Disturbed - The Sickness (2000)
Even though it wasn't this album, I remember listening to Disturbed while playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas muted, and thinking it was the absolute heaviest and darkest shit ever. "Ten Thousand Fists" was the only CD in my brother-in-law's apartment aside from "It Won't Be Soon Before Long" by Maroon 5 that I had just purchased on CD. Innocent times. Also, yes, that IS a head coming out of a vagina.
Starting with the track "Voices", vocalist David Draiman immediately hits you with awkward rapping that sounds like an angry old Jewish man, mixed with a little bit of scatting. Unfortunately, the rapping is present on quite a few tracks, with "Stupify" being a prime example of it. Maybe the music is actually trying to make you stupid as shit enough to make you look past it. Clever! Ah, maybe that's giving them a bit too much credit.
But I know what you really came here for.. "Down With The Sickness" is pretty iconic with its drum intro, the slow build-up, the "OOH-WAH-AH-AH-AH!!!" screech, and the aggressive section where vocalist David Draiman yells at his mom. It's horribly cheesy but I'd be lying if I said the song ain't fun. Memorable riffs help make this bro-metal classic stand on its own two legs to be dropped in a "Metal" iTunes shuffle playlists all across computers in America.
Unfortunately, the rest of the songs can't really stand on their own legs, and they proceed to get lost in Disturbed's seemingly never-ending over-dramatic monotony. Sure, "Fear" is a kind of catchy tune, and their cover of "Shout" by Tears For Fears, titled "Shout 2000" is pretty okay.. Until vocalist David Draiman says "Ice, ice baby" in reference to Vanilla Ice's song of the same name, but even past that, it's immediately followed by "Droppin' Plates" which is the most HILARIOUS nu-metal song ever recorded by far. It almost sounds like a parody of the entire genre. You'll be thinking "I'M DROPPIN' PLATES ON YOUR ASS, BITCH!!!" next time your mom has you do the dishes! PLEASE, if you do me ANY favor, look up that song. This is my present to you. Let's share this. Together. PLEASE.
Despite what the guys in the band will try to tell you, this album is nu-metal as shit. When you focus too much on sounding "evil" and.. Well, disturbed, you may end up neglecting the actual quality of the songs, much like these guys have. I guess there's a time and a place for this kind of music, but it's sadly just one year: 2000.
5/10
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