So-So Melodic Rock/Metal from UK debutants
Inspired by the likes of Lost Prophets and Funeral For A Friend, the current wave of British light "Metal" bands and their radio-friendly style seems to be losing steam already as evidenced by this latest from their roost, The Unchosen and their debut 'In My Head'. Whilst their are traces of enjoyable and faint wisps of hooks, this album still feels like you've heard it all before.
It's hard to describe the bands sound whilst managing to avoid the blatant comparisons, perhaps this is because there is a certain amount of jumping on the bandwagon with this album, perhaps not. Regardless, you can expect a typical mix of melodic guitar parts, typical rhythm section and vocals that try to soar over the music but still fall rather flat. That is not to say they are bad, it is simply that you can see that the band aimed for so much more which makes this album all the more disappointing. Whilst usually the guitars are light, in certain tracks of the album they aim for a heavier and dirtier sound which somewhat works although the somewhat average production causes the guitar parts to sound a lot more fuzzy and muffled than one would imagine they desired.
Whilst a good cover song is always entertaining and can often provide valid new reinterpretations that can stand alone from the original, The Unchosen's rather uninspired choice of 'Billie Jean' fails to do either of the both and just feels like a rather tack-on novelty. Whilst an established band, one with a firm identity and fan base could get away with this, an up-and-coming band such as The Unchosen seem to have made a bit of an error of judgement in choosing to include this track.
Whilst reading back on this I do seem rather negative, and unfairly so perhaps as the music isn't quite as mundane as my description would suggest and their are a handful of tunes which did intrigue such as 'Dreamspell', but on the whole in an already competitive market do we really need another Lost Prophets? I think not. Whilst this may sit snugly in most hard or melodic rock fan's collection this is never a CD that one could imagine being a highlight of one's shelf and never more than an interesting diversion, unfortunately.