amazon-opiate-for-the-massesOpiate for the Masses is a veteran act whose current release MANIFESTO takes a number of elements from a metal smorgasbord to comprise its sound, with melodic industrial metal taking the reigns and being the most prevalent throughout the 11-track sojourn. Electronically charged with the machine-like manipulations not unlike the harder moments conceived by Linkin Park or Stabbing Westward, tracks like “Black Book” and “Lie” keep the dance floor rocking with heavy guitars and a dark throb while the darkwave-esque “Naked,” “The Habit,” and the guitar-standout “Dead Underground” veer towards digitalized malaise of acts like NIN or Marilyn Manson. Despite this quartet’s less than stellar concealing of the influences summoned here, the catchy hooks, familiar-sounding structures, and flashy production provides a radio-friendly escape into an alternate Hollywood-created world where slick-sounding dramatically dynamic metal blasts through the seedy clubs and soundtracks the action scenes. www.centurymedia.comMike SOS

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