Anew Revolution - Rise
KOCH Records
Alternative Hard Rock
11 songs (41'47")
Release year: 2008
Anew Revolution, KOCH Records
Reviewed by Adam
Crap of the month
Every record label is bound to have some duds, so I can't say I was completely surprised when I heard the new album by Anew Revolution. KOCH Records, as far as their rock division goes, have released albums by bands I enjoy, such as Opeth and Horse the Band. Unfortunately Rise, the album in question here, follows the tired and uninspired formula that many modern alt rock bands adhere to (i.e. Linkin Park, Three Days Grace).

If I was listing the qualities of an album I look for in order of importance, lyrical content would probably be near the bottom. Perhaps this is because a good majority of the music I generally listen to contains lyrics that I would be hard pressed to decipher without the help of the liner notes or other assistance. Although I don't place a premium on lyrics, if they are easily audible AND downright awful, they can be just as detrimental as bad drumming or guitar playing. Take Done, the opening song and first single from Rise, for example. After some decent intro guitar riffing, the song immediately goes into the toilet with gruff lyrics about angst and the like that most of us could write in about 2 minutes. Here's a sampling: "You wanna try me/you might be the one who goes down/I've had it up to hear with your rule/You're two-faced, it's too late to take back those words/I'm throwing back the shit that you do". Assuredly, more ridiculous lyrics have been growled out by many a death metal band, but at least I've had the luxury of not being able to understand them. It's honestly not worth going into much depth when describing this album. Vocalist Joey Duenas switches back and forth from crooned vocals to gruff screams over occasionally good riffing, all of which is overshadowed by mundane lyrics that are becoming all too common in this genre.

If you are a fan of modern alt rock or nu metal, then there is a very good chance that Anew Revolution will appeal to you. In that sense, it would appear that the band have done exactly what they set out to do with Rise, appeal to a certain target audience, which admittedly does not include me.
Killing Songs :
None, though you probably guessed that from the review.
Adam quoted 25 / 100
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