Disturbed-- Asylum (2010)

I haven’t decided yet if I have become bored of Disturbed’s sound or have just moved on to other metal bands as I found myself skipping through majority of the tracks from their new release Asylum. Now don’t get me wrong it’s not a horrible album it’s just very much of the same Disturbed formula we have previously heard with Ten Thousand Fists and Indestructible. I remember listening to The Sickness and Believe and feeling so pumped to hear the entire album. Not so much now.

So why such a negative startup to this review? The production values are top notch, and the instrument work and vocals is standard Disturbed. I think I’m just flat out burned out from them. I own all their albums have seen them live twice yet didn’t leave with much after hearing their new album.

Their first single Asylum has a good bass riff intro with some standard David Draiman grunts. The song is decent but not the strongest of the songs on the album. Bands generally want to take the best track from their album to create a single to create buzz for the album. Asylum is good not great. Definitely didn’t push me towards buying the album on the song alone. I personally would have chosen “Never Again” as the first single as it better captures the older Disturbed sound with an angry pissed off David Draiman. Another notable track off the album is “Another Way to Die.”

Asylum is a political infused album just as their recent previous releases. This time around the band touches upon issues such as the Nazi’s treatment of Jewish people during World War 2 and the environment. Who said Disturbed didn’t care about the environment? Asylum is definitely a departure from the anti Bush message that was carried in the Ten Thousand Fist album.

Disturbed is a mainstream metal band that achieved fame with “Down With the Sickness.” Now that fame has caused them to fall into the population of the many bands out there making metal music. Considering their metal history they need to change it up a bit and either take it back to their roots or……dare I say it, create a concept album. Some bands find success in making a concept album and it may just be what Disturbed needs to kick start their career again.



Track List (Special Edition)
1. Remnants
2. Asylum
3. The Infection
4. Warrior
5. Another Way To Die
6. Never Again
7. The Animal
8. Crucified
9. Serpentine
10. My Child
11. Sacrifice
12. Innocence
13. Ishfwilf
14. Down With The Sickness (Live) [Explicit]
15. Stricken (Live)

(Visit Disturbed's official website here)

--Steven M. Duarte