751. Adrenaline Mob / Men of Honor. 2014. 2/5

I don't really know what happened between the time that the initial discussions into forming the band Adrenaline Mob took place, to the first album Omertá being recorded, until this second album being written and recorded occurred, but surely the musical direction that has been taken in that time is completely different from that which the fans expected things to go.
When this band first came together, I was excited for what they were going to produce. Surely Russell Allen and Mike Portnoy could put their heads together and produce some brilliant heavy metal songs. Two years later and Portnoy had moved on from another band again, and Twisted Sister's AJ Pero arrived. Unfortunately, the musical direction that the band has been taken in has moved from those initial hopes, and we find ourselves mired in a nu-metal sound that tends to prevail the airwaves of any radio station that deems a form of heavy metal is able to be played.

I am a fan of Russell Allen. I love his work around Symphony X and his other projects. But his vocals here are a real change from his usual style, and I think it is a step too far. He may well enjoy it, but here it feels as though he is trying make the songs sound heavier by his vocals alone, which shouldn't be the case. Take "Feel the Adrenaline" for instance, where he sings in his atypical register, before dropping down to a guttural almost-growl in the chorus that for me just doesn't suit him - or the song for that matter. It's not the only instance on the album that his vocals are out of character, and while there is nothing necessarily wrong with a change in direction, it isn't working here. There is further juggling of vocal registers in a song like "Men of Honour". It just doesn't gel well. Then there is the guitar solos, which apart from being stuttery and trying to be just a little too clever, are allowed to punctuate songs in the strangest places, completely out of character with a sensibly structured song. Many just appear to be a hodge-podge and mish-mash of drum fills and guitar riffs, which may appeal to some of those fans out there, but to me just make it extremely difficult to take it all in.
The similarity to other artists material is perhaps just a bit too close for comfort. For instance, "Judgement Day" and  "Mob is Back" could easily have been featured on a Five Finger Death Punch album, such is the similarity in the vocals and music. "Feel the Adrenaline" crosses the line a little too close to comfort with Hellyeah. And don't get me wrong, I like some of what bands like Hellyeah and Five Finger Death Punch are doing. But it feels as though this is a deliberate ploy to duplicate that sound entirely, and I really thought these guys were better than that. It doesn't make them bad songs, but is it plagiarism?
Worse yet, "Behind the Eyes" may as well be a Nickelback knockoff, and I couldn't possibly begin to tell you how much I despise Nickelback. Add to that the power ballad "Crystal Clear", which feels like a cop out. Why make hardcore songs on what appears to be a nu-metal hardcore album, and then throw in songs such as these two? Who on earth is going to enjoy both sides of these genres? Perhaps a better question is who is going to enjoy either side?

I really like a lot of their debut album, but as a follow up this is very disappointing. Perhaps I have been a little harsh, but the uncharacteristic vocals, the rather average guitaring that sounds as though it thinks it is better than it actually is, and the whole confusing direction of the music itself makes this a difficult album to recommend.

Rating:  I'm feeling like a bastard son - yeah.  2/5