CoC : Soilwork - Figure Number Five : Review

Soilwork - _Figure Number Five_
(Nuclear Blast, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (5.5 out of 10)

Soilwork must have been a bit intoxicated by the reactions to their previous album _Natural Born Chaos_, and seem to have decided to release a rushed _Reload_-of-sorts one year later: _Figure Number Five_. Ironically, I actually like this new album marginally better than _Natural Born Chaos_, an album that greatly disappointed me -- although it is true that this one didn't have the same expectations to live up to. _Figure Number Five_ doesn't add any significant new attributes to the mix, except perhaps a bit more electronics; it simply comes across as slightly more inspired overall than its predecessor, or at least it doesn't have as many seriously grating moments (although there's always the terrible solo vocals on "The Mindwalker"). Still, I could swear a couple of these tracks (and especially some of the omnipresent choruses) are near direct adaptations of material from past albums, most notably _Natural Born Chaos_ -- and they still sound a lot like In Flames at times, which is hardly a compliment these days. Both bands seem to have become a caricature of themselves, losing the vast majority of their appeal in the process. _Figure Number Five_ is a decent album, and of course a technically competent one, but also extremely formulaic and still quite uninspired compared to what Soilwork have the potential to do.

Contact: http://www.soilworkers.com

(article published 11/5/2003)

CHATS
13/3/2001	A Bromley	Soilwork: Predators For Pain

ALBUMS
22/2/2005	J Smit	7	Soilwork - Stabbing the Drama
3/7/2002	P Azevedo	5	Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos
13/3/2001	C Flaaten	8.5	Soilwork - A Predator's Portrait
12/8/1999	D Rocher	9	Soilwork - Chainheart Machine
1/10/1998	D Rocher	9	Soilwork - Steel Bath Suicide