Albums like this just make me shrug with indifference. On one hand I really can’t find much wrong with it. “The American Nightmare” certainly isn’t a weak album. But on the other hand, it does absolutely nothing for me.
Dirtfedd give us a pretty diverse metalcore album here. Opener “Solute” is sort of a heavier Diecast with a strong frat boy theme. I mean, the chorus is “drink, fight, fuck”. That’s about as frat boy as you can get, and the lyrical content never really strays from this mentality. “Trained To Kill” doesn’t deviate too far, musically. It’s a huge chug fest, really. The production is pretty bottom heavy and meaty, courtesy of Slipknot’s M. Shawn Crahan (the clown, I think).
Third track “Said The Spider To The Fly” is when things change up a bit. The meathead metalcore is put on the back burner and they adopt some nicely done galloping melodeath, ala At The Gates. Vocals change up regularly, which is nice considering his forceful singing voice can sometimes get on my nerves. Death growls are well done, though.
You probably wouldn’t know this band has a full time keyboardist until the short instrumental “Blues”, when he actually takes a few brief but well done solos. The keys add a lot of flavor on the title track. He opts for a vintage organ patch, and the outcome sounds akin to “Baying of The Hounds”. As the album progresses, keys are more and more present, which is a welcome addition to most of the songs.
All in all, this isn’t a bad record. Like I said, not really my cup of tea but don’t let that stop you. In fact, this album doesn’t have many really weak spots. Sometimes the songwriting is a little bland and a few tracks go on for too long. But it’s a relatively well rounded album which shouldn’t dissapoint the fans of this genre.
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dirtfedd?? Ha ha ha and American nightmare is already a band name. I’ll pass on this
on Jan 19th, 2009 at 16:43really? metalcore is my cup of tea.
on Jan 22nd, 2009 at 00:38I thought this was more Nu metal than metalcore
on Jan 22nd, 2009 at 09:08They’re “anything that’s popular-core”. I’ve seen these guys a ton of times, and have always noticed that they sound a lot like whoever the top metal band of the minute is. All that high pitch screaming that Dustin does was learned just for this album. Prior to this album he NEVER did that. He used to be very Lamb of God influenced. I will say though that their CDs have never been able to keep up with their live shows.
on Jan 29th, 2009 at 22:08As a vocalist myself, I think you’re wrong in assuming Dust is attempting to be a part of whatever is popular… I’ve watched the dirtfedd evolution for the last 5 yrs and that band has never in my opinion changed with any tides other than their own. And drink fight fuck is not a frat boy anthem, it was Dust’s way of having a song the crowd could scream which isn’t too long winded. Trial by Error did it, Deadechoes has done it, even Sinikil has done it.
on Mar 29th, 2009 at 12:55Drink Fight Fuck, is a quote from GG Allin, didnt realize that GG Allin was a frat boy.
on Jun 11th, 2009 at 10:56