Dark New Day – New Tradition

Label: Goomba Music

Release Date: May 22, 2012

Rating: 6/10

Reviewed by: ToddStar

Known as somewhat of a nu-metal super group, the pedigree of this band is hard to deny. When your membership has day jobs in bands such as Evanescence, Sevendust, Stereomud, and Skrape, you will have a club that can produce solid rock.

“Fist From The Sky” kicks the disc off in the right direction, but seems to stop short of being that all killer-no filler first track. “Come Alive” cruises along and picks up where the last track left off, but again, nothing stellar jumping out of the speakers so far. “I Don’t Need You” has all of the metal vocals and guitar licks you need, but this song turns the disc to the left instead of making a right turn musically. Not a good way to start off. “New Tradition” is the song that should have been first here. It finally demonstrates some of the individuality of the band members by sounding a bit different from anything any of them have done, while keeping the band and disc grounded in the musical style to which all of these guys are accustomed. “Tremendous” is one of those songs that could be performed by any one of the members other bands, which unfortunately makes this song quite bland.

“Sorry” starts off nicely, and nothing against vocalist Brett Hestla, but I would love to hear Don Carpenter or Lajon Witherspoon but some gravel and balls behind this ballad and make me feel their pain. “Straightjacket” drops a great guitar line and killer fills from the rhythm section. Brett opens his mouth and makes this one his own. This is one of the shining spots on the disc so far. “Take It From Me” is another good song, you have to hope that most people listen to the first half dozen tracks to get this far. These two songs compliment each other and give hope for the rest of the disc. “Caught In The Light” is good, but doesn’t hold up compared to the last couple tracks.

“Sunday” left me rather uninspired. The song was a bland ballad at best. “Fiend” follows the course of the prior song and has taken the disc into unpleasant territory. “Breakdown” does a 360 and brings a really good song to the disc. The bad makes no mistakes for slowing the pace down, and pulls it off well. This song is reason enough to listen to the disc, but only once. This song is a destination song among a see of bland tracks. “Burns Your Eyes” should have been left off the disc, leaving you with a good taste and wanting to see what might come out in the next couple years that would sound like the previous track, but this song gives more of what else was here, bland nu-metal that just doesn’t forge any new paths.

I really had hopes for this disc, as I really like a lot of the other bands these guys are involved in, but I will just have to hold out for new material from Sevendust and Eye Empire!!

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Tags: Dark New Day, New Tradition

Category: CD Reviews