Album Review: New Static-X album leaves other attempts in the shadows

The fourth studio album from the electronic/technologically fused metal outfit Static-X arrived during the summer months and with it brought the harder edge back to the band that I thought was missing from their last CD, Shadow Zone.

If you are a fan of the band's first two efforts, you'll feel completely at home with all the songs on this disc. They're catchy, they're fast and they're actually well written. The first three tracks are a testament to what you're going to get throughout the whole disc. So check out “The Enemy,” I'm the One,” and “Start a War,” and you'll know if this is an occasional listen or a purchase.

The deluxe version is the one worth getting because for about $3 or $4 extra, you really do get more. The deluxe version has Static-X performing many of their song in their rehearsal space (like on Metallica's St. Anger.) You also get an interesting behind-the-scenes of the recording of the CD plus live footage of the band kicking it on stage. For those of you who are audio buffs, you can also put the DVD side in your player and crank the whole disc in an enhanced audio mode that's similar to DVD Audio. Now all the little computer chips and beeps will be in your face just as harshly as Wayne Static's growls.

It's unfortunate that once you've heard one Static-X disc, you know for the most part exactly what you're getting and there's not going to be any real room for growth or experimentation. But with a band that has had a good track record, that's not necessarily a bad quality to have. I mean, people have been basically buying the same AC/DC record for the past 20 years, right? I enjoyed the majority of the disc and the bonuses are completely worth picking this disc up just to see them. I give this release 9 out of 10.