Aha, my latest and greatest import buy, its Shinedown's third album The Sound of Madness. They are pretty unknown here in the UK, which is why I had to import it, but this way I got the special fanclub limited edition, including three extra tracks, fanclub membership for a year, and numerous other stuff. Who says buying CD's isn't still good? For those who don't know them Shinedown are an American band from Jacksonville, Florida, and one of my favourite bands. Their first two albums are nothing short of brilliant hard rock stuff - Leave A Whisper (2003) and Us And Them (2005). The new album is a departure from the usual, to say the least. The band have went through a bit of an overhaul, with two of the original four (Jasin Todd and Brad Stewart) leaving for various reasons. The current band consists of original members Brent Smith (vox), Barry Kerch (drums), and new additions Nick Perri (lead guitar), Zach Myers (rhythm guitar) and Eric Bass (bass). Perhaps due to this, the new album is heavier, more intricate, and in my opinion a lot greater than the first two albums. None of the Shinedown feel is lost, which is a great bonus too.
Well, this album was waiting for me when I got back after a holiday. I was a little disappointed it hadn't arrived before, but this was due to release dates/import delays etc. First impressions? Awesome album artwork. The normal edition is white with black birds on the front, and the limited edition is as above. I stick the album into my CD player, and Devour kicks off with a bang. Devour is in fact not only the first track but also the first single from the album. It's quite heavy and political lyrically, and a great way to open the album, as it sets the tone for the rest of the CD. It sticks by the good old album rules: open with a fantastic track, and then push the dial up to eleven in the second track, Sound of Madness. In many ways I enjoy this more than Devour. It's catchy, heavy, and has some great guitar pieces in the latter half. As with much of Shinedown of course, the thing you appreciate most is Brent Smith's voice. These lyrics are also quite political, a little similar to the track that didn't make this album: Junkies For Fame. Third track Second Chance is about leaving home and striking out on your own - there is obviously a lot of inspiration from Brent himself here, and its one of my favourite songs on the album. Fast-paced Cry For Help gives way to The Crow & The Butterfly followed by If You Only Knew. I prefer the former out of the two...ballads (?), but they are both beautiful songs, the stuff Shinedown are loved for, and the very thing that makes them stand out from a lot of other rock bands. Sin With A Grin and What A Shame are good songs with meaningful lyrics, but Cyanide Sweet Tooth Suicide is a really frickin' brilliant heavy rock song that calls out to be played at full volume. The final two songs Breaking Inside and Call Me wrap up the normal edition. Breaking Inside has a catchy chorus and guitar stretch near the end, which makes it a contender for a single. Call Me is a song that could easily be found on any of the other Shinedown albums, a superb conclusion.
Now to the bonus tracks. For me, these three make the album a five-star rather than a four-star. You'll find no slow songs in this special section, because I Own You, The Energy, and Son of Sam are three angry rock n' roll tunes, truly gems in Shinedown's whole damn discography. I Own You is now one of my favourite Shinedown songs. Never before has an album been able to fire me up so much, and I have no doubts in recognising this as my favourite Shinedown album yet. I'm glad they were able to overcome problems in the band, problems which show in the lyrics and the way they play. Hell, they've come through this better than ever. Long may it continue. Now if they would just do a UK tour...
