The Sound of Madness review

Shinedown outshines itself

The debut album of the alternative band from Florida Shinedown called Leave a Whisper was released in 2002 and attracted everybody’s attention at once and was certified platinum in 2006. The band’s crude, but confident sounding, front man Brent Smith’s splendid vocals and topical lyrics proved to be juts the right thing, besides the collective was original enough to occupy quickly its own niche in the music world. Its sophomore effort Us and Them of 2005 became gold and the audience probably thought that the team would not release anything better any more but last September the band started recording the new material and today is ready to surprise everyone. Indeed, the third creation of Shinedown aptly named The Sound Of Madness amazes, conquers and worries and is even able to dumb the most sensitive listeners for a while. The point is that this time the guys have set a concrete goal – to outshine themselves and have reached it so successfully that the result of their work is simply stunning.

Rather a wide spectrum of emotions on The Sound Of Madness

On the whole The Sound Of Madness is the brightest example of how rather a wide spectrum of mainly negative emotions can be expressed by means of music, instruments and vocals. The album opens with the first single Devour whose impetuous rhythm and powerful vocals immediately grasp the listener and take one to the insane world of Shinedown. The title composition amazes with its absolutely unimaginable drums whereas ballad Second Chance featuring fiddles and piano pleases with the most memorable tune and philosophic lyrics, as for the vocalist’s performance he is just flawless here. The crazy heartfelt Cry For Help is an excellent example of guitar hooks while one of the album’s highlights is the slow and powerful The Crow And The Butterfly. A bit more aggressive piece If You Only Knew is not the least impressive but it is overshadowed by Sin With A Grin on which Smith’s vocals sound so big that seem to explode. Another lyrical ballad What A Shame reminds of the classic Metallica works while Cyanide Sweet Tooth Suicide, an impetuous track devoted to the late model Anna Nicole Smith will definitely not leave anybody indifferent due to the frantic guitars and rumbling drums. The album finale Call Me is a somewhat sullen piano ballad with a most beautiful tune refined with fiddles and a simplistic arrangement letting the vocals play the leading role here.

The heaviest album of all the band’s three works

Although the band was not formed too long ago the line-up of Shinedown has already changed several times, with only two members remaining the self-perpetuating band leaders that are vocalist Brent Smith and drummer Barry Kerch. Yet nothing has prevented these musicians to fulfill their long term dream of recording the heaviest and most powerful album they are ever able to. The 11 tracks of The Sound Of Madness have been chosen out of about forty tracks recorded during the last year and one can make sure after the very first listening that those are really worthy songs. At times reminding of of something from Nickelback and of something from Metallica, Shinedown still remains a unique collective that has proved more than once: there is always room for perfection. No doubt this is the heaviest album of all the band’s three works with the music never oppressing or making one feel blue although black humor and dark philosophy mostly prevail in the lyrics so one had better not save this record for a joyful mood. Satisfied with itself Shinedown is not likely to content with the little and most probably will soon decide to create something as impressive and grandiose as is The Sound Of Madness faultless in many ways.