Every track on here that wasn't released/leaked beforehand is complete rubbish. They sound like Lifehouse.

Album Rating: 3.0

exaggeration of the year?

Album Rating: 3.5

yeah, I tried to listen to one of the songs in search of anything resembling autotune and it was very minor at most. It was nothing compared to that, so I think the "buckets of autotune" quip still doesn't make a ton of sense, because it's so easily hidden that it's not as noticeable.

Still got a few tracks to go but I can tell you that 'Deep Inside' isn't doing anything to change my mind.

Album Rating: 3.5

But I definitely prefer the cleans Jesuslaves referred to as "weak, whiny, warbling" over the last two albums' cleans. Feels a lot more genuine, ESPECIALLY on The Chosen Pessimist, I'd say that's probably my favorite In Flames song in general, even if it's seated on a not so stellar record.

On The Chosen Pessimist it kinda works with the atmosphere of the song. But there's a pretty obvious difference between his cleans from that era and his present day cleans. Even his Come Clarity cleans, which were pretty obviously autotuned, were nasally as shit.

God the back half of this album is such an insufferable, melodramatic LARP. People really like this better than Battles?

Album Rating: 3.0

I don't think Anders is a bad vocalist, he just thinks he's better than he actually is. he's whiny for sure but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I think on the first few albums where he used cleans more frequently it worked because it suited the musical style they were going for. but now he's trying to sing like he's some great rock singer when he simply isn't. he doesn't have the range or the voice for the type of crooning he's doing and they're using blatant production trickery to compensate.

Album Rating: 3.5

@Jesus: I mean I already liked Battles in general and find the lyrics on the back half to be more relatable to the human condition than melodramatic, to be honest.

@Hell: yeah, it's pretty dumb. He's nowhere near any of the names on my top 20 favorite singers (shameless plug, check that shit out :-P) but I still don't hate it even here.

I don't mind Battles. It's somewhat catchy, semi-enjoyable cheese metal. This is just silly. Shinedown/Lifehouse-tier silliness.

Album Rating: 3.0

other way around for me, Battles is by far a poppier and more annoying album than this. this is definitely mainstream alt-metal, but it leans more towards Sounds of a Playground Fading than Battles.

Album Rating: 3.5

"Shinedown/Lifehouse-tier"

That's an insult to Shinedown and a compliment to Lifehouse.

Album Rating: 3.0

I would take this over any Shinedown album

Album Rating: 3.5

Can't say I agree, especially since I have three Shinedown album's 4'd and one of them 4.5'd.

Album Rating: 3.5

On the other hand, No Name Face is the only Lifehouse album I'd take over this.

Album Rating: 3.0

alt-metal with occasional watered-down gothenburg riffs and a wannabe Jonathan Davis/Jared Leto singer is more entertaining to me than dime-a-dozen post-grunge butt rock for 90s kid dads with a wannabe Chris Cornell

Album Rating: 3.5

Didn't Brent Smith make it on my favorite singers list?

Album Rating: 3.0

I mean that's really not saying a lot to me lol

Album Rating: 3.5

makes sense, most people think my taste is utter trash

Shinedown - based on the one full album I've heard from them - can pull off this kind of sound without it sounding like a total disingenuous LARP. Can't say the same for N'Flamez.

Album Rating: 3.5

Yeah when it comes to this Shinedown do it a lot better. Would be interesting to hear Soupy do a side project that sounds like the back half of this album too, dude's got some serious pipes and the passion to nail it.