Shinedown - The Sound Of Madness

Anyone listening to Jacksonville fivesome Shinedown’s UK debut release could be easily forgiven for thinking that they had been transported back to a time when wearing red baseball caps backwards was apparently acceptable. Taking their cue from the likes of Godsmack and Disturbed, Shinedown have elected to give our Isles a crack. However, despite being produced by Grammy Award winner Rob Cavallo, The Sound of Madness is deeply flawed. Singer Brent Smith provides gritty vocals but sounds exactly like many of his contemporaries in the same genre. The songs aren’t anything original either. While it’s mostly frenzied rock, the more mainstream If Only You Knew is an example of the cheesy Americana Pop usually sung by 15 year old girls. And while piano driven ballad Call Me provides a welcome change of pace, The Sound of Madness is no masterpiece. It wouldn’t have been one ten years ago either.