ANEW REVOLUTION RISE TO NEW LEVELS OF BORING
Anew Revolution – Rise
Anew Revolution play radio-ready hard rock in a ’90s alt-metal framework with some ’80s sleaze riffing and gang vocals thrown in, but somehow manage to suck dry the redeeming qualities of those genres. Rap-metal influences pop up here and there, which isn’t surprising given the band features ex-members of Unloco and Slaves on Dope. Rise varies little from song to song, but you get the impression the band aren’t exactly trying to reinvent the wheel here. The name of the game is driving hard rock songs that get to the point quickly (out of 11 songs, only 2 pass the 4 minute mark), the point being catchy, sing-along choruses. And in this department, Anew Revolution succeeds… almost. Some songs deliver in the catchy chorus department (“Generation,” “Beautiful”) but most just end up sounding trite and forced (i.e. ‘Rise:’ “I’m not afraid / hey! you! / stand the fuck up and rise!”). This band’s bread and butter fan is of the Breaking Benjamin / Seether / Trapt variety, but unfortunately none of the songs on Rise approach the level of sickening catchiness of any of those bands’ work. Throw in a completely unnecessary cover (New Order’s “Faith”) and a sappy love ballad (“Let Go”)… Anew Revolution keep swinging and missing. The production doesn’t help either, courtesy of the usually fleet-fingered Mudrock; the snare drum sounds like it has a wet sock in it, the guitars lack punch, and the vocals are too dry. Unless you have a major hard-on for bands that sound like a third-rate Saliva, I’d avoid this record.
-VN
(one and a half horns)
