Let me get this right out in the open right off the bat-there's absolutely nothing horrific at all about this collection. What it is however is a 2 CD set of new and previously unreleased music from many of today's nu-metal, punk, thrash, metalcore, and hardcore acts, and the music is set to be featured on the Showtime Masters of Horror film series. Sadly, Sea of Tranquility was only sent a single CD sampler, so I can't accurately report on the entire collection, but a few of the tracks on the promo copy should find plenty of appeal to modern day metal lovers. System of Down's Serj Tankian singing bizarro lead vocals to the warped guitar stylings of Buckethead on "We Are One" is reason enough to pick this up. But wait, there's more, like the melodic yet metallic "Small Silhoutte" from Mudvayne, the surprisingly accessible and poppy "Enjoy the Silence" by It Dies Today, and the brutal 80's inspired thrash from Century Media kings Shadows Fall on their tune "This Is My Own". Sadly though, there is also some forgettable material here, like the generic and sappy "You Will Remember Tonight" from Andrew W.K., the cliched punk/metal noise of Rise Against and their song "Obstructed", and the equally juvenile tunes from Alkaline Trio and Scary Kids Scaring Kids. And while Norma Jean's manic hardcore romp "Shaunluu" might get the vote for the most brutal piece on this set, that's not really saying much. Hopefully the full 2 CD set packs more of a punch, otherwise this Horror series soundtrack is going to collect dust in CD shop bins everywhere without scaring a soul. Now that's horrific.
Track Listing
1) Small Silhoutte-Mudvayne
2) Enjoy the Silence-It Dies Today
3) Shaunluu-Norma Jean
4) We Are One-Buckethead featuring Serj Tankian
5) This Is My Own-Shadows Fall
6) You Will Remember Tonight-Andrew W.K.
7) Obstructed-Rise Against
8) We Can Never Break Up-Alkaline Trio
9) What's Up Now-Scary Kids Scaring Kids