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By JEFF MAKI
Produced by Colin Richardson, Fightstar's Grand Unification (April 17, 2007) is not exactly the metal album you'd expect. The band has more in common with Bush or 30 Seconds to Mars than Machine Head or Fear Factory. That's not necessarily a bad thing, just not to my overall satisfaction. (You can preview the album here, by the way)
The band, hailing from London, England, has become widely popular overseas, selling more than 50,000 albums in the U.K. Their debut spawned two charting singles, “Paint Your Target” and “Grand Unification Part 1.” This makes sense, as the band is custom fit for airplay. This isn't metalcore or emo that the Trustkill label tends to lean toward. Fightstar's music, though heavier than most alternative rock bands, would have been right at home in the late '90s when all you could hear in the UnitedStates was alternative rock. “Grand Unification Part 1” is a solid, driving rocker, while “Paint Your Target” switches from acoustic-driven rock to an outburst of aggression here and there. The vocals fit the music well and are similar to Gavin Rossdale of Bush and Bullet For My Valentine's screaming parts. “Build an Army” is one of the stronger songs here, accessible enough for radio play but also packing heavy riffs and screams. As the album spins away, it becomes evident that Fightstar does not stray far from the straightforward formula of the first few songs, save for a few piano-laden pieces toward the end of the record or the U2 guitar sound of “Open Your Eyes.” “Mono,” like the title suggests, is a tad sleepy.
For what they are, Fightstar performs well, but stay away if you're a die-hard metalhead. Fans of alternative rock should snatch this thing right up and do whatever it is they do. But, then again, maybe those Brits know something us Americans don't. After all, they have brought us a wealth of great bands since the birth of rock n' roll. Fightstar just doesn't seem to be one of them.
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