Southern California-based band Alien Ant Farm is working its way to the front of the mainstream hard rock music scene and will hammer its songs into people’s heads with its future debut CD and tour.
AAF’s 13-track CD, ANThology, will be released at the beginning of March through an arrangement with Papa Roach’s New Noize label and DreamWorks Records, the band will join the “Raid the Nation Tour,” with Papa Roach as touring partner, will start in mid-March in New Orleans.
Terry Corse’s lashing guitars, Tye Zamora’s minimal bass end, Mike Cosgrove’s steady drum work and Dryden Mitchell’s well-sung vocals make up the group’s not-so-melodic music, which made its way to the Launchpad Jan. 26 with Cold Snap. Ironically, Cold Snap brought with it one of the year’s worst snow storms, and though AAF rocked the ’Pad, few people braved the weather to witness it.
“If I had to describe our music, I’d say we’ve got an original sound for a rock band,” Mitchell said in a press release.
“Original” certainly is not the best word to depict AAF’s music. At times it sounds like a pop version of the Deftones, and has a sloppy Linkin Park, Papa Roach and Union Underground approach. Basically, AAF is just like the dozens of boy rock bands currently cluttering alternative radio airwaves.
“The music can be kind of dense and technical at times, but the lyrics bring it back to where the song is something everyone can relate to,” Cosgrove said.
The lyrics are not as meaningful as Cosgrove suggests. They are blatantly broad without much focus or depth and have little grasp on the importance of metaphor or subtlety.
As the song “Happy Death Day” eloquently declares: “I slowly shoot these words like weapons and go insane. I watch you drive your stupid car … you go away / You never were one to use caution and you’re gonna pay / You know I love to see it happen.”
The one exception to the otherwise overused genre is the hidden track “Orange Appeal.” Its minimal and slow acoustic guitar, spacey electronic noise, keyboards and interesting use of flute help this song stand apart from the others. It shows that this band has at least a small amount of potential to become more than a one-hit-wonder.
Unfortunately, Alien Ant Farm is largely walking a path in music that has been trampled on by contemporary bands. This tedious musical trend has destroyed the flair that, at one time, shocked people with originality and attitude.
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