You may remember the scene in the comedy classic Bio-Dome where, after getting into/out of some kind of slapstick hijinx with Pauly Shore, Steven Baldwin proceeds to whip out his trusty 808 drum machine and vintage synthesizer, and work them into a musical frenzy; as the Weasel looks on slackjawed in astonishment, Baldwin creates one of the best beat-centric albums in recent memory. No? You don’t remember? That might be due to the fact that the aforementioned event never appeared in Bio-Dome. In fact, Steven Baldwin (and his brothers Alec, Billy, and Daniel) have absolutely nothing to do with the four quirky Midwestern lads who make up The Baldwin Brothers. However, I wasn’t kidding about the musical praise. Cooking With Lasers, the Baldwin’s debut album, should have been entitled Cooking with Blenders; trip-hop, soul, and even Kraftwerk find themselves thrown into the mix, cleverly tweaked around, and sent back out through our headphones as a thoroughly enjoyable electronic soundtrack. As their name implies, the Baldwin clan have a fairly boundless sense of humor. "Viva Kneivel," "Urban Tumbleweed" (featuring goofy raps by Barron Ricks), and the ode to Sanford and Son "Funky Junkyard" smirk along with a groovy electronic bounce. However, it’s not all just funk and games; from the lush stylings of "Dream Girl" and "Deep Down" (beautifully sung by Miho Hatori of Cibo Mato and Frente!’s Angie Hart, respectively), to the ambient landscapes heard on "Lava Lamp," the Bros. prove that they can flip ethereal just as well as they can cheekily get down. If you dig the instrumental interludes from any of the Beastie Boys records, David Holmes’ soundtracks for Out Of Sight or Oceans 11, or were simply raised on a steady diet of rap videos and TV sitcom reruns, this album will make your day. Which, in my opinion, is exactly what the Brothers want; they sound like they’re enjoying themselves far too much on Cooking With Lasers, and want nothing else than to invite their listeners to the party and let them in on the joke. Because lets face it, if this music thing isn’t fun, what are the Baldwin Brothers going to do? Act? [www.baldwinstyle.com]

Fans suck. If you’re a band, that is. Fans suck because they place unreasonable demands upon their musical heroes. Fans suck because they will criticize a band for changing, call the band unoriginal when they stick too close to their old sound, and, perhaps worst of all, shout "sellout" when a band attempts to make a living doing what they love. The Promise Ring have a lot to worry about once their fans get a listen of Wood/WaterVery Emergency (which itself was a poppy departure from past releases) that many fans will probably be unwilling to come along for the ride. The most noticeable difference is the tempo; Wood/Water’s tunes amble along at a far more relaxed pace than Emergency’s sugar-rush abandon. However, the speed is a perfect match for the songwriting. This is the second, and perhaps most drastic change for The Promise Ring, as tunes like "Wake Up April" and "Say Goodbye Good" have grown far more expansive than any prior works. Open chords ring out, single notes echo, and various instrumental flourishes color the thoughtfully introspective tracks. The trademark jangle is still there on "Suffer Never" and "Get On The Floor," but even that has grown deeper musically, as the band’s characteristically sunny disposition now incorporates shades of darkness to it’s palate. The change in outlook is to be expected; frontman Davy Von Bohlen almost died last year as a result of a brain ailment, and the album’s sense of mortality seems natural. Yet no one could have predicted how drastically different this Promise Ring album would be. At times, the reflective approach can get a little muddled, but that doesn’t detract from Wood/Water’s otherwise successful experimentation. Like Spiritualized’s Let It Come Down or …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead’s Source Tags and Codes, this album is a cohesive and creative meditation on a single theme, showing surprising maturity and growth throughout. The Promise Ring’s emo diehards may feel let down by this album, and fall into the typical cycle of fan disdain. Which is a shame, really, because they’d be missing out on a wonderful album as a result. [www.tpr-online.com]

