A more apropos name for this metal mish-mash of an album would be tough to find. Featuring singer Corey Brown of Magnitude 9 and Psyco Drama fame, Section 16's Identity Crisis is influenced by such diverse artists as Queensr˙che -- there's a hidden-track cover of 1986's "The Killing Words" – King's X, Tool and Sevendust. Psyco Drama guitarist Toby Kinnaman and 12-string bassist Ian Ringler also are in the Colorado-based band, along with guitarist Hercules Castro and drummer Jeremy Hoffman, so it only makes sense that some of Section 16's material picks up where Psyco Drama left off on 1997's Bent.
But Identity Crisis goes way beyond Psyco Drama. Granted, many tracks (""Live Through Me," "The Way") boast a modern, heavy sound, but a few even wind up bordering on death metal ("Scattered") and hardcore ("Price to Pay"). Other songs ("All You Know," "Left of Center") are extremely melodic, and only "Once In A Lifetime" and the Queensr˙che cover approach the progressive majesty of Magnitude 9.
Some of Section 16's songs may be an acquired taste for some fans, as the band tries to satisfy almost a half-dozen metal subgenres in a lengthy 68 minutes. Still, the band manages to weave seamlessly in and out of styles, with Brown's magnetic voice adapting well to its aural surroundings. Definitely not Magnitude 9 and not even Psyco Drama, Section 16 impresses more with each listen.
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