Static-X
Cannibal

"Cannibal," released last April 3, marks the return of the original guitarist: Koichi Fukuda.

One of the new tracks, "No Submission" has been available since early winter 2006 in the Saw III soundtrack. The full track was also published on the band's MySpace page. "Cannibal" was already released as a digital single download on iTunes at the beginning of the year. "Destroyer" was already heard as a single on American radio in February, before the album's release. The videos have also been done for a while. A promotional EP of Cannibal has also been released. The EP contains the album versions of "Cannibal," "No Submission" and the radio edition of "Forty Ways."

On March 20, the publication of "Cannibal" was preceded by the exclusive release of the "Destroyer" EP.