Deadsy's major label debut Commencement is a dark nu-gothic journey into a place where songwriting doesn't have to be moronic to be scary. Extremely intelligent lyrical content, an absurd yet addicting use of keyboards and fuzzed out bass, and one low range vocal makes this album a wiff of fresh air. That was until it fell into the hands of Elementree/Dreamworks. The new version of Commencement (it was scheduled for release on Elektra several years ago) is like the movie adaptation of a great novel, its still amazingly good but it's not as great as the original experience. What happened? To put it simply, Deadsy's original lineup for Commencement was so far beyond anything commercially acceptable it would have been viewed as an immediate flop by any major label. Sad as it is, the big single is what's important, not the artistically developed masterpiece. But wait! All is not lost. Before it seems like Im going off on a tangeant about how major labels ruin a masterpiece by making it more commercial viable let me say a few things about this album. You havent heard anything like this before. Yea, youve heard Orgy with their droning vocals and 80s keyboard sound, but in all honesty it was a cheap ripoff of Deadsy (Jay Gordon used to play bass for Deadsy way way back when, modified their idea and beat them to the punch commercially). Deadsy writes about such an insanely obscure variety of topics sometimes you just have to sit down, fire up the web browser and do a little research. If you get into it enough, youll soon know more than you ever expected to about such topics as the Urantian religion and its levels of master and slave. "She Likes Big Words" would be the lead off single if it were a perfect world. An upbeat number featuring a few cliche 80s ideals mixed tremendously well with the new style of Deadsy. The Duran Duran-esque keyboards at the beginning followed by the fuzzed out distortion of.. who knows.. a Z-Tar? The song even has appropriate handclaps! Drum machine handclaps that work! True, it used to have an ingenius saxophone solo but youll live without it. Songs like "Lake Waramaug" and "Commencement" are somewhat of the opposite of "She Likes Big Words" in that they dont take the pop route to entertain you, they make use of some of the darkest keyboard sounds they can muster. "Commencement" particularly sums up Deadsy pretty well with its slow build, dark tones, Urantian references, random Dune references, and a bridge that you dont know if you should fall out laughing at, or embrace for its ingeniuity. So Ive obviously got alot to say about Deadsy. Theyve actually been around for a long time and while I think some of their most recent decisions arent so great I completely respect what theyve done musically. The new songs on the album "Key To Grammercy Park", "Winners", "Brand New Love" (Sebadoh), and "Tom Sawyer" (yes, the Rush song) are good but obviously recorded to make things a little more embracable by the general public. The biggest downfall of this album is that "Brand New Love" and "Tom Sawyer" are covers. Maybe its just me, but the cover thing is out of control these days - especially when you get to the point where youre putting not one.. but TWO covers to fill up your album. The songs were there, they didnt need more upbeat filler. So Commencement gets a 4.5 on the manstyle points. Ive got to dock them at least half a point for the double cover, and well.. "Winners" just isnt doing a whole lot for me. I dont want to come across as one of those fans that was so into them back in the day, but sees how theyve sold out now. Deadsy is, and always will be, as much of an image as it is an incredibly clever take on an often overlooked style of music. Commencement may not win you over immediately but eventually it will find its nitche with you, and youll always enjoy it. [www.deadsy.com]

ves·per·tine; things flourishing in the evening. Even though I had no clue as to what the title meant, I instantly related to the mood and the magic that is contained in this album. The first time I heard this group of songs I could not stop smiling all night. I woke up the next morning, my jaws still hurting. Even now I hesitate to attempt to review this album, because I feel my words might hinder your own personal experience with it. Album reviews are supposed to be made up of constructive criticism and cleverly worded personal opinion, but what I give you is honest-to-God truth. I do not think that there will ever be another album quite like this one, and no one will ever top this work of art. The only other thing I can give you is a list of words I think of when I listen to this album: beauty, dark, small, closely, breeze, angelic, thunder, clouds, sleep, splendor, joy, hidden, secret, cold, perfect, swell, movement, dreaming, surreal, wonder, bright. I sympathize with those who cannot appreciate art, being a confused artist myself at times. I feel sorry for those who cannot appreciate music in all forms, you are missing out. However, I pity those who will never be able to appreciate Vespertine. I think music is just like finding your true love, you only get one perfect match your entire life. I own other Björk albums, but Vespertine is my perfect match. [www.bjork.com]

