DOPE „American Apathy”

Music: Nu-Metal/Industrial
Country: USA
Website: http://www.dopearmy.com
Duration: 55.27
Cool Songs: People Are People, Always, I'm Back, Life, F*ck tha Police

The absolute best thing about this new Dope disc is its value for money. They’ve always been a rather fan friendly band (hell, they even told former label ‘Epic’ to jam it sideways when they allegedly attempted to rip their fan base off) and as such ‘American Apathy’ is chock full of goodies. Seventeen tracks including three bonus alternate versions are ample enough for even the fussiest metal head. If you’re quick you can grab the limited edition package, which includes another six track disc featuring early material remixes and cover versions. With the backing of their new label, Artemis, the whole thing, the booklet, the packaging looks a million dollars. But then there’s the music….

Dope has never been on my metal radar. Yeah, I’ve heard snippets of their previous garb, still the likes of ‘Felons & Revolutionaries’ and 2003’s ‘Group Therapy’ didn’t overly impress me. Dope, along with acts like Marilyn Manson, Disturbed and at a stretch ‘Rob Zombie’ has always come across as the archetypal ‘radio metal’ act. MTV kiddie fodder if you will. ‘American Apathy’ is built on the same template and aims straight for the heart of Nu-Metalville! I appreciate their fuck you, middle finger attitude, their political stance and the whole ‘shock rock’ persona, its all really punk. I get that. I also appreciate that this shit has an audience. Not everyone likes Hypocrisy or Strapping Young Lad. However, as much as frontman Edsel Dope and his trio of cronies like to dress it up, I just cannot stomach much of what they do musically.

‘American Apathy’ is certainly awash with a stunning, gleaming hard hitting production. It has an underlying heavy industrialised groove, infused with technology overload in terms of loops, sound bites and general headphone panning bullshit. Great sound and all, the biggest downfall of AA is the song writing. For all of its fuck you posturing, sexually charged lyrics and anti-Bush tirades, the mid to fast paced rhythms and general melodic phrasings just don’t hit the mark. Edsel does his absolute best to convince us to listen, but by track 12, (with five to go, eleven if you consider the bonus) all I wanted him to do was shut the fuck up. Opening track ‘I’m Back’ sounds like a great live anthem for the band and works well because it is the lead track, ‘No Way Out’ sounds like a lame industrialised Pantera attempt, and shit like ‘Let’s Fuck and ‘I Wish I Was The President’ whilst obviously tongue in cheek, suffer badly due to their ridiculously juvenile lyrics. Impressionable Mall-core kiddies will lap it up though, just as intended. And how many times do we have to witness metal bands opt for the cliché ‘Fuck the World’ title? Yawn…. On the other hand, ‘People are People’ works well – great lyrics too, but of course that’s a ‘Depeche Mode’ cover so it doesn’t really count towards Dope’s integrity. Aside form that, the only truly ‘memorable’ moment on AA is ‘Always’ – it differs from the rest as it plays up the Linkin Park/Disturbed ‘melodic chorus’ aspect. It is so pre-fabricated MTV fodder, it’s almost laughable. But commercially, huge it could be. ‘Dream’ tries for the same effect, but fails dismally.

If you’re a Manson/Zombie/fill in your favourite MTV Nu-Metal act here fan, then yes, you’ll revel in what Dope has to offer on ‘AA’. I can’t say whether this is any better (or worse) than previous efforts, although I’d suggest the production alone would give ‘AA’ a fair heads up. Clearly, I’m not cut out for Dope. Never been a fan, never will be. ‘American Apathy’ has tremendous appeal to a slice of the market that I rarely have time for. Still, no matter what I say, it’ll sell by the truck load. And that right there is the whole point I suppose….

note: Quote: 5

Tracklist

I'm Back
Survive
No Way Out
Always
Bastard
Sex Machine
Four More Years
Revolution
Let's F*ck
F*ck The World
I Wish I Was the President
Dream
Life
People Are People
Bitch [Alternate Version]
F*ck tha Police [2005 Studio Version]
Burn – Detroit Hate Choir

Bonus Disc
Debonair (F*ck Hollywood Mix)
Now is the Time (Alternate Version)
Motivation (Alternate Version)
Spin Me Round (American Psycho Mix)
Bring It On (F*ck Tomorrow Mix)
Sick (Band Volume Dead Mix)

Line-up

Dope is:
Edsel Dope
Virus
Racci “Sketchy” Shay
Brix Milner