Review Summary: Could've been better, but overall satisfactory.
Disturbed has literally only made one major sound change in their entire career, and that was when they dropped the nu-metal style from The Sickness for a straight up hard rock style. They've had their ups and downs since. Ten Thousand Fists was the highlight of their career easily; while Ayslum was the lowlight. Now they're back with a brand new album, and one has to wonder if it will be a return to form or not for them.
The difference often between good and boring Disturbed songs is the chorus. Is there are a fist-pumping, anthemic chorus--or a more slower, but still with good vocal performance and music to accompany it? Something about it has to stand out somehow, whether it's the guitar work, the drums, or even the vocals. If the song has a good chorus, then the verses and bridge just seem to take care of themselves.
Immortalized, like pretty much all their other albums, gets off to a huge start during its first few songs. The title track is an excellent beginner and just the sort of thing you want to hear on a Disturbed album. "The Vengeful One" continues to spread the energy, where oddly the high point of the song is actually the guitar-heavy bridge--it still stands out as a good song. "Open Your Eyes" doesn't shine quite as well as the previous two, but it's still very good in its own right.
So, as with previous albums, the album's off to a good start. After that, things are often up for grabs. During the next several songs, we have some that shine quite well, and there's a few that either fall flat or are just quite forgettable. The ballad "The Light" tries a little bit of new territory with some keyboards/programming, but it fails to grab attention. "You're Mine" and "Who" are unable to stand out well on their own. "What Are You Waiting For" attempts to be another huge anthemic single, and it's decent to be sure, but it feels way too familiar to be groundbreaking.
There's a few big highlights during the second half of the album, however. "Save Our Last Goodbye" is a heavy, crunchy song packed with emotion on all fronts, from the music to the vocals to the lyrics. "The Sound of Silence" isn't really their best cover (that honor still goes to "Land of Confusion"), but it stands out on its own right as it builds up from an acoustic sound to a more progressive feel. "Never Wrong" is another late-album highlight, with a strong chorus (proof that it can be the key to a good Disturbed song) and good guitar work.
I had strongly mixed feelings on "Fire It Up," on the other hand. Disturbed's lyrics aren't poetry, but they usually aren't straight-up bad either. Considering some of their other material ranging from politics to hidden anger to standing up for yourself, the decision to do a drug-themed song feels awkward. The result is awful on the lyrical front. But on the flip side, this is musically one of the strongest tracks on the album. Ultimately, I am left torn, wondering whether to hate it or to love it.
Immortalized benefits strongly overall from excellent production from Kevin Churko. There are some songs that work really well, and others that just don't, but that's something one comes to expect from Disturbed. Those hoping for a fresh new sound are likely to be disappointed, but if you're still on board with what they've been doing, it should be a pleasant ride. Overall, the result of the album is a return to form with a slight limp on occasion. Disturbed is back, whether people like it or not, and hopefully they still have more of their better stuff to contribute to the music scene during years to come.
Song Highlights: "Immortalized," "Save Our Last Goodbye," "The Vengeful One," "Open Your Eyes," "Never Wrong"
