I was really looking forward to reviewing this album as I have been a fan of the band since me old mucker and fellow reviewer Steve Atkinson introduced me to them just after the ‘Believe’ album surfaced three years ago. When it comes to contemporary sounding metal (nu-metal is term that needs binning once and for all in my view) Disturbed do it better than most.  

However I have got to admit that I was a little disappointed in ‘Ten Thousand Fists’. You see, such is the quality of the first two albums that in truth I was expecting more from this, their third release. Yet Disturbed have played it safe (except for a sample of George Bush on ‘Deify’ that should ensure their collective phones get tapped by the CIA!). 

It’s that age old dilemma – the band have had two successful albums out using a similar formula. So on number three do they continue by playing it safe and keeping the record company and their existing fans hunky-dory by conservatively rehashing their earlier stuff? Or do they risk branching out creatively to find new fans and help their longevity?  

Unfortunately Disturbed have opted for the former, when I suspect many people were hoping for the latter. There is absolutely no progression on TTF and if anything the band have taken a step backwards. It’s all too familiar with guitarist Donegan’s chord sequences virtually identical to what’s gone on in the past; only this time they sound stale and inferior. Then there’s Draiman’s vocals.  

Let’s get one thing clear: He is one of the most talented singer’s in rock. No question. But instead of moving forwards he still insists on doing his eccentric Oooh-whack-ah-whack-ah’s! and other stock sounds and it just sounds a little uninspired and samey. Lyrically he’s still banging on about the ‘new messiah’ and ‘give it to me, give it to me’ as he has done for what seems like forever now. 

Draiman has an awesome voice and Donegan is one of the guitar world’s most recent innovators but sadly on TTF they seem to have run out of steam. There isn’t one track on here that can be considered a classic; unlike the first two albums. And the cover of Genesis’s ‘Land of Confusion’ just left me, er, confused! 

And to make sure it wasn’t just me I got the other half’s view on TTF as she is also a fan of the band. Sadly she agreed with me (unusual in itself) and not for the first time this year I was left wondering what might have been as with regards to a much looked forward to release. Only occasionally do the band throw off the shackles and try some different chord sequences and vocal ideas and it is then that TTF comes alive.  

However the good news is that even an average Disturbed album is better than most of the tosh around at the moment. But I have absolutely no doubt that fans of the band will be slightly disappointed by TTF. It could, and should, have been a whole lot better.  

Maybe album number four will see the band experiment a little more and hopefully rediscover their dark side again. Disturbed are a brilliant band. It’s just that on ‘Ten Thousand Fists’ they seem to have lost their way a little bit.