Review Summary: A strong, pummeling, albeit not terribly original debut from Droid. There is a lot of potential with this band.
There are bands out there that are very diverse and creative. They change the ways you look at music. They have the ability to completely make you rethink how music should be made The guitar parts are so intricate and the time signatures are so crazy that you can barely keep up. Those bands are out there, however, Droid is definitely not this band. What Droid is, though, is a very entertaining, punishing band.
To start off, their sound is a mix of less mathy Meshuggah and Lamb of God. They fall into the category where they could be called metalcore (given how vague and wide-open that genre is) but they really do not fit. They fall into the even more vague category of NWOAHM, which it seems is disappearing as a genre because of the many sub-genres and the intense need to over-categorize bands. Many people have even called them nu-metal, no doubt because of their affiliation with Munky from Korn. They are straight forward, pure aggression, with zero let up, zero melody, and zero breakdowns.
This self titled debut is not terribly original or diverse, but it is very strongly written. The songwriting saves this album. Every riff is pummeling yet sticks to your mind like glue. The drumming is precise and fast. The lead singer James Eason has a very strong, angry delivery, yet is easy to understand. He has the straight-forward, almost Randy Blythe, vocals, but also can hit a high register as well as a deeper growl. The lyrics are not that creative, typical angry metal fare, but the delivery is what really matters here, and it is strong.
The guitars are sharp and the riffs are insane. There is a definite groove to the songs and while there is not much technicality, the riffs fit well with the songs. The only unfortunate thing is the distinct lack of any soloing. There are a couple of great leads, however, that make the songs even stronger. The drumming matches with the riffing well and the drummer does get his chances to shine. The bass is practically inaudible, which is unfortunate but that is how it goes these days. There is also a lack of true standout songs, as the albums flows together easily. Opener "The Resurrection", "No Gods No Masters", "God of Anger", and "Salt the Graves" are the only songs that truly stand out. Worth mentioning, as well, is "Vengeance is Mine" as Chino Moreno makes a guest appearance, and his high-pitched screams juxtapose vocalist Eason's deep growls perfectly.
So, all in all, a very strong debut from a band with a lot of potential. If they can carve out their own niche with their next album, they are looking at a promising metal career, a few more standout songs and a bit more diversity and they are assured that I will buy their next album.
Recommended tracks:
The Resurrection
No Gods No Masters
God of Anger
Vengeance is Mine
Salt the Graves
