Band:	Soilwork
Album:	Stabbing The Drama
Style:	Gothenburg metal
Release date:	February 28, 2005
Guest review by:	Passenger

01. Stabbing The Drama
02. One With The Flies
03. Weapon Of Vanity
04. The Crestfallen
05. Nerve
06. Stalemate
07. Distance
08. Observation Slave
09. Fate In Motion
10. Blind Eye Halo
11. If Possible
12. Wherever Thorns May Grow [American and European limited Digipak edition and Japanese bonus]
13. Killed By Ignition [Japanese and Korean bonus]

Soilwork - Stabbing The Drama

When I first started listening to Metal beyond the alternative sections with which I started, Melodic Death was probably the style that most easily got my attention. Soilwork was among the causes, at that time they had just released "Natural Born Chaos" and I listened to it constantly. Looking back to what they had done before that was a clear step ahead to a more produced and less heavy sound that actually made Soilwork stand out between many other acts playing the same, they created a sound of their own. In the following work, "Figure Number Five," they continued their evolution, towards a more accessible and alternative formula, but that was never an obstacle for me and I still rate it high.

I think this is essential information, so you can understand how I always liked Soilwork, even when some had already scratched this band from their lists of ones to look out for. Until recently I didn't mind the path they were heading for. "Stabbing The Drama" however, is too much. It's like they have recycled every song from the previous album, added more clean vocals and keyboards, slowed down the guitars more and practically eliminated the solos, to come up with a repetitive and unoriginal Nu Metal work with growls and melody. Even the riffs, definitely what they always did better since the beginning, are very mediocre and without the normal pleasant aggressiveness. There isn't the same harmony between the different parts of the songs, because all the references they have created appear fragmented, as if Soilwork don't know what they want to be anymore.

I suppose some people won't contain themselves and compare this to the recent "Soundtrack To Your Escape", which is wrong, they are different. While In Flames went experimental an successfully fussed their "Clayman"/"Reroute To Remain" sound with industrial arrangements in a very solid and diverse album with many surprising moments, Soilwork aren't trying to innovate, they are just covering what's already over explored and completely ruin everything they tried to reach until "Natural Born Chaos".

Soilwork is full of talent and it's really disappointing to hear such banal stuff from them. "Figure Number Five" was dangerously close to the boarders of a deep abyss between different styles and that made it interesting. With "Stabbing The Drama," Soilwork fell into confusion. Needless to say that if you haven't liked them until now, this won't change your mind, so don't even bother. If you are a fan, then I recommend you not to have very high expectations. If Nu Metal is your thing you can give this one a try, but I bet you've heard a lot better as well.

Check out: the first two tracks and in eight minutes you've heard the entire album.