So, how about that new Suicide Silence huh? Yeah, as I can definitely say that I don't think the band thought this one through that much. I mean, if it was just the fans who despised the album, that would be one thing because, fans often give knee-jerk reactions that are often unfair, but give them time and they often warm up to the product, see The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker for example. No, when everyone hates your new direction, that is another thing, and I don't think I have found a single person who actually likes their new album. Granted I don't like them that much because I hate the genre they're a part of, so I don't really care. However, I chose one of their newer songs because, one; it seems like some of the fans won't insult me over it, two; I'm always willing to cover more current songs, and three; gotta ride the wave when it's high man, although I may be a bit late to the party though. Oh well, let's talk about "Doris".
So, how about this song eh? it is not an easy beast to slay that is without question, because I don't like Grindcore I doubt I can remove a lot of bias, but I understand that it is such an acquired taste. So here is my compromise, I'll talk about the Grindcore elements, but I'll more focus on the song as a whole.
The song itself though is, not really good. The opening riff begins, kind of like a Hair Metal Ballad, Then transitions into a more hard rock sound, before finishing with heavy distortion. If this is what we are in for than I think I can end the review here. Almost sporadically does the song actually begin, like those songs that don't have fade ins or build ups and just dive straight into harsh instrumentals or vocals, except this did have some kind of build up, and if it didn't, what was the point of that bit in the opening?
OK, so my distaste for Grindcore. Overall, my biggest problem with it is that is sounds similar to me. I could exchange one Suicide Silence song for a F*ck the Facts song and I wouldn't tell the difference. The vocals often make the lyrics very muddled and confused and the instrumentals follow no real rhythm. Over all the genre to me sounds like what happens when you throw death metal into a blender and chose to record the sound. I am glad that the genre appeals to some people, but it just isn't my thing. So it's a good thing that they don't focus on the style for very long.
The opening bit barely even sounds like Grindcore, there is a rhythm I can follow, and I don't even know if that is a positive because the vocalist still sounds like a goat suffering from laryngitis while being mutilated and gutted alive. It also doesn't help that the song shifts into a different style, sort of. The vocals change pitch and there is a different style for some of the instrumentals, but the drums barely sound like they changed, they may have but they sound the exact same.
I don't get why they keep shifting from style to style, I understand they wanted to try new things, but the styles aren't explored in this song, like what Between the Buried and Me does with a song like "Telos", or like with what Tool does with a song like "Lateralus", I mean we get a slower instrumental piece, for less than half a minute, I'm not expecting them to give me five minutes with this slow piece, but at least thirty seconds, and for a four minute song I think you can expend at least eight more seconds in this part before you go back to you loud style.
About now what we should have as a good solo, ends up being a solo that has some kind of sound over it, I want to say it's feedback, but whatever it is, it's just as annoying. It also doesn't last, and then goes into another slow part, each of these pieces could serve as the end of the song and I doubt anybody would care, but we are only three and a half minutes in. Where is the Aspirin?
This slow part has frontman Hernan "Eddie" Hermida growling into the microphone, and then goes back to the Grindcore-light stuff. I don't think Suicide Silence really wanted to expand a bit more, because every time they do, they just go back to their sound before they have any chance to explore the new direction they're taking.
Wikipedia labels this album as Nu Metal and Alternative Metal, which I would never categorize Suicide Silence as, but you know what? Whatever you want to label this as, it's a mess. It's to afraid to try a new genre and still tries to step outside with slower segments that don't last very long, a vocalist who sounds awful and the strangest opening instrumental ever.
If they wanted to make a Grindcore album, they could have and I probably would have let it be, but what they gave us was, messy and not in a good way. Be a fan of what you like and keep yourself open to the opinions of others, if you like this song, that is fine. However, I think that this song could have used a few more rewrites and play tests to get it right.
Actually it's like Metallica's "St. Anger". Oh no! this is the "St. Anger" of the decade, a big name band releasing something that should have been one of the best things the band released, but ended up being one of the most hated.
I'm the Dark Entity, and if you excuse me, I have to go listen to something easier to wrap my brain around.
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