** out of 5 stars
Disturbed launched their successful career with their first album "The Sickness," and deservedly so. The band's anger and hard-driving music served as an effective loud release for daily frustrations. The transitions between screaming and melodic lyrics made it stand apart from the growing wave of angst rockers. It was ear-catching music.
The majority of the music on "Believe," Disturbed's second studio release, is just noise. Loud, cacophonic noise.
The album starts out promising. "Prayer," the opening track, is in the style of the songs off the last album. The riffs are heavy, the rhythms are catchy, and lead singer David Draiman moves back and forth from screaming, to his sensitive, melodic voice. It's a great song that has already gotten a lot of airplay. The second track, "Liberate," was also decent. The song did not feature the vocal modulation, but simply something to thrash your head to.
After the third song, the album falls apart. The band can't make up its mind about what style it's shooting for: angry or melancholic.
The listener will be tempted to advance through tracks and not listen all the way through them. In the tenth track, "Bound," the lead singer keeps repeating the phrase "wasting time." That's exactly what this song is made for.
There are a few tracks that will perk listener interest. "Breathe," played with alternating rhythms, has some moments that take a break from the continuous flow of noise. It's the most musically interesting track on the album, but it's not catchy?Ae_ and this type of music needs to be catchy.
The last track, "Darkness," also offers some hope. Completely set apart from the rest of the album, "Darkness" proves that the band can do something other than play their amps on high. The song features a piano, acoustic guitar, strings and Draiman's very contemplative voice. It's the saving grace of "Believe."
