Album Reviews : Sonic Syndicate – We Rule the Night

Oh Sonic Syndicate, how you have brightened my day. After a somewhat bland work day, there is little better than cranking a new album and having it absolutely blow you away. That is, apart from one that results in tears of laughter. I don’t think I’ve been so amused since Steel Panther released their legendary Feel the Steel. Of course, I’m not one of those metal fans with a teenage melodeath/Gothenburg obsession in their listening history. If I was, I probably wouldn’t be laughing so hard. I’d be dying inside, just a little.

Picking a favourite from We Rule the Night, their fourth studio album, is a difficult task. Opener “Beauty and the Freak” sees the band channel their angsty teenage selves in spectacular form, letting them openly express the Good Charlotte influence that has been bottled up for so long. “Burn This City” might finally see them fulfil their apparent dream to appear on a So Fresh compilation, while “Turn It Up”, their hilarious attempt a dance song, just makes me want to shake my booty ‘til the break of dawn. And just when I thought the band had truly hit the peak of their career, they break out “Miles Apart”.

“There is nothing that they can do, to stop me needing you…”

No.

No.

Surely they can’t be heading into that territory? Surely…

“Even if we’re a million miles apart, we’d still be joined right at the heearrrtt”.

Holy fucking mother of god. It was at this point I was less entertained and more embarrassed for them. Not to mention the vocal melodies are a blatant Kylie Minogue ripoff.

While the (horribly scratchy) screams and heavy riffs here and there are enough to unfortunately keep them within the metal realm, We Rule the Night is a pop album. And not a good one either. The electronic elements serve absolutely zero purpose and more often than not are buried so far down in the ridiculously pristine mix that they might as well not exist. And oh god, those lyrics! By the end, Justin Bieber looks like the next Oscar Wilde. No doubt, this will sell like black eyeliner. 1/10

Band: Sonic Syndicate
Album: We Rule the Night
Year: 2010
Genre: Pop/Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast/Riot
Origin: Sweden
http://www.myspace.com/sonicsyndicate

Track listing:
1. Beauty and the Freak
2. Revolution, Baby
3. Turn It Up
4. My Own Life
5. Burn This City
6. Black and Blue
7. Miles Apart
8. Plans Are For People
9. Leave Me Alone
10. Break of Day
11. We Rule the Night