Search - Switched :: Ghosts in the Machine

Great Hard Rock record..

Tom Jones | CA USA | 02/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So I see other reviews talking about "nu metal" this and "nu metal" that.. One sentence someone will say how "nu metal" is it, but then the next line they say Ben sounds like Scott Weiland, or talks about "Inside" being a "70's riff". Bottom line is NU METAL is a stupid term, thrown around by ignorant people trying really hard to lump any and all heavy leaning Rock bands into a single category. Switched is a HARD ROCK band, and the first record they were more of a METAL band. I'm so sick of all this nonsense, because a band is HEAVY, they write SONGS and the singer can ACTUALLY SING, they are "NU-METAL".



Bottom line, you STILL can't go a day without hearing Static-X or Rob Zombie or Mudvayne on the radio, and with good reason, they WRITE HIT SONGS. Personally where I live I can't go a day without hearing Switched on the radio. And that's a great thing.



Bands evolve, music evolves, and Switched has evolved into an amazing Hard Rock Band. If they were circumstantially lumped into the nu-metal category on SUBJECT TO CHANGE that's someone else's problem. And if you are too insecure with making your own musical choices that you have to label everything so it fits neatly into someone else's little package, that is your problem.



But that doesn't change the fact that GITM is an amazing HARD ROCK record, with AMAZING songs. Period."

Awesome riffs, monstrous beats, melodic and hardcore vocals

George Dionne | Cape Cod, MA | 01/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Good

Disc 1: The 11 tracks here are the finished demos, and as soon as I heard the killer guitar tone on "Save Myself," I knew I was going to like this album. The driving riffs are straight out of the 90s metal time capsule. Even though it has the most clichéd title in rock history, "Like Suicide" is actually a cool tune. Vocalist Ben Schigel leans heavily on melody rather than his typical growling, but it works just the same. The intensity returns briefly on "Shattered." It's a nice mix of intensity and emotion. The opening riff of "I'm Falling" is sure to get fists pumping and tempers flaring for a rumble in the pit. "Drowning" keeps the energy flowing with pounding drums and manic guitar rhythms. Schigel delivers like Jekyll and Hyde on "Memories of You."



Disc 2: The demos and live tracks are featured here. "Spread" comes off like a mix of Dope, Alice in Chains, and Deadsy all rolled into one. The faded riffs on "Inside" have a classic seventies rock feel to them. Schigel delivers like a darker more sinister Scott Weiland. "Anymore" is another track that's full of piss-and-vinegar, despite its mellow sections. The band's version of Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Silence" is unique to say the least. Whereas the original version is not exactly something you'd admit to liking (although we all know you do), this version is worth of a heavy metal following. I like how the guitar mimics former vocal parts. The second disc rounds out with four impressive live track that were recorded in Miami back in 2001.



The Bad

The booklet does a lousy job of explaining which songs are demos, which are B-sides, and from what time period the song is from. In fact, it doesn't identify any of that.



The Verdict

Awesome riffs, monstrous beats, melodic and hardcore vocals...what more could hard rock fans ask for? I was instantly hooked by this CD, and I'm sure you'll feel the same way. It's a shame that the band is, for the most part, no more."

Ok guys...

Matthew J. Chalupsky | 06/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some people attack this band because they're "nu-metal." Meh, they are I guess, but they still have awesome songs. No, it's nothing new, amazingly inspirational, or so hard that you can't imagine how they do it, but they're still good and fun songs. They're songs that you can bang or at least nod your head to. This CD is not as heavy as their debut, but it's still top notch. Stop whining about the genre and actually listen to the CD. These guys are amazing (especially Brad Kochmit), anything but sub-par."