Album Review- Disturbed “Asylum”

If you loved the other Disturbed albums, you're gonna love "Asylum".

If there is a model of consistency in hard rock today, Disturbed holds that candle for keeping things rocking, but not veering off in a vastly different direction throughout the course of their first four albums.

Even though their debut, “The Sickness” still stands above all the rest, the band’s catalog has remained steady and has watched their fan based remain loyal and dedicated. With the Chicago band’s fifth album, “Asylum”, Disturbed sticks with what’s tried and true and keeps the band’s signature sound.

”Asylum” starts out with an short instrumental, followed by the title track- which is signature Disturbed, complete with the always passionate lyrics of David Draiman. What may be different this time are some of the topics of the songs: “Never Again” tackles Draiman’s disdain with the Holocaust and some people who tend to glorify the paraphernalia of the Nazi era, while the first single “Another Way To Die” delves into the global warming debate. The songs move away from the usual lyrics of pain, struggle and empowerment and might be the most ambitious material the band has put forth. A personal favorite is “The Animal”, which seems to be the perfect blend of all the material Disturbed has put out at this point.

Where the album might sputter a little is in the mid-tempo tracks, such as “The Infection” and “Crucified”. These two tracks recall the band’s least satisfying work from the “Believe” album and aren’t terrible, they just aren’t memorable.

All in all, “Asylum” shows some lyrical and topical range from the band, but at the end of the day, all sounds like Disturbed and will please the band’s fan base and keep them at the forefront of the modern rock world.