Review Summary: There's nothing new about this.
There are many definitions of the word "recapture", but the most fitting for this review is this: to recollect or rexperience. And that's exactly what ISS have been trying to do since their killer debut
3D. Not only is said album extremely strong for the genre, but it sky-rocketed I See Stars into considerable attention and left audiences waiting for more. Their sophomore slump
The End Of The World Party was extremely lazy and weak compared to its predecessor, and though third outing
Digital Renegade was better than Party, it didn't quite recapture the (to be cliche) magic formula used on the first album. That left all hope to
New Demons.
DR was heavier than the first and second album, and ND follows suit. Though it has the calmer moments, it's easily the heaviest that I See Stars has been so far. The guitars are tuned extremely low, Zach Johnson brings some seriously guttural screams, you get the picture. Vocalist Devin Oliver doesn't fare too well this time, however. Yes, auto-tune is widely considered cheesy and out-of-place in metal, but on
3D and even parts of TEOTWP the auto-tune fit his voice and was easy to get used to. This time, Devin sounds exactly like he's trying to rip off Kellin Quinn, sounding overly boyish and annoying almost all record. Guitarists Brent Allen and Jimmy Gregerson were a major part of Stars' sound, but this time, they are extremely predictable and just chug and octave through breakdown after breakdown. While the screams are better, the programming is un-creative and sounds like most of the dubstep sequences off of AA's
This Means War. Drums and bass? Hahahahaha.
There really aren't any standouts. Yeah, there's a cool riff every once and a while, but for the most part, this is generic and highly predictable. I will say that for all the faults, the production is top-notch. Everything is crystal clear and every instrument stands out. Lyrically, it's also exactly like TMW. Betrayal is practically shoved down your throat, and ambiguity has never been a talent for the men of ISS. Well, this didn't recapture anything, but it sure did disappoint. Sadly, most songs on this record get boring within the first few seconds, and the whole thing sounds like the revitalized, Shomo-era Attack! Attack!. There's nothing new about this.
