:: Shinedown - The Sound of Madness

Shinedown

American band Shinedown’s new album The Sound of Madness is everything you would expect from the long-haired, black-clothed and occasional eyeliner-wearing five piece from Jacksonville, Florida. The boys deliver the gritty, hard-edged rock their known for, the kind which is best suited to a hot day watching the Supercars and drinking Bourbon. The album’s first single Devour is serious stuff. The theme song for the 2008 WWE pay-per-view Night of Champions 2008, Devour is at home in the wresting ring with its blaring drums, ripping guitars and a chorus which screams Devour! Devour! Second Chance is an altogether sultrier affair about apologising to your parents for your choice of life. The melody is slower and the guitars softer, giving you the feeling that the boys aren’t all heavy metal and pent-up-anger. But as Second Chance fades into Cry For Help you once again get socked in the face with an ear-busting guitar riff and full-on rock melody. From here on in The Sound of Madness rotates between sweet-toned ballads about lost love and lifelong regrets to loud and heavy rock anthems about getting revenge and being betrayed. Shinedown aren’t as hard as Metallica and The Sound of Madness has a surprising number of love songs. Sure they’re wrapped in hard rock riffs and a melody which is screamed rather than sung, but in the ends lyrics still drip with promises of sacrificing everything for love. So, if you’re into the whole American hard rock scene and have a soft spot for the odd heartstring puller than The Sound of Madness is the album for you.