Review Summary: All that we’ve done we can’t hide.
It was brutally clear to Disturbed that the follow-up to the fantastic album
Believe would either make or break them. They had shown incredible precession between the mediocre first album and the far-from-slump sophomore outing and were in a precarious position. If they messed this up, chances are there wouldn’t be another second chance, and Disturbed would be left to inevitably fade into a cesspool of bleak obscurity, never to rise from the icy black pit.
Ten Thousand Fists had to be a knockout of a record, pun intended. Is it? In a way, yes, as it mixes the piledriver sonic attack from
Believe with the melody and electronics of
The Sickness.
Speaking of electronics, it’s obvious from opener and title track that they are back in force. But rather than awkwardly popping up as they did on the first outing, here they weave seamlessly through one of the best Disturbed tracks ever. David’s vocals are more than top-notch, the guitar riffs are punchy and fun, and the bass is actually audible in this total adrenaline rush. Put Die Hard in a song. “Just Stop” and “Sons Of Plunder” both seeth with veracity as they confront hypocrisy over a backdrop of hard-hitting distortion and fast-paced drums (not to mention the fantastic industrial-influenced intro of “Just Stop”), while “Guarded” plays well off of the quiet/loud dynamic that bands like Tool and Chevelle popularized. “Forgiven” contains an extremely catchy hook that will grab the listener, even though the track comes at the very end of the record. Cover “Land of Confusion” is simply epic (yes the word is overdone, sue me), and not only seamlessly blends electronics and guitar riffs (especially the bridge), but also sounds like marching orders for a new revolution over an oppressive, tyrannical dictatorship. Second-to-last track “Pain Redefined” starts off as what sounds like just another Disturbed track, but the staccato vocal/guitar pattern throughout is just too fun and bouncy to pass up.
And of course, hit single “Stricken” is an album highlight, and for good reason. The chorus is probably the best Disturbed has written and David hits new highs (literally) throughout, showing off both his harsh and clean vocal prowess. The main riff is instantly recognizable and extremely fun to play, not to mention featuring the first real guitar solo we have ever heard from Disturbed. The song just gives off an epic feel, especially with lines like “I can’t go on with a Holocaust about to happen”, “I am crippled by all that you’ve done”, and “into the abyss will I run”. Then there’s “Overburdened”, which clocks in at almost six minutes long and is a slow-burning exploration into progressive metal. Does it work? It’s one of Disturbed’s best. The desperate, aching vocals, the blend of dirty and clean guitar work, the menacing bass, the amazing climax of an outro, everything a good progressive metal song needs is there.
But why is this record only a knockout “in a way”, and why is it rated lower than
Believe? Because although some of Disturbed’s best is off this record, there’s a lot of filler, and
Believe was a much more consistently satisfying endeavor. There are at least three or four easily forgettable and borderline mundane songs here that should’ve been left on the cutting room floor. Lyrically, this isn’t quite as mature as
Believe, but not as juvenile as
The Sickness (no profanity-fueled, angst-ridden rants). Look, adrenaline-junkie, action movie lyrics are fine at the beginning of the album, but by the end,it begins to get old.
In closing, though this album is the most varied up against it's older brothers, the filler tracks hurt it more than you would expect. Again, I feel that a shorter album would’ve benefitted the band because there are truly some standouts here. But it does deserve a spin or two, and alternative/modern metal fans will surely find something to enjoy here.
