Disturbed-Ten Thousand Fists

Disturbed

9/20/2005

Tracklist:
1.Ten Thousand Fists
2.Just Stop
3.Guarded
4.Deify
5.Stricken
6.I'm Alive
7.Sons Of Plunder
8.Overburdened
9.Decadence
10.Forgiven
11.Land Of Confusion
12.Sacred Lie
13.Pain Redefined
14.Avarice

Nu-metal act Disturbed comes back with their third release in six years. Their first was The Sickness (2000), which was entertaining for maybe a one time listen, but extreme repetitiveness kept it from being anything that people would listen to more than just once in a while. Believe (2002) was an improvement over The Sickness with greatly improved musicianship, including some great lines from former bassist Fuzz. However, that album still failed from many songs being fairly weak, and was still slightly repetitive. In 2005 Disturbed returned with a promise of having a spectacular album that would unite the peoples, to stand up against anything that threatened them. It sounded promising, but would all the hype end up disappointing with an album that once again suffered from too many weak songs? The answer is in fact no. Disturbed fulfill the promise they made, creating a record full of angst. Angst is most likely a word that some would cringe at, expecting something that would reminisce of bands such as Linkin Park, or Papa Roach, two highly overrated nu-metal acts, not here though. This is an almost hour-long, mature record that has obviously been developed with care, lyrically, as well as musically.

Two major things have changed for Disturbed since the release of Believe.The first is the fact that bassist Fuzz is no longer a member of the band. He left right before the band started recording Ten Thousand Fists. With his departure, something else was lost; Fuzz’s wonderful bass lines are no longer a part of Disturbed, and are rather simple, particularly evident on political rager Deify. This is something old fans of Disturbed will most likely not be happy with, but sadly will have to deal with that fact for this record. The second huge change that is noticeable on this record is the fact that axe man Dan Donegan has included soloing into his repertoire, plainly evident on the second single Stricken. This is actually perhaps of the fact that Fuzz is gone, and Dan felt the need to step up. Will, he made a wise choice, as all of the solos he has on this record are all superb.

The second single, Stricken, features Dan Donegan at perhaps his best. For the most part he plays basic straightforward riffing, but his solo is stellar, and the best one on the whole album. The entire song just pulls together with the drums, and guitar working with David’s voice, which showcases some of his best vocal work ever. “You walk on like a women in suffering. Won’t even bother now to tell me why. You come alone, letting all of us savor the moment. Leaving me broken, another time. When he opens the song up with that verse you can tell this was a wise choice to be a single. The title track Ten Thousand Fists was an overly hyped song by several magazines, and the band themselves as an classic anthem that is dedicated to the fans of Disturbed who buy their albums. Well obviously one would expect great things of the song, but it fails to deliver. It’s not a bad song, but it is like most of Disturbed’s other works, and fails differentiate anything special about it. If any track on the album meets the hype both the media, and the band themselves gave Ten Thousand Fists, that would be I’m Alive.

I’m Alive is easily the best song Disturbed have ever written, and is the anthem that the title track should be, and is equally representative of the whole album with the message of rising up from oppression. Upon hearing the chorus, many would mark that as one of the most memorable things that Disturbed have ever done. “The thing I treasure most in life, can not be taken away. There will never be a reason why I will surrender to your read lies. To change myself, I’d rather die, no they will not understand. I will make the greatest sacrifice. You can’t predict where the outcome lies; you’ll never take me alive. It is catchy, but also full of anger, and defiance at the same time. This song is another example that David Draiman’s voice is the main highlight of the band. Plus, Disturbed cover the Genesis song Land Of Confusion, which they turn into something that would easily sound like something they would write, both musically, and lyrically. One song that sticks out lyrically is Sons Of Plunder. David basically attacks bands that only write songs to become a hit to the point where it “doesn’t have any soul”.

Ten Thousand Fists has many great things going for it. David’s voice is at the top of his game. Hardly any songs would qualify as filler. The whole concept of the album being about rising up, and not being pushed around works within David’s well-written lyrics. Mike Wengren has nice drum fills, and Dan Donegan has finally stepped up to the plate with the inclusion of a few nice solos on some songs. The only bad things about the album is that Fuzz is gone, as well as his groovy bass lines, and the disappointing title track, which was supposed to be the “anthem” of the album. This is an excellent album, but it may take some to listen more than once to fully appreciate it.

4/5 Excellent

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joanna sheen

Gutter Anthems is Enter The Haggis' seventh album.

Enter the Haggis: A Canadian band that blends World, Folk, Celtic, and Rock music. ETH is constantly pushing the limits of its genre, showing that, above all else, the band is more experimental than most on the scene. Like it's namesake food, the band is comprised of unique and different flavors that melt together into something amazing (though I'm no fan of the food, haggis.)
They are well known for their extensive touring, averaging 150 dates a year. This, combined with appearances on Regis and Kelly, PBS, and A&E has begun to grant the boys the recognition they deserve. Like most bands of the world/celtic label, they combine various pipes, fiddles, guitars, and drums to create a unique and entertaining sound.

Gutter Anthems: The seventh release for ETH, and arguably their strongest. This album fills in the missing pieces that the previous (Soapbox Heroes) left out. It's a solid, driving album, comprised of grand drinking songs and pop gems. ETH hits the mark with Gutter Anthems, delivering solid, well thought out songs, it shows the band's drive to experiment as much as possible. Their is an undeniable amount of heart and spirit within this disc, you can feel the blood and sweat that went into it's creation. It's very rare these days for an album to be so enthralling, let along as moving at Gutter Anthems. Once and awhile, it may seem boring or lengthy, but these seem to be reflective highly upon one's mood. Regardless, I highly recommend this to anyone looking to get into Enter the Haggis, as this marks itself as their strongest, yet most accessible album.


Track Listing
1. Intro - As far as Intros go, I'm not a huge fan. This one is no exception. Nice and all, but no exception.
2. The Litter and the Leaves - This is the album's defiant drinking song. It takes you out of the bar and throws you face down in the gutter, which is where it actually takes place. It punches your ear in from the start and makes you swell with a rebellious pride. Like the rest of the album, this one won't let up, even at it's slowest moment, you still feel the urge to take to the streets. Disregarding the intro, this is an outstanding track to start off with.
3. Cameos - Sugary Pop Folk Goodness. One of the most radio-friendly tracks on the album, yet it still retains the experimentation that Enter the Haggis has come to be known for. An all-around solid track.
4. DNA - Another of the radio friendly songs, albeit a better one, in my opinion, than Cameos. It's a bit catchier, with a chorus you'll find sneaking into the back of your mind, and solid instrumentation. One of the most accessible songs on the disc.
6. Did You Call Me Albatross? - The first instrumental on Gutter Anthems. Extremely traditional sounding. Nothing spectacular to note.
7. Noseworthy and Piercey - The band shows it's homeland roots with a folk tale, and they pull it off flawlessly. A story about some fishermen from Newfoundland and their struggles on the open sea. All in all, a rather difficult song to get into. I found it took me three or four listens, spaced apart, until I finally learned to appreciate. Definitely not the best, but it keeps the album rolling, and that's all we can ask for.
8. The Death of Johnny Mooring - Vivid imagery, great guitars, outstanding fiddles, and a fine story tied all together. One of the star tracks, it starts heavy, softens, picks up, softens again, and finally breaks it all out flawlessly. Some of the best guitar work on the disc, also one of the heaviest songs.
9. The Suburban Plains - It has a somewhat tribal beat, and at times seems to be a sister song to "Cameos." It features some rather nice guitars, and all in all turns out to be another shining track for ETH. Has a very kid friendly feel to it.
10. Real Life/Alibis - A calm folk beginning that builds and explodes into the pop that is Alibis. An above-average song, but nothing too outstanding.
11. Murphy's Ashes - A prog-esque, instrumental romp. It's one of the faster paced and more aggressive songs on Gutter Anthems, and for this, it's one of the best. There is some outstanding talent shining through on this track. Truly, the most adventurous song out of the list.
12. Sea of Crutches - Calm and easy sound? Check. Catchy hook? Check. Traditional feel? Check. Of all the songs, Sea of Crutches seems to have the most replay value. You'll find your foot tapping and your head bobbing along within your first listen.
13. Burn My Demons - A short poem. Kind of powerful and insightful, but almost feels out of place.
14. Ghosts of Calico - A powerful rock song with heavy blues hints. It becomes one of the deepest and strongest tracks on Gutter Anthems and in all honestly, it feels more like the track an album would close on, but we still have two to go.
15. Lights and Cars - It starts off with a after-school theme song vibe, then the pipes kick in. Very beautiful and full song. Though at times it may seem lengthy (5:12) it maintains your overall interest, and keeps you in a serene place. Definitely one of my personal favorites.
16. Broken Line - I know I say "Ghosts of Calico" should be the closer, but this outstanding track does the job better, which is why it's rightfully at the end. Some great lyrics meld with outstanding instrumentation to create the ultimate all star for the album. It may not be as driven as the rest of the disc, but it holds it's own, and at times feels more intense. A strong ending for a strong album.

Overall Rating: 9/10

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