Single Out: "3" by Disturbed

In 1993, three men in West Memphis, Arkansas were convicted of the murder of three eight-year-old boys. Titled “The West Memphis Three,” the three men were infamously imprisoned. Media pressure and forensic evidence contributed to a growing belief that the men were innocent. However, the jailing continued as the trial was still in progress.

Metal band Disturbed, in an effort to support the West Memphis Three’s cause and defense, offered a special B-side “3” for sale on their website for $.99, with every payment supporting the defense charity organization of the West Memphis Three’s case, in addition to trial and court expenses.

If you’ve been headbanging to Disturbed since The Sickness, you’ll understand that the band is no longer nu-metal, but full on metal. You understand David Draiman’s unique voice and the band’s calling on Soundgarden and Pantera for influences. You understand all that.

The problem is that “3” isn’t anything new for Disturbed. The very verse echoes the erratically composed “Never Again” from Asylum, and in that retrospective, it seems to be drowning in a sense of lyrical complexity than musical prominence, very similar to “Never Again” (which focused on the Holocaust effects as subject matter.) David Draiman continues with his guttural growl and clean sing combo. The hint of prog is shown in some odd time signatures, and of course, you get a kicking guitar solo. Everything in “3”, subject matter aside, is what Disturbed has been doing for the last three albums. They do it well, but uninventively. They’re a band sticking to their strengths and nothing else.

It took me a longer time to like Disturbed’s Asylum than I would’ve liked. It’s a heavy album with a bit more substance than Indestructible did, and “3” could’ve been a decent inclusion to their 2010 album. The band’s commitment to their cause is admirable, but standing on its own feet and un-crutched by the subject matter, “3” is a pretty unremarkable song by Disturbed. Is it worth paying a dollar for? That really depends on your support of the cause. If you believe in Disturbed’s cause, “3” is a good consolation for your participation. If you don’t, “3” probably won’t change your mind.

Single Out: "Old Man" by Redlight King

I've never been a fan of sampling other artists' tunes. Especially if you're a rock artist, it's difficult to actually make good music when you're resting on the laurels of your sampling, drawing more attention to the source material instead of your own creative skill. That's probably why I've been so cynical of the mainstream hip-hop genre.

That being said, Redlight King takes a sample from legendary folk-rock singer Neil Young's "Old Man" song. Yeah, the one from 1972.

But before you call sacrilege on Redlight King's folk-hop rendition of "Old Man," let it be known that this re-imagining of Neil Young's twangy guitar song was actually blessed by Young himself, a first for the artist. Redlight King offer an Everlast-esque blues mix with Young's permission, where the acoustic guitar sounds are kept in tact and even the lyrical content feels suited for Young's blessing. To be fair, there are moments where Neil Young seems to be pushed aside for some blues-rapping, but with such a powerful chorus that seamlessly brings Young and Redlight King together, it's pretty tough to not see some creative spirit in this up-and-coming group and their ancestral folk rock influence. Only time will tell how this new band will progress in the alternative market, but with "Old Man", Redlight King are off to a great start, one that doesn't just make great music, but one that respects the musical heroes that came before them.

Welcome to Mez Music

This is my first post on the Mez Music blog, a blog I aim to design on new music, reviews, and simple music-related material.