Verdict: A GOOD BAND BITES IT.
At one time in my like I had a friend or acquaintance – can’t recall, doesn’t matter – who worked for a used record store. In addition to discussing individual artists/albums/singles/what-have-you, we used to talk about the market as a whole in those days. One conversation that stuck with me in the decades that followed involved how the company’s policy on buying used music back from the public varied depending on genre.
For example: this outfit was always in the market for classic rock. Modern country music was also something this store was into. Movie soundtracks, useless hunks of shit that they are, were bought. What about hip-hop? Ahhh, that’s where the interesting point came to light.
This store would pay top dollar for used hip-hop…but only if it was less than six months old. After six months, the store wouldn’t even touch it. Why? “No one buys it. It’s old. Shit just takes up space.”
“It’s old.” Music that didn’t exist six months ago was suddenly “old” and without value? Remember – hip-hop was by no means on the ropes during the 90s. Hip-hop was some of the top-selling shit back then. This was the moment in time – some random point during the mid-1990s – where the idea of disposable music began bouncing around in my head. Music manufactured to appeal to the here-&-now no matter the cost, even longevity.
Listening to the new Five Finger Death Punch album – Wrong Side of Heaven, Righteous Side of Hell (pt1) – the above conversation popped into my head for the first time in years. Unfortunately, this band’s material has been on the wrong side of improving since they peaked with War Is the Answer, and this record is yet another step in the wrong direction. But what a step! Much like their last album – American Capitalist – production takes precedence over musicianship and the songs themselves rarely if ever stray from the simplest, most minimal structure possible. While certainly no Dark Side of the Moon, at least there are some interesting moments on Capitalist that will, to this day, occasionally prompt me to toss it on the stereo and check it out. This?
I am almost entranced by the sheer void of anything remotely resembling depth or value here. Musically and structurally we’re further down in the dead zone than we were for Capitalist. Lyrically? Here’s a bullet point summary of our lyrics:
I don’t care what you think about me.
I don’t give a f*** about you.
You can’t abuse and/or take advantage of me.
You can’t tell me what to do.
If you have something to say, you should say it to my face.
You can’t stop me, and I’m never going to stop on my own.
It’s one thing to spout the occasional cliché in your lyrics…but when your entire lyric sheet appears to have been composed solely of lines observed from guests of the Steve Wilkos Show just prior to punches being thrown, perhaps it’s time to examine whether you’re truly proud of what you’re putting out? This, of course, assumes you’re interested in creating art over money, which I hope is the case, because if it’s not, you’re idiots: in 2013, the rock album is certainly not where a rational person turns as a viable means of making cash hand over fist. Lord knows you bastards make sh*t off album sales these days, so…why not hold back an album or two? As a fan, I’d certainly rather have three good FFDP albums than six mediocre ones.
Oh well. Too bad; I really like these guys. I'll continue to hold out hope of a career turnaround which will most likely, if I have learned anything from the past, end in disappointment.
PS whenever a dude refers to “God” as a “she” he’s trying to bang a vegan. Just another helpful FYI.
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