song hits hard at the beginning then slows into a relaxed verse with delayed guitar leads that give it a slightly spacy ambient feeling. A great song.
Sherman: 4/5
Probably the lowest point on the album although still an energetic song.
I was originally gonna give it a 3.5 but the pure energy they have just seethes through the track and still gets you into it. Not bad but if they had done more and this would have been a great song. The cool solo gives it points also. I just feel it's far too simplistic compared to the other songs. I still enjoy it even so.
Used Up: 5/5
Reminds me of start/stop riffing but not true because of the quickness between the strums. Again the drumming really stands out and comes out from the background. The song is about a girl who feels useless, used up and worthless so he says to stop hating everyone and pick yourself up. I really like this song, I just listened to 3 times in a row.
Ms. Fortune: 4/5
Another one of the slower tracks I'd say probably a midtempo song. The lyrics are good which give this song bonus points. It's not their best track but still good. The guitar has a delay tremolo going on in the background during the verse that sounds really good. I like the way they structured the chorus so it's not just a straight powerchord riffing. Overall a good song.
Bloodstained: 5/5
I love the intro to this song. The melody they use right after the intro and during the song is simple but beautiful. I would have gone a different direction with the chorus but it's still quite nice. It goes into a pounding riff in the middle of the track followed by a nice solo that fits in well with the song's melody. I swear I hear a xylophone in the 1st verse also.
Light Are Low: 4/5
Opens with a fast rhythm them slows down into the verse but picks the energy and intensity right back up into the chorus. It seems to be a song about drugs, alcohol and hanging out with the bad crowd. The shortest song on the album.
Dawn: 4.5/5
A very laid back track. It's a song I could see myself listening to while cruising around late at night. I think about insomnia when I listen to this song. The chorus is harmonized very well. During the last third of the song it gets into an ethereal pause with Grady singing and light guitars very lighty backing him. Not much else to say about it except I like it.
Ride the Snake: 5/5
The album's hidden track after "Dawn" ends, then kicks in about a minute of silence afterwards. Starts with voices talking about vocal effects and such. Then just blasts into a violent sound. Danny sounds like a maniac growling and screaming. The guitar work, drumming and bass are relentless. The guitars are insane, one is going off with lots of effects and the other is somehow harmonizing. Steve and Chris are thundering away on this one like primal animals. This is a showcase of what they can do in terms of raw power, aggression and intensity. A killer closer.
Overall: 4/5
This Excellent album was overlooked at the time because of the amount of bands that came out during the same time. They are a cut above all those bands I have heard. Unfortunately Jade Lemmons left the band about a year after this album was released. They have a relentless approach to making their songs so no instrument is compromised to let one stand out alone above the others. Danny Grady has a great voice whether he is yelling or singing. Probably another great band that will never get the success they deserve.
Although I'm probably the only one who cares.
