Virus 7 is a short lived Nu metal/alternative metal band
from Sweden, which gain a tiny amount of notoriety due largely to the fact that
Mercyful Fate guitarist, Hank Shermann happens to be a member. Now, why would
an established musician within the heavy metal community decide to anchor such
a seemingly mediocre band? Well, that’s none of my business. I mean, I have no problem
when a musician decides to dabble in another style or even a completely different
genre. I would imagine most musician have an affinity for other music besides
the genre they play and with it, a desire to explore those interests. I suppose
c'est la vie.
Justification aside, let’s talk about the music. As I said,
the sound here is prime Nu/alternative metal era to the core. The equation:
blissfully simple guitar riffs, radio rocking vocals, drums that any Guitar
Hero fan could master and a pinch of hip-hop influence thrown into the mix. Even
with those simplest elements that most metal enthusiasts balk at, some bands
were actually able to create a rather memorable and enjoyable listening experience.
I must admit, although Virus 7 lacks much in the way of musical innovation, “Sick
in the Head” is a rather catchy album with a few tunes that stuck in my head
after I listened.
The first mention has to go to Shermann’s guitars, which aside
from his name, bears no real resemblance to his reputation. The guitars, are in
fact, simplistic, groove laden, chugging chords that play through the majority
of the album. However, they do shine from time to time with an occasional solo
and some modern sounding (for the era that is) rhythms that help keep a few songs
in particular on this song fresh and interesting. (See my highlights)
As for the rest of the music, well for starters the drums,
are pretty much what you would expect. Bare bones and neither establish themselves
as a major player or stand out in any sense of being powerful or explosive.
They are clearly heard throughout the album, but more so just along for the
ride. The bass, believe it or not, actually plays a vital piece to most of
these songs, as it’s thick overtone can be heard behind the scenes for the most
part. This extra dose of heavy tone really helps the Nu Metal atmosphere by
adding an additional layer that is often absent from the genre. As for Edgar
Paul Allen’s vocals, I’m indifferent on their overall ability, but I must admit,
for this kind of music they fit nicely. Other than perhaps a mid 90’s groove
outfit, I don’t think his voice would go over too well in most metal formats,
but as I said, for this radio metalish material, they meet the minimum requirement
for enjoyability.
At the end of the day, “Sick in the Head” is an
underwhelming display of musicianship, but a pretty decent Nu metal album for
the time. Those unable to find any joy in the simplistic nature of Nu metal
will no doubt toss this record to the trash, but if you enjoyed the sounds of
the era, there will be a few track here you might enjoy.
Highlights: “Sick in the Head” “You Better Believe” “Last
Chance”
Rating: 2.5
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