Now I decide to review this album, more than two months after it hit records stores. I know the music industry is based on first impressions and other things that I couldn't care less about, but I think we can agree that's kind of silly. The music industry seems to be in the business of judging books (bands) by their respective covers (looks, clothes, target market). I find this fact absurd, not only is it impolite to judge a book by it's cover, it's also very ignorant. You never realized the beauty in certain things until you've spent a considerable amount of time with them (say two months). With that said, I think The Invisible Band is quite an album. Maybe the first time I listened to it I didn't get it, but after two months it's very clear that this album is a masterpiece of modern pop music. Producer Nigel Godrich took all the well-composed, well-written ideas that the Travis fellows came up with and helped them turn them into musically profound songs. By adding electronic sounds, banjos, and mess of other instruments to create an engulfing smoke of sound around Fran Healy's vocals, they went well beyond the limits of their second album The Man Who. Furthermore, these guys did it without getting by on their looks (no offense). While many swear that Travis we born from the forehead of Radiohead, I say, "shame on you." Yeah, I know they used the same producer who helped Radiohead sculpt OK Computer, but he definitely took Travis in a completely different direction. The bottom line is Travis writes songs that aren't going to change the world, but they will make you sing and feel warm all over. Like the Beatles (yeah, the Beatles) before them, Travis just takes the world we all live in and scribbles all over it with pretty colors. Don't we all need some color in our lives? [www.travisonline.com]

VAST is one of those bands that's really just one guy doing everything, in this case that man's name is Jon Crosby. This album comes across as a lot softer than the previous release Visual Audio Sensory Theatre and in many ways it is. Music For People isn't all hard guitars and in your face the whole time (which isn't a bad thing). Jon Crosby apparently had some relationship trouble before writing this album because the theme of love lost runs throughout the entire album. But somehow it works. Songs like "I Don't Have Anything" seem like they are whiny cries for help over love lost but the way the song is constructed they come across as honest emotions coming out, no cheesy bitching here. The string arrangements throughout the entire album add another element to the depth of the songs, even if they are used very subtley. The otherworldly vocal loops used more predominantly in the first album are still present on Music for People but don't happen as often (though you will even catch some oddities like horns), the music is more driven by the somewhat electronic drumbeats and of course the forceful choruses. Jon Crosby hasn't lost his touch for writing good songs, he's just toned it down somewhat for Music For People, give it a few listens before giving up on it. Before losing all faith be sure to listen to "The Gates of Rock N' Roll", "My TV and You", "The Last One Alive", and "Free." [www.realvast.com]

I had actually not heard of the Living End until we were approached to work with them. At that point I checked into them and found that although they are huge in Australia, they hadn't really "broke" into the U.S. yet. I think with their latest album, "Roll On," all that will change. The Living End is another one of those bands that seems to combine genres by mixing punk, rock, and even some rockabili into their songs. All of their songs are full of energy and carry the true punk spirit. To me, this album seems to represent the live sound of the band very well. Sure it sounds clear and is nicely produced, but the bands energy and spirit really shine through. When I listen to this album, I immediately want to go see the band live, and watch Scott go off on that awesome upright bass. The band even gives you a taste of their live sound with the live version of the song "Prisoner of Society" which is from their self-titled album. Basically, "Roll On" is another album to check out if you are into punk, but are looking for something a little different. In songs like "Riot On Broadway" the band reminds you of their strong rockabili influences, but still don't lose touch of their punk sound. However, it is on songs like "Don't Shut the Gate" and &Blood On Your Hands& where you really see how original the Living End's sound is. Overall I give "Roll On" 4 manstyle points. I really enjoy the album and wish I had heard of the band earlier. You can get the first single "Roll On" from the band's official site. That song is a great representation of the whole album, so I am pretty sure if you dig it, you will enjoy the rest of the album. Also, to learn more about the band, don't forget to check out an exclusive interview in our interviews section. [www.thelivingend.com.au]

For Tricky fans, Blowback is nothing new stylistically. The album still sports the mangled electronic beats, dub-styled vocals, and soothing vocal melodies from whomever guest is appearing on the track in question. However, the album does take on a slightly lighter mood and features several capable songs. The album opener "Excess" does quite a nice job in setting the mood for the album. Tasteful piano lines accent the main distorted guitar-riff and are accompanied by a very simple drumbeat. Vocally the song combines Tricky's signature raspy voice, melodic hooks from Stephanie McKay, and soaring backups from Alanis Morissette. Overall the song sets up the tone for the rest of the album. Songs like "Over Me", "Your Name", and "Five Days" continue to show that Tricky does have the skills as producer and artist to put together a decent album. The album's single, "Evolution Revolution Love", is probably the closest to a pop-hit that Tricky have ever gotten. The song, which features vocals from Ed Kowalzyck of Live and dub singer Hawkman, joins the elements that make up the song in the perfect manner. Many times in the past I've felt that Tricky's songs don"t mesh well together, however, on this album he's found the right mixtures. The only low points for me are the guest appearances by the members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. As much as it pains to me say it, their rock-funk style just isn't flattering with the mood of this album or any other Tricky album. If you have ever wanted a taste of dub music, Tricky makes it easier to swallow by adding tons of different influences and guest appearances. [www.trickymusic.com]

Despite only having one full-length release on the shelves, the Toadies are one of those bands with a huge underground following. It is for those of us in that following, we are ecstatic that the day has finally come when the Toadies release new material. Hell Below/Stars Above will please all the original Toadies fans, as well as show the growth that the band has undergone in the past five years. This album has a much wider range of musical elements present in the songs than their first release Rubberneck, and proves that the band is back, and ready to take over the world. Hell Below/Stars Above features songs such as the first single "Push the Hand" which seem that like they could be straight from the Rubberneck recording sessions. It is these songs that bring back the memories from the old days, and remind you why you began liking the band in the first place. However, it is songs like the title track, Hell Below/Stars Above that really make you stop and go, "Wow!". If you have never heard the Toadies then what the hell are you waiting for? The unique voice of Todd and the original musical style of the band is a much-needed break from the common verse chorus verse pop on alternative radio and TV. Despite that comment, unfortunately those media formats may be the only way you are exposed to the Toadies (if it wasn't for SU of course). Basically, this album is for any fan of great music. If you are into whatever the latest trend is then you may want to steer clear of the album, although I am sure the band would be happy to sell you a copy, but if you are a true music fan and really want to hear some great new tunes, I believe there is something in this album to please everyone. I know it hasn't left my CD changer since the day I got it. [www.thetoadies.com]

Ahh, Punk. Well I have been on a punk kick lately and can't seem to get enough of it. So Sum 41's latest release "All Killer, No Filler," arrived just in time. I have been a fan of Sum 41 since their last album "Half Hour of Power," and their unique punk rock sound is just what the doctor ordered. The band's first single, "Fat Lip," is really catchy, and combines a rocking chorus with some rap, well, as rap as four white guys (and one brown) from Canada can get. Anyway, the point is that the song is awesome, and has a really unique sound to it. The rest of the album has a more punk feel than Fat Lip, but it is the kind of punk that I love. Fast riffs and short songs, but void of the all too typical raspy voice and solo-less guitars. In fact, Sum 41 seems to pull some of the parts in tracks straight from the 80s where guitar solos rule. Just when you think it is all punk, they bust out some really cool power guitar solo that blows you away and makes you smile. Basically, the album is fun. That is something I love about bands like SUM and New Found Glory, you put in the CD and it makes you want to dance around the room. My only complaint about this album is the same complaint I had with their last album, it is too short. The band seems to poke fun at this with the title "All Killer, No Filler," but I still wish they could tack on another 15 minutes or so of good songs. If you have never heard Sum 41 and are a New Found Glory fan or even an old Blink-182 fan, you are sure to dig this album. [www.sum41.com]

Stillsuit is a hard-core band from Long Island, NY and was the previous band of Manuel Carrero, bassist for GlassJAw. The songs on the album are intense from beginning to end and aren't to be listened to for any sort of relaxation purposes. To be truthful, the songs on the album seem to motivate to me to create things and live life. Every time I put in the CD, I am always working, drawing, or doing something that involves moving around a lot. And for a hardcore album, some of which consists of dynamically limited musicians fronted by some sort of screaming bear, it displays incredible musicianship and dynamics. The vocalist, Julian Vasquez, musically screams and kind-of-sings his way through the songs, but what he lacks in musical ability he makes up in rhythm and lyrical content. The lyrics are some of the most human and accessible words ever sung over music. In any case, Vasquez says what he is trying to say without indiscernible metaphors, but with untainted honesty. I feel the album is a good taste of hardcore music for people that aren't true or devoted hardcore fans, like myself. It comes down to whether or not you need a good change of pace from the two-note riff, modern metal shit that is all over the radio and MTV. [www.tvtrecords.com]

To be honest, this was the first Spiritualized album I've ever heard. While I've read descriptions of past albums that described the music as swimmy, space-rock, this album seems to meet different standards. Though it does fit in the large cannon of British rock stylistically, Jason Spaceman places this set of songs in different areas by combining his music with a gospel choir, brass quintet, and full orchestra. Actually, now that I think about it, this album is so grand at points that is feels just like a Broadway musical. It has all the elements: the climactic opener ("On Fire"), the feel good songs ("Out Of Sight", "Do It All Over Again", "The Twelve Steps"), emotional ballads ("The Straight And The Narrow", "Stop Your Crying"), and the thoughtful, triumphant finale ("Lord Can You Hear Me"), which is a remake of an older Spaceman tune during his Spaceman 3 days. While some of you might find these comparisons a little odd and possibly stupid, you probably aren't a fan on escapism. I take every opportunity when I attend a play, musical, or movie to transplant my own reality into the one created for me by the cast and crew. Basically what I'm getting at is that I find myself happily lost in the new Spiritualized album. I think it will be a colossal return for Spaceman back into the musical community since his hiatus after releasing 1998's Royal Albert Hall October 10, 1997. And it'd be great to see this material used for something more, because Let It Come Down is above and beyond just another batch of songs. [www.spiritualized.com]

Skrape has only one problem, and that's the style they choose to play. It's just nothing new. They slip right into the "dropped-D groove chunk with a melodic twist" genre of bands that are popping up all over the place. The one thing that separates them from others is their singer, who's versatility is unreal. He goes from pissy grind in "what you say" to three part harmony in "isolated" to perry ferrel in "goodbye". Some vocal lines from later tracks reference the melody and attitude of scott weiland, showing melodic prowess. While in other songs, the singer chooses to hit longer notes that are quite unexpected - not sounding totally like what "should" be there. At first, this scared me, but after repeated listens, it's clear what the singer is trying to do, and that's simply sing something that isn't expected. Once you learn what he's attempting and where he's going, it's much easier to listen to. It's one of those new albums that does grow on you, and if you liked taproot the first couple of listens, this would probably be a safe purchase. The extra keyboard parts thrown in by the producer (obviously) add a sort of softness to the otherwise grindy and thickly distorted powerchords. The mix is pretty good. It's a very flat and compressed album, like you're listening to the whole thing on the radio, but that's a trend that's being followed by many producers mixing these newer bands. Good song writing, with a style that's nothing unique - but never the less, a good rock album. This release surely has its share of 5.0 point tracks, but others probably won't impress quite as fast. It's like a fish that you don't know whether to throw back or not. It just depends on what you're fishing for. What the hell am I talking about!? [www.skrape.com]

Well if you are a regular here at Silent Uproar, then you know that hip-hop isn't really the primary genre we cover. As for me, I am not much of a rap fan at all. However, one of the bands that I always made an exception for was Run DMC. There is something about them that enabled them to cross over and influence the non-typical rap listener. With their latest release Crown Royal, they are sure to continue to please the old fans as well as make many new ones. This album is a little bit different in that it features a guest on almost every track. These guest range from Nas to Fred Durst to Stephen Jenkins and Sugar Ray, and each adds a unique flavor to the track they appear on. The album features plenty of tight beats, and catchy rhymes, but also has some unexpected almost poppy tracks. For example the song "Them Girls" featuring Fred Durst has an incredibly catchy chorus that will stick in your head for hours. Don't even try to resist it, because you just can't. Another particularly good track is the song "Take the Money and Run" which features a sample from Steve Miller's, Take the Money and Run, and guest vocals by Everlast. [www.aristarec.com]

It has been 5 long years since Poe released her first album, and I have been patiently waiting for her return. This album seems to have been overlooked by a lot of the press, and got no where near the praise it deserves. With "Haunted" Poe took a much more electronic approach to the recording process, and created the majority of the album on her computer. The result is a truly phenomenal listening experience. The fluidity of the album draws you into it, and forces you to pay attention all the way through to the emotional conclusion which features Poe trading lines with recordings of her deceased father. Another awesome thing about "Haunted" is its tie in with the book 'House of Leaves' by Poe's brother Mark Z. Danielewski. The book is a masterpiece in itself, and the two works combined are truly an experience. For more info on Poe and House of Leaves, check out Poe's official label site located here and click on the biography section. I give this album 4.5 manstyle points. However, combined with the House of Leaves, I would have to give it a solid 5.0. [www.polishchick.com]

Sex, drugs, and pop rock seem to be what Placebo is all about. After I listened to samples from their old albums, it seems that nothing much has changed. It's evident that "Black Market Music" is definitely in the same vein as their other material. The music itself consists of simple minor chord progressions and rock beats combined with, leader singer, Brian Molko's trademark, nasally voice. Placebo does however experiment lightly with electronic sounds and layered effects on their instruments. Overall, the band has a very polished and distinctive sound that carries a wide range of influences. While the tracks 'Taste In Men' and 'Special K' are getting commercial attention, I feel songs like 'Black-Eyed' and 'Commercial For Levi' demonstrate Placebo's talent as a band. These songs showcase exceptional performances by Molko both lyrically and vocally. Towards the end of the album, 'Narcoleptic' and 'Peeping Tom' reveal that Placebo can fit some subdued ballads within the mid-tempo power pop. While I have to admit that I'm not much of a Placebo fan, I do think that the album has it's highlights and is worth a listen. Also, if you pick up a copy of the US release of the album, you will get two bonus tracks, 'Without You I'm Nothing' featuring David Bowie and a cover of 'I Feel You'. [www.placeboworld.co.uk]

For not being much of PJ Harvey fan before this year, this album is really good. It didn't have to "grow" on me at all. I listened to it the first time, and I was like "wow?" I wasn't used to hearing songs from PJ Harvey that were inherently high-spirited and kind of joyful. Every time I listen to the album it gets better and better. There are no incredibly complex arrangements or solos on this record, because it would just get in the way of the songs. The minimal instrumentation on the album shows that a great album can be made with only the essentials necessary for the situation. Also, it is very nice to hear a female singer/songwriter that doesn't play the piano or write melodramatic love songs. And songs like 'The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore' and 'Kamikaze' rock out in that way that only PJ Harvey can. Furthermore, even though all of the songs on the album aren't up beat, the entire duration of the album is oddly up-tempo. Another fact that drew me to this album is the guest vocal appearances by Thom Yorke from Radiohead. He provides backing vocals for the song 'Beautiful Feeling', and trademark lead vocals for 'This Mess We're In'. Both songs just make the album that much more enjoyable for me to listen to. When it all comes down, this is the best PJ Harvey album I've ever heard. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants an album of great songs, written by an incredible woman. In a weird way this album kind of proves to me that everything rock n' roll music was founded on isn't dead quite yet. [www.pjharvey.net]

Canadian rockers Our Lady Peace are back at it again with a new album full of great songs. I have been an Our Lady Peace fan for sometime, and must say I am very pleased with the new album. The album title was taken from a book by Ray Kurzweil about the age when computers exceed human intelligence, and the author even appears throughout the album speaking about things from the book. The album opens with an introduction which speaks of the age of Spiritual Machines, read by Kurzweil, and then goes into the song 'Right Behind You'. This book had a clear impact on vocalist Raine Maida's lyrics, and he admittedly drew a lot ideas from the book. The lyrics aren't the only thing that makes this album great though. The songs represent classic Our Lady Peace at its best, but a lot of maturity can also be seen in this album. The songs seem more musically diverse and complicated than those from Naveed or Clumsy, or even Happiness.... This band also successfully incorporates slow songs such as 'Are You Said' into the predominately more upbeat album, to add some diversity. Finally, one other thing that can't go without mentioning is the album's artwork. The album features drawings throughout the front and back inserts that add a lot to the visualization of the album. I think artwork is always important to set a mood for and album, and the band did a great job with it. [www.ourladypeace.com]

For those that have kept up with antics of Nothingface in the past years, you'll be pleased with their latest release, "Violence". For those that heard their single, "Bleeder" on the airwaves, and are thinking about picking up something new, you may find "Violence" to be satisfying as well. Nothingface has kept true to the sound that first got them out there, combining raw and powerful heavy rock, with choruses that ease up into melody, and vocal harmonies are not scarce. In this release, Nothingface surely cleans up everything they tear up, making for an interesting collection of tunes, and it's made obvious these guys have been together for years. They turn corners like it's one guy making all the music. For those that like the thick guitar and slam-drum sound of Sevendust, and don't have a problem with groove core vocal verses and super-melodic choruses, you'll love the disc. The guitar and vocals are catchy (but not too catchy), and the drummer could not hold it all together any better. Good breaks, every song is different (always a good thing), and it's just the right length. [www.nothingface.com]

Adema has a lot to live up to with the release of their self-titled debut album. Lead singer Marky Chavez is the half-brother of Korn's Jonathan Davis, and drummer Kris Kohls was originally in the now-defunct Videodrone. The media is raving about the band, and they have built quite a buzz around themselves. But the questions is: "Is it good?" Upon first listening to this album, I was somewhat disappointed. Although I enjoyed a lot of the music, I felt that Marky sounded a little too much like his big brother. He definitely uses a lot of the same vocal styles, and even sounds a lot like him. However, the more I listen to this album I find myself focusing less on these similarities and more on the differences. If you want to know what it sounds like, I would say a lot of the electronic elements of Orgy, the vocals of Korn, and music that reminds me of Linkin Park. I don't particularly like describing how bands sound by referring to other bands, but that is the best way to give you an honest view of what the music sounds like. But hey, this IS just my opinion right. Despite my previous comments of similarities, I do think Adema has their own sound. The guitars are dynamic, which is due in part to having two guitar players, and they also mix in a lot of electronic elements. I also appreciate the fact that they did not feel that they needed a DJ scratching on every track. If you are into the bands I mentioned above, I think you will really dig this album. It is GOOD, I just feel that the type of music the band is playing is a little played out at this point. I still give them a very respectable 3.5 manstyle points for writing good music. I also have to add that I think the band is going to do great on radio and MTV, and I wish them the best because...well they are just nice people. [www.ademaonline.com]