Band:	Filter
Album:	Anthems For The Damned
Style:	Alternative rock, Industrial rock
Release date:	May 13, 2008
A review by:	jupitreas

01. Soldiers Of Misfortune
02. What's Next
03. The Wake
04. Cold (Anthem For The Damned)
05. Hatred Is Contagious
06. Lie After Lie
07. Kill The Day
08. The Take
09. I Keep Flowers Around
10. In Dreams
11. Only You
12. Can Stop This

It is somewhat hard to come by a well written, non-derivative and inspired 'vanilla' alternative metal record these days and this is why Filter's latest, Anthems For The Damned, is such a great and refreshing listen. Now, don't go expecting this to be anything original or unique (Filter never was); however, if what you want to hear is a brilliantly produced and intelligently composed post-grunge album, you won't find anything better at the moment.

Richard Patrick, the brains behind Filter, besides having a well developed and unique crooning voice, is also obviously a talented and experienced composer. Most of the tracks on this album do a good job at mixing meticulously crafted alternative metal structures with very catchy refrains. Perhaps the biggest trait that this album has is the fact that none of these refrains seem forced, corny or cheesy. They just make sense in every song that they are in and Patrick's impressive voice is able to encapsulate them with a delivery that is both emotional and classy. Patrick possesses the sort of voice that obviously doesn't lend itself to any acrobatics; however, it is clear that he understands this limitation and simply uses it to sing in a straight forward and restrained manner. This allows for his voice to convey complex emotions such as resentment, misery and melancholy, all of which make an appearance here and work primarily thanks to the vocals.

Sadly, from Patrick's approach to vocals can be derived his approach to song writing and this is where some of this album's faults begin to become apparent. This is not an album that will make you jump around in a frenzy. The band seems to hold back quite often and while the end result is powerful nevertheless, I have a feeling that by taking more risks they could come up with something that would rip our faces off. Songs like "The Take" and "In Dreams" are what sparked this sentiment since they are just insanely good, with the former breaking bones through chuggy riffs and the latter featuring more dynamics than most of the other songs put together. Compared to the highlights, the other songs seem like nothing more than something well written, but not adventurous.

All of which still doesn't prevent Anthems For The Damned from being a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Although this album might be better as a soundtrack for doing something else, it is nevertheless extremely good at this role. The music itself might not be complex, but the emotions within it are, and this is certainly something worth listening for.