Up next on the chopping block is another band that I had heard a lot about but never really checked out. I had really heard them on the Freddy Vs. Jason soundtrack and thought I’d give em a shot. The band I’m talking about is the band Spineshank. So let’s take a look…..
Strictly Diesel- so listening to this album, I had heard that this was a Nü Metal band and indeed it is. And maybe more of an industrial Nü Metal band. I mean there is a good amount of synth and loops. You can also tell that these guys were influenced by bands like Fear Factory just simply because I get that FF vibe. I will say that the band does kind of drift off into softer kind of weird territory but overall, a pretty solid debut album. Burton C. Bell guest vocals on the song Stain and there is a cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Overall a good album and I give it 8/10
Standouts: 40 Below, Intake, Stain
The Height of Callousness- while the first album kind of felt a little uneven, this one is pretty consistent throughout. I mean it has everything from the industrial stuff to the fast and hard stuff all mixed together. I mean I have heard people comparing this album to albums from bands like Rammstein and Fear Factory. It’s definitely stronger than the first album and even faster too and doesn’t really let up. Overall, a great follow up and is a very strong 9/10
Standouts: Cyanide 2600, The Height of Callousness, (Can’t Be) Fixed
Self-Destructive Pattern- I feel like that this one is most melodic sounding record. There seems to be more songs with cleaner vocals rather than the harsher vocals that were present on the previous albums. That’s not to say that the harsh vocals aren’t there because they certainly are here just not dominating the songs. While this is a great album, it almost feels like they kind or sold out a bit in order to appeal to the mainstream audience. The album as a whole isn’t bad but again it feels almost too commercialized. I give it 7/10
Standouts: Beginning of the End, Slavery, Consumed (Obsessive Compulsive)
Anger Denial Acceptance- so after the last album, the band broke up in 2003 and in 2012, they got back together and made this album. Honestly, it seems to pick up where they left off. It’s got a very familiar sound that was present on Self Destructive. I don’t know it still seems to me that they wanted to appeal to more commercial listeners and this one like the last one seems toned down a bit. I don’t know I was kind of hoping for more of a return to form but this is where they wanted to go. Overall, this album is just ok and kind of drags. I give it 7/10
Standouts: I Am Damage, After the End, God Complex- Anger
As I said earlier, if you like you Nü Metal mixed with industrial sounds, then this might be the band for you. Their catalogue as a whole is pretty good except for their last record. I don’t know maybe it’s better that they are broken up and we have these few albums to enjoy. At the end of the day, I would definitely recommend listening to these guys as their records are different.
Album Rankings:
- The Height of Callousness
- Strictly Diesel
- Self Destructive Pattern
- Anger Denial Acceptance
Sinister Reviews 