I thought about getting in touch with Beavis and Butthead again for this review, but then I realized that I would have to kick their a*ses for liking this album...

Anyways, Disturbed hit it big about 2 and a half years ago, on the strength (if you want to call it that) of their debut album, The Sickness. The title track had a lyrical quip asking "are you down with the sickness?," which of course, got a response from rabid fans who then made catchy little review titles from that line and posted their drivel on this site.

Back in September, the band released the follow up to The Sickness, titling it Believe. It was a "more positive" album, reaffirming the convictions that make life important. At least that's what everyone kept saying. I myself said "yeah, uh huh, I'll believe it when I see it." Well I don't see it. At least not really. I mean, these guys are like a heavier version of Creed.

I rarely like it when a band makes the first song on the disc the first single. To me, it says "hey, look at me, you don't need to listen any further than track one." Disturbed did this with this disc, and Prayer sounds exactly like the last Disturbed record. Chugging power chords, a heavy rhythm section, and Dave Draiman's not really rapping, but not quite singing either, voice.

Actually, Draiman's voice is the only saving grace of this band and this record. He has a great voice for metal, hell, even I won't deny him that. The problem isn't with his voice but with the material. Where's the metal anthems that can REALLY show what this guy can do? Where is Disturbed's Number of the Beast? Disturbed's guitarist, Dan Donegan, couldn't play himself out of a wet paper bag. He's absolutely terrible. I mean honestly, it's the same thing song after song after song. "Duh duh duh duh duh duh," christ, Beavis and Butthead would be in heaven.

The songs all have somewhat positive titles, until the last 1/4 of the disc. Believe, Awaken, Rise, etc. All one word. Actually, to be fair, Rise is probably the best song on the album. Donegan actually does something other than the same three chords he's been playing since the last album, and the band's drummer, Mike Wengren, almost sounds like a miniature Danny Carey (Tool) on this track. But ultimately, I get the feeling the song would be better with Tool playing it.

Both Breathe and Bound sound like tracks that System of a Down would write if they were having an AWFUL day of it in the studio. OK, maybe that's a little harsh, I mean, System of a Down probably couldn't write ANYTHING this bad.

The last two songs are probably the two songs on the album that have any true redeeming value (outside of the previously mentioned Rise). I really like the guitar and drum interplay found on Devour, and I find that Draiman's voice lends itself excellently to the closing track Darkness.

In the end though, I find myself wondering how it is this band ever became so popular. Has heavy metal waned to the point where we can accept any band that has two albums worth of material that (with rare exception) sounds exactly the same? I mean, I had trouble figuring out where one song ended and the next one began for the first 3/4 of this album. It just all bled together in one big power chord hungry mess.

We would all be much better off if the heavy metal fans of this country were to Awaken, Remember, and Liberate themselves of god awful bands like Disturbed. No I don't Believe, and I most certainly am not "down with the sickness." I almost feel sorry for those who are.

Recommended: No