Take for instance this happy bunch creating some kind of post-modern "thrash metal" of sorts: wickedly talented musicians, some of which are quite the virtuoso on their instruments, who waste their time, effort and talent on an album such as _The Disease of St. Vitus_.

This album has everything a good metal album needs, by the genre's unwritten classic definition: crisp production, dynamic recording, adrenaline-boosting energy and whatnot. It lacks one major thing though: songwriting. They are also playing in the wrong sub-genre of metal.

Dead Shape Figure should have channeled their enthusiasm and talent to different musical alleys, where their ability could shine; that, or give themselves a slap on the face for recording this At the Gates' _Slaughter of the Soul_ clone of an album, and not even that (and for the record, this reviewer thinks _Slaughter of the Soul_ is a terrible album).

_The Disease of St. Vitus_ sounds like a second-rate bastard son of latter-day Meshuggah (what with that awful 'post-thrash', lightweight industrial etiquette) and the above mentioned At the Gates at the lowest point of their "career". If separately each band is not this reviewer's cup of tea, imagine what almost knee jerk a reaction was generated when hearing this redundancy...

_The Disease of St. Vitus_ is derivative on any level, any way you may look at it. Choosing the wrong stylistic approach or copycatting the sound and style of other, so-so bands is one thing; sounding like a mere clone without an ounce of identity, is another.

So, if you like your metal updated, modern sounding, with some thrashing guitars and some decent melodies, and you're willing to forgive the band's copycatting tendencies and ignore their annoying, try-hard vocalist, then I guess this album is for you.