Black Light Burns

Still trying to shake the taint of spending his formative years employed by Fred Dust, former Limp Bizkit riff-smith Wes Borland (who provided the most listenable elements of the douche-metal outfit) is back with his second serious attempt at creating his own musical vision. That vision is a winking hybrid of chunky alt-metal, demented country, funky glam, NIN-inspired industrial crunch, sneering punk and a less adept application of the quirky mid-song genre-hopping perfected by Mr. Bungle. Unable to find a suitable vocalist, Borland is again stepping up to the microphone and it remains Black Light Burns' biggest weakness. He simply doesn't have the vocal chops, range or creativity to keep up with the album's often interesting and slightly progressive music and production. If the band were to put more emphasise on their complex and genre-bending instrumental instincts, and/or renew the hunt to find a voice equal to the accomplished musicianship, Black Light Burns might finally be successful in washing the horrible taste of frat-rap out of our minds.