Review Summary: I hope this "radio rock" is exactly that, perhaps I'll have a reason to turn on my radio.
Chevelle maintain a consistent allure with their latest offering. This is no revolutionary masterpiece, but musicians coming forth with a heartfelt effort that genuinely pays off, and is at the same time, quite accessible. I see the term "radio rock" being thrown around a lot with this band, and I'm not entirely sure what this is meant to entail. The tracks possess a momentum that only lets you rest when they decide. The production on this album is nice as well. Sure, all of the songs on here are short enough to be played on radio stations, but this album when listened to as a whole is a rather diverse package. Don't let such an ignorant generalization keep you from appreciating this band.
The one thing that will always hold Chevelle back from true greatness it seems, is the originality department. This album makes some seriously heavy nods to Tool. By this point, any Chevelle fan will know to expect this from our singer here, but even the guitarist and the bassist come in to lend a hand on our album here. This album kind of reminds me of a Tool that would have went on to become more mainstream after Undertow. Regardless of all of this though, the passion that these musicians express keeps all this from being a hindrance to the musical experience itself. Chevelle also seem to have mastered that "nu metal" angst but without the immaturity and monotony that most often comes with bands that possess this. The emotion expressed is always empathized with.
In regards to improvements on this album or lack there of, the most notable improvement is probably the precision the musicians showcase. I feel like this album can best be compared to "This Type of Thinking" the differences being more creative musicianship, and some much faster playing at parts, which is very refreshing. The acoustic song on here has promise but ends up sounding a bit more like an interlude than a real song. The middle eastern touch was very nice, it would be interesting to see them embrace that sound more. This is actually a much less experimental album, prioritizing consistency here [that song being the only exception really]. There is track or two were I felt my mind wander, but as a whole this is certainly an album worth giving a listen to for any Chevelle fan or anyone who can appreciate some good music.
