When I
listen to albums like this one by Swedish CellOut (please don't mistake for Sell
Out...), I am once again reminded how much Fear Factory has influenced today's
metal scene. I'm not saying that 'Superstar Prototype' is a copy of 'Demanufacture',
by no means. What I'm saying is that the focus on tightness, on abrupt, staccato
double bass drumming as well as the mix between grunt and clean voice has nested
itself within the genre for good.
'Superstar Prototype' is a really good album. It places itself in the slipstream
of the Soilworks, Mnemics, Raunchys and even, to some extent, the Linkin Parks
and Sonic Syndicates of this world, and that without being a direct clone. It
has its own character, and the guts to include a ballad like Flooded alongside
the Fear Factory inspired heaviness that also lives in abundance all over the
album.
The album is not so much defined by the fast and heavy bits, but really more by
the quiet and melodic bits. The reason that they work is primarily due to the
excellent vocal arrangements. I'm not sure if front man Percy sings everything
here, but if he does, then he's one talented guy who masters both growls, thrash
snarls in the Tommy Victor vein and clean voice.
Nice one! Check it out.
