Band:	Smogus
Album:	No Matter What The Outcome
Style:	Funk
Release date:	May 2004

01. Don't Care
02. Time Out
03. Just For Me
04. Move on
05. Nasty
06. Interlude
07. Stop Running
08. The Game
09. Last Time
10. Let Me be
11. Changing Fate
12. Good Intentions
13. Flush Your Life [bonus]

This isn't exactly Metal so I guess it's not really belongs on Metal Storm, but I'll review it anyway, since it's sent to me.
First of all I have to explain the genre, believe me, I had to check it up carefully before starting to review this.
Xplocore is obviously a mix between Nu-Metal, Hip-Hop and Funk. And I can go for that; it makes sense, at least after hearing Smogus.

Smogus was formed already back in 1995, and "No Matter What the Outcome" is their first full-length album, but they have two other releases plus one demo behind them since 2000.
They have won the Essent Award and they have played on Ozzfest and Lowlands and supported Disturbed and Ill Nino. Actually not that bad for a band that's still quite unknown outside Holland.

You that know me know about my relationship with Nu-Metal (I don't like it).
But it's not all about my personal opinion, I'll have to look around then and see if the band is good, if the know what they are doing and so on.
And I can tell you that Smogus are talented, they are very skilled musicians, and they know how to mix their music to make it effective on the international market.

Also the score I have to adapt because of many reasons, such as potential, production, musicians and my personal opinion.
If I only would go on the last, there would be many strange scores in my reviews.
The reason why I mention this now is because of the score I'll give this one.
Smogus potential is large; I think they can be one of the largest Nu-Metal bands on the market, a European Limb Bizkit or something.

The production is crystal-clear; it makes the album at least good at that point.
For the musicians I have to say that the singer is much better, than for example Limb Bizkit's and alike, this guy can sing, and I think it's to bad he sings in a band like this.
Last it's my personal opinion, since I don't like Nu-Metal my opinion will stay low.
Sure there are some things on this I find good, such the singer, the heaviness that mostly reminds me of a real Metal band.
So the score will be a "7" because all of this mentioned above.

But overall I don't like it, the Hip-Hop influences is just to much, and believe me, the last song is awful, it's actually a clean Hip-Hop song added as bonus.
So I only recommend this to fans of Nu-Metal ala Limp Bizkit and stuff, Nu-Metal with Rap/Hip-Hop influences, for all others I just say, "Stay away".

Check Out: "Don't Care" has some good parts & "Time Out" has some heavy parts.