Music Reviews

Lifer

Lifer

Republic/Universal

Crossbreed

Synthetic Division

Artemis

Much to my perverse delight, the dubious “nu-metal” scene of today has steadily become the ubiquitous “hair metal” one more than a decade previous • as cliched, predictable, formulaic, and dumb, if not more so in most cases, boobs n’ booze partying replaced by broken-home, hand-wringing angst. Truly, the Stainds and Limp Bizkits of the modern world are the Poisons and Bon Jovis of yesteryear, whereas their lesser (sales-wise, at least) contemporaries are the Pretty Boy Floyds and Roxx Gangs of the same era (late ’80s). Lifer and Crossbreed would most definitely be the Pretty Boy Floyd and Roxx Gang (take your pick • they’re pretty much interchangeable) of the nu-metal set, doomed from the start to fail for want of a discernible identity. Basically, if you’ve heard the nu-metal littering the airwaves right now, you’ve heard Lifer’s eponymous debut and Crossbreed’s Synthetic Division one: occasional raps (and poorly), wannabe-Tool vocal harmonies (ditto), the requisite power ballad (nu-metal has ‘em, too), half-baked (if at all) techno flourishes, Pro Tooled guitar buffering, and a general “why bother?” malaise to it all, Lifer being the more radio-ready, Crossbreed the more aggro. As if it matters. Don’t try to tell me otherwise • this is the state of the nation.

Universal: http://www.universalrecords.com, http://www.prolife.com • Artemis: http://www.artemisrecords.com, http://www.crossbreed.com


Recently on Ink 19...

Incubus

Incubus

Screen Reviews

Both bold experiment and colossal failure in the 1960s, Esperanto language art house horror film Incubus returns with pre-_Star Trek_ William Shatner to claim a perhaps more serious audience.

Garage Sale Vinyl: Loretta Lynn

Garage Sale Vinyl: Loretta Lynn

Garage Sale Vinyl

In this latest installment of his weekly series, Christopher Long is betrayed by his longtime GF when she swipes his copy of Loretta Lynn’s Greatest Hits Vol. II right out from under his nose while rummaging through a south Florida junk store.