L.A.'s Carbon 9, with their new CD, The Bull (Worldsound), are hoping that you were either very young in the '90's or not quite born yet. With the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Korn, Drown, and even Faith No More oozing from most of Carbon 9's pores, if you WERE around for the first go 'round of these bands and that scene, then there probably isn't much here for you, but if you happen to be 13 or 14 years old, it's all new to you!
The Bull is a 16 track CD that reeks of adolescent angst and the high school kids who wear only black and sport the "Emo" (does anyone even use that word anymore?) haircuts. To say that the music sounds a tad outdated in 2009 is an understatement. To be honest even in 1995 this would have missed the mark because of the "borrowing" of Mr. Reznor's shtick. But the production is quite solid and has a nice punchy tone. Carbon 9 consist of Stacey Quinealty (vocals & programming), Darwin DeVitis (guitars), Matty Milani (drums), Omar D Brancato (Bass) and Danny Cistone (backing vocals & performance art (??)).
The CD contains some downright awful lyrics and some gross overuse of 1993 era synth. The song "Butterflies In My Head" offers some classic lyrics and for you Styx fans of the HORRIBLE "Mr. Roboto", Carbon 9 deliver you an homage in their song, "For You". Check out their classic lyrics in that one. I'm sure that if possible Carbon 9 would have enjoyed "borrowing" Reznor's lyrical styling's, because their own are silly. As I said earlier, this record is aimed at an audience that was too young to have been around to witness the original bands that Carbon 9 have stolen from. With this, check out their cover of the Danzig classic, "Mother". It is possibly the only bright spot on this record. They do a good job of giving it a modern re-do. They DO add their own stamp to a Metal/Goth classic and have even managed to make it heavier even with some electronica on it.
Carbon 9 have produced nothing new here with The Bull and if they find a home with listeners it will be with the teen crowd as I have alluded to. Anyone born before 1985 will find this way too, "I've heard this before" and will move on to the next CD. Carbon 9 have not produced anything original or really even interesting here with The Bull, but for kids that are in their early teens, it's new to them.
Track Listing
1. What Is It We Are Made Of
2. Crawling Over Me
3. My Friend
4. Somebody Like Me
5. The Bull
6. Mother
7. Butterflies In My Head
8. For You
9. This Life
10. Mary Mannequin
11. I'm Not Broken
12. Loving You
13. I'm On My Own
14. Lonely In Love
15. Tongues
16. Spoken Word
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