After taking a four year break, nu-metal giants Disturbed are back with their first new album since 2010, “Immortalized.” Recorded in Las Vegas and produced by Kevin Churko, the new record is slick but still distinctly Disturbed. Led by frontman David Draiman’s signature vocal style, Disturbed has always had a sound that is instantly recognizable. With the pounding rhythm section of drummer Mike Wengren and bassist John Moyer and the powerful crunching riffs of guitarist Dan Donegan , it’s clear that musically the band hasn’t missed a beat.
“Immortalized” starts off strong with a great guitar intro and a beast of a title track. Following that up is the power of “The Vengeful One” which has a solid chorus, a great hook and a knock out riff. So far, so good. Then I heard “The Light,” which has a lighter almost pop like vibe to it which although different, felt forced at times. “Fire It Up” is another solid track with an awesome opening of Wengren’s drums before the guitar and bass kick in. This song also features a great guitar solo by Dan Donegan. It really fit the song well and it was great to hear him just let it rip. A total surprise inclusion is a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence.” The vocals sound strange and I don’t think this track worked well for them at all. The album closes out strong with “Never Wrong” with a strong nu-metal vibe reminiscent of “Down With the Sickness” and a sure crowd pleaser.
Although “Immortalized” has a few iffy tracks, it also gives us some of the best and sickest metal songs that Disturbed has put out since their debut record. The good definitely outweighs the bad here and makes for a solid comeback album from one of the greatest nu-metal bands around.
