Sound of Madness (2008)

Sound Of Madness

• So I know absolutely nothing about Shinedown or this particular album, but I will say that I definitely enjoyed it. I’m not really a fan of rock at all, but this album was actually really good, and I liked it way more than I thought I would. Although there was a song or two I didn’t care for, everything else was pretty enjoyable. Most of the tracks are written by Brent Smith and Dave Bassett, and they did one heck of a job. Although the songs aren’t groundbreaking or anything, the whole album is very solid. There isn’t a weak track on here, and it’s pretty fire from start to finish. I loved the opening to “Devour” (the first track on the album), and within the first few seconds, I knew it was gonna be a good listen. The first three tracks start off really strong, and they all have the rock feel but without going over the top. One reason I don’t like stereotypical rock is because everything just feels too loud and the vocals are always screaming. However, on this album, all the vocals aren’t too obnoxious, but just enough to keep the beat alive and moving forward. I also loved the drums on this album. It’s hard to say what I want to say, but the drums kept up the pace of the album really well, and I loved it. I also thought the album ended on a really perfect and beautiful note (both figuratively and literally). The last two songs, “Breaking Inside” and “Call Me”, were my favorites on the whole thing. They had such a beautiful lamenting sound, but all while keeping the powerful rock feel to it. The lyrics, not just on those two, but on all of the songs were really good, and each song has its own message and story. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this album, and even if you aren’t a rock fan, you’d still probably like it. I should know, as I’m not a rock fan, but I still thought it was great. This album is officially Berry Approved, so go give it a listen!