Band:	Spineshank
Album:	The Height Of Callousness
Style:	Industrial metal, Nu metal
Release date:	October 10, 2000
Guest review by:	Passenger

01. Asthmatic
02. The Height Of Callousness
03. Synthetic
04. New Disease
05. (Can't Be) Fixed
06. Cyanide 2600
07. Play God
08. Malnutrition
09. Seamless
10. Negative Space
11. Transparent

Roadrunner Records was a label known for having a big and varied catalogue, able to satisfy many people at the same time, with a very underground attitude. Their bet on the growing popularity and commercial potential of Nu Metal and other alternative styles of playing Metal or using it as part of a different style has altered that relation and today it has lost credit among many older followers.

Despite the occasional exceptions, Spineshank is, however, one of the chapters that confirm that recent course. "The Height Of Callousness" is an appealing title, but I bet the fusion "Industrial Metal" will "scare" some already. But let's proceed, without caring about money or popularity, just the music. First song brings in the electric guitars and typical beats of an album of this kind, continual situation, and clearly points out Fear Factory as their main influence. Unfortunately there's no brilliant double bass work here. Unfortunately the vocals are annoying. Unfortunately Spineshank tries to put even more attitude and sometimes don't achieve the captivating result that this style requests, with boring and constantly recycled riffs, in monotonous but noisy repetitions. The good side is this band knows how to use good effects. Listening to tracks like "The Height Of Callousness" or "Seamless" make me wonder how would this sound if they took the "Wannabe-Metal" side out, especially in the excess that is "Cyanide 2600", a situation of uncontrol of their capabilities, considering what they are trying to do.

Spineshank definitely had the means to make a great album, but some songs aren't taken to the technical level required, don't feature much variation and drown in the production and inconsequent instrumentalism. In a nutshell, if you don't like the bigger bands like Fear Factory or Static-X don't even bother with this (though you probably have stopped reading the review in the beginning of the second paragraph anyway). If you do like those bands you can give this one a try but it certainly won't surprise you.