Ra
From One
Universal
Ra is another in the surprisingly large group of bands still adhering to the nu-metal tradition of low-end guitars, big drums and mildly operatic singers. What sets Ra apart from their contemporaries (Creed, Staind, Puddle of Mudd, etc.) is their flair for the occasional Middle-Eastern melody. Other than that, From One is pretty standard fare nu-metal for the masses.
The thing that I like best about Ra is the fact that their lead singer sounds like a watered down version of Queensryche’s Geoff Tate. Regardless of your feelings about Queensrhyche, Geoff Tate kicks ass, so I instantly liked Ra’s singer. His band is a pretty solid rock band: super thick guitars, big drums and chunky bass, all creating what are essentially loud pop songs. The Middle-Eastern melodies are pretty cool, as they’re a nice change from the monotonous “thud, thud” of the guitars and drums.
For the most part, though, this record is pointless. If I wanted to hear Queensryche (and I always do, you know), I would proudly bust out my copy of Empire and rock out. I don’t like the nu-metal shtick, as it’s essentially a stupid and mundane sub-genre of rock. I know that teens are eating this stuff up, and they will probably like this Ra record, but I just think it’s so dull and tiresome. To be honest, though, Ra is probably the best nu-metal band (that isn’t saying a whole lot, though, so don’t blame me if you hate it) I’ve heard in quite some time.
Universal Records: http://www.universalrecords.com/
