Disturbed 10,000 Fists in the Dirt

Though I've often downright worshipped David Draiman's versatile, powerful and empowering voice, I'm once again let down by Disturbed's third release, 10,000 Fists.

Though there's a solid improvement on their old sound by developing thicker and more complex metallic ambience, it's still just another step in the same formula. Though I can count on Disturbed's moving guitar riffs, pounding, aggressive drumwork and David Draiman's ass-kicking vocal prowess to dwarf their numerous nu-metal counterparts (such as my proclaimed Nemesis to Creativity, Linkin Park), I am sad to say there's honestly nothing new to discover in this third release. Ironic that they mirror the same feeling I do toward the industry in one of the new songs, "Sons of Plunder."

Yet there are elements to consider that stand out from the nu-metal/hard rock drivel... For one, the introductions, though short and expectantly cut off by typical distortion guitar, have a prominent umph to them whether they be a sitar-like twanging with a compressed/filtered guitar line drone in the back or a fevered dark techno loop. The drumwork is somewhat remeniscent of Chimaira to me with the relentless pounding of toms and kicks, though not nearly as compressed as Chimaira's tinny, feeble thuds.

What hit me as a pleasant surprise was the presence of guitar solos. And to be honest, they were actually engaging and impressive. Though I suppose it comes with the complexity of guitar work throughout the album, as there was very seldom a drug-out power chord to back up the vocals. In fact, it seems to be the other way around; David practically being a slave to the prominent guitar-centered songwriting that spans over moving grunge, fast-paced hard rock, atmospheric space rock and arm-flailing thrash metal.

Delving deeper into Draiman's vocal work, I'll go ahead and say that it's not a let-down on its own at all. Throughout the disc, you will be barraged with snappy phrases, smooth vocabulary and effective similes and metaphors, making this submission a surprising lyrical wonder considering the genre. Though David is obviously commanded to be supportive of the instrumental elements, he does adapt well and implements the brute vocalizing that astounded the metal scene from The Sickness along with the operatic weepings from Believe.

Though the fierce vocalizing that once helped separate Disturbed from the rest is brought back in force, it is sorely dependant on the overused "jah! jah!" bellowing, which does indeed get old by the end of the disc. Still, his overall vocal work is generally empowering, as it was with previous songs such as "Believe," "Breathe" and "Prayer."

The album's theming and structuring is, overall, typical, which is where my compliments are thrown in a blender to be swirled around into an unappetizing mush. Following a very standard verse/chorus format, we plunge into an album that chronilogically becomes more familiar and dull one song after the other. By the end, you'll most likely be wondering how several of the songs are any different from each other.

And, as can be implied by the title 10,000 Fists, this is generally a political album, which is such the strategic move in marketing considering the population's distrust and anger with our current gung-ho political leaders, especially with the angsty teens. You surely won't miss the use of sampling of presidential speeches, which only amplifies the desperate attempt to feed off anti-war and anti-Bush crazes.

There are, in fact, a couple standout tracks that impress even a progressive rock fan like myself. Upon first loading up in my computer's media player, I instantly took note of a particular song that nearly breached the 6 minute mark. Ecstatic as I was to skip right to this relatively lengthy wonder, I stayed my mouse and played a few games of Spider Solitaire while running through he preceding tracks.

Once reaching the awaited song, titled "Overburdened," I was glad to hear a generously stretched and appropriate introduction containing spacey guitar scales in the background with electric guitar picking and Draiman's delayed voice fading beautifully into the atmosphere. Though the expected hard rock bash rears its head in, I was well prepared for it and felt joy as David's voice and the guitar line worked more cohesively than any other track presented.

The second verse (yes, still in traditional format) takes a twist as the distortion riff takes a back seat as the electric picking comes out to gracefully keep the vocals supported. The sub-chorus and chorus is a peg above in quality compared to the rest of the songs, though they do use the same hard rock guitar mashing amidst David's empowering calls.

Running into the song's bridge, I was met with pounding, percussive, bass-like grunge that cut into a blend of power chord guitar and supporting orchestral synth that lifted David's voice higher than ever as he sings through an almost prayer-inducing ballad, to which he's cut off for perhaps the most impressive guitar solo on the disc. The final chorus wastes no time as it quickly claims its place during the reverberation of the solo's final note, bolstered by the string synth, carrying over and ending the song with the opening guitar/bass picks.

Then there's the universally favorite song, "Land of Confusion," which notice isn't a Disturbed original, but a cover of Phil Collin's Genesis song from 1986 (my year of birth). I suppose the fact that a majority of fans' expression of this being the favorite song may very well mean something...

So disappointed as I am, it certainly wasn't as big a disappointment as I expected. All individual elements present a wondrous plethora of melody and head-banging, yet the way they are pieced into the same mainstream rock/metal formations leaves much to be desired. I generously rate 10,000 Fists 6.5 out of 10.

As a final note:
David Draiman, I'll thank you to kick off this shiny dress of a band for something more progressive. You've got a world of talent in that voice, I'd just like to see it live up to its potential.