Review by Andy Valentine
Last year, this is what I wrote in my review of Deadlock’s 2007 album Wolves:
“Truly, the only thing that keeps me from giving this disc a higher mark is I’m thinking this band can do even better. These guys are officially on my radar now, and I am looking forward to the next record. Mark my words, this band will only get better.”
Boy, was I freaking wrong. After releasing what I consider to be one of the best albums of 2007, Deadlock comes out with the biggest disappointment of 2008. Whatever magic, whatever lightning-in-a-bottle Deadlock struck with Wolves is completely missing here. There are little bits here and there, like the opening riff of “Martyr to Science” that show some promise, but otherwise the album just falls flat.
The last album, Wolves, was stuffed with standout tracks. “Code of Honor,” “End Begins,” and “Bloodpact” were all innovative, catchy, soulful, fuckin’ badass tunes. On Manifesto, there isn’t a single track that can match the intensity of even the worst song on Wolves. And it’s not just that there aren’t any good tracks on Manifesto, it’s that there are particularly bad ones. “Deathrace,” for instance, might be the biggest stinker of 2008.
For all the innovative and creative progress Deadlock earned on Wolves, tracks like “Deathrace” effectively erase all credibility garnered by this band. The song is freaking awful. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing necessarily bad about hip-hop influence in metal. Not at all, but stopping a track halfway though, introducing a breakbeat, and having some unknown DJ rap off a couple verses is so 1996. And I freaking hated it back then too.
And what about Sabine Weniger’s beautiful, catchy choruses? Goddamn Wolves had more sing-along parts than you could shake a stick at – every time Weniger’s voice graced that album, it was a revelation. This time around, she comes off as some kind of unnecessary afterthought. After listening to Manifesto 17 times now (according to my iPod), there still isn’t a single track on the album that I could sing-along to. The infectious quality of Deadlock’s last album is completely gone here.
That said however, Weniger’s voice is by far that best part of this album. Her chorus/intro on the track “The Brave / Agony Applause” shows what she’s truly capable of as a vocalist. Problem is, unlike Wolves, the other players in this band haven’t created a worthwhile foundation to showcase her abilities. None of the songs match the blistering and groovy riffage on Wolves cuts like “Bloodpact” and “We All Shall Bleed.”
I almost feel like everybody in this band got lazy but her. She does her best to hold it together, and yeah, there are some decent parts to this album. Little segments of songs that would totally rock if they were part of a more cohesive product. As it is, Manifesto just kind of falls apart before it ever really gets going.
And all of this is just a shame, because Deadlock is capable of doing so much better.
Well, maybe next time. But I’m not counting on it.