DIVINE HERESY's "Bleed the Fifth" has got to be one of the most anticipated releases of the year, but can it live up to all the hype? The band marks the return of the industrial metal pioneer Dino Cazares from FEAR FACTORY. Dino’s split from FF was anything but amicable, but in death metal, what is? People wondered out loud if Dino’s next project would be a continuation of what he the FEAR FACTORY style, or something different. Then, when the new band was to include former NILE bassist Joe Payne, and VITAL REMAINS / HATE ETERNAL drummer Tim Yeung, the table was set. Would the meal measure up? Well, it doesn't.

All this talent, and the music falls short. First of all, it is not a continuation/evolution of FF, but there are some similarities. Dino’s guitar playing is as tight as ever, and he even uncorks some solos on this record. His riffing will be familiar ground to all his fans, but it's all by-the-numbers. He never seems to take any chances, thereby staying in the realm of the mundane. Tim Yeung’s drumming is stellar, so precise that I wondered at times if he was really a robot or something. However, his drumming can only be as good as the songs he plays, and unfortunately these generic songs restrict his performance. Vocalist Tommy Vext alternates between hardcore growls and some refreshing clean vocals. He's got potential, but much like the rest of the band, the potential is never realized.

You've heard it all before and it's been done much better. Down tuned riffs, double-bass, lyrics about society/hate/religion, and hardcore vocals. I'm yawning as I type this. With all these stars, how come this isn’t a better record? I guess the best DIVINE HERESY song has yet to be recorded. The potential is here for a much better follow-up because there's really nowhere else to go but up after this mess.

- Murtaugh

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/divineheresyband

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