Tired old tropes - A review of Disturbed's Evolution

Calling your record Evolution is a quite bold statement. It could announce important changes, experiments and risks for a commercially successful band like Disturbed. But it could also be a stylistic device in form of an ironic statement. The latter has to be the case because Disturbed offers the same old tropes on Evolution that turns out being the band's most boring output.

The first two singles already confirmed the usual stylistic range of the band that hasn't been extended at all. Opener ''Are You Ready'' is a tough rock song with up-beat riffs and rhythms and a few tame electronic sounds. ''A Reason to Fight'' is a cheesy ballad.

These two songs represent what you get on this new output as half of the tracks consist of contemporary rock songs that are lacking the drive, energy and uniqueness of yore. The band has moved away from its metal stylistics and opted for an overall mellower mainstream approach closer to alternative rock. The other half of the record consists of ballads with melodic vocal lines and a few acoustic guitar sounds here and there. Some of these ballads work well on their own but the sheer number of calm tracks reduces their intensity and none of the songs equals the surprising success of the popular Simon & Garfunkel cover ''The Sound of Silence'' from the band's previous comeback record Immortalized.

Speaking of the devil and in order to cash in on the success of the aforementioned song, the band even included a live version featuring Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy of the popular Simon & Garfunkel cover ''The Sound of Silence'' on the deluxe version of the new output. This choice is as boring as logical. Simply put, this band is trying to sell out.

This safe strategy might just work out in times when the music industry is weakening. Don't dare too much, don't push the limits, keep the momentum going. However, Disturbed seems to have forgotten what got them in the driver's seat in the first place: the band's will to create unique rock music. One couldn't expect Disturbed to release a crunchy heavy metal record, an experimental rock output or a tender flirt with pop music. However, Evolution is the band's most toothless record and the nadir of its career so far. It's comparable to Godsmack's similarly hollow release When Legends Rise that doesn't have anything legendary about it. The rock stars of yore have grown old and listening to some fresh blood like Greta Van Fleet is much more exciting even though they shamelessly copy bands like Led Zeppelin. Their success shows that Disturbed and their colleagues need to reinvent themselves in order to remain relevant. The next album will show whether Evolution was just a misstep or whether Disturbed will be a relic of the past. Even as a huge fan of former outputs, I would only pick Disturbed's Evolution up for a reduced price to complete my collection at a certain point in the future at best.

Final rating: 50%