Band:	Sonic Syndicate
Album:	We Rule The Night
Style:	Metalcore
Release date:	August 27, 2010
Guest review by:	iaberis

01. Beauty And The Freak
02. Revolution, Baby
03. Turn It Up
04. My Own Life
05. Burn This City
06. Black And Blue
07. Miles Apart
08. Plans Are For People
09. Leave Me Alone
10. Break Of Day
11. We Rule The Night
12. Dead And Gone [bonus]
13. Perfect Alibi [Japanese bonus]

Sonic Syndicate is surely the band with the weirdest musical evolution in this passing decade. They began as a Gothenburg Metal band with their decent Eden Fire album in 2005, then got Roland Johansson in their line up and released in 2007 Only Inhuman, a mix of Gothenburg Metal with American Alternative Rock. In 2008, Love And Other Disasters saw the light of day, that marked a step even further in the American Nu Metal and Melodic Metalcore scene. 2009 was the year that Roland Johansson decided to leave the band (couldn't stand the criticism maybe?) and was replaced by Nathan J. Biggs.

So this brings us in 2010 and the release of their fourth album, We Rule The Night. If you checked the previously released "Burn This City" music video, you probably know what to expect here. Well, actually that song is the heaviest in this album, which means the band has taken another turn in music, once again. I've listened to the album many times so far and each time, it's been growing more and more on me. This album is nothing like their previous stuff, it's Alternative Metal with lots of Pop/Rock influences! I don't know why, but most songs remind me of Drowning Pool and the like. Some songs even sound like heavier boy band ballads!

The extreme vocals have been pushed far in the background, the distorted guitars have been substituted by electo-acoustic ones in many tracks, the bass is brought quite up and the drumming is dance-like. Not to mention the heavy keyboard use on almost all tracks. That was quite disappointing for me and all those who where expecting a more metal sound. But oh well, if they're targeting the emo-scene or the metalcore kids, well they're going to sell once again... Generally speaking, it's not a bad album for the aforementioned target-audience, but for most people's standards, this is a big disappointment. In the beginning, this was my biggest letdown of the year, but I'm not so sure anymore... It has grown a lot on me since then and I cannot give a clear statement wether I like this album or not. It is strange, it is weird but it's not bad. Time and sales will tell wether people like this or not.

P.S. Roland please come back to the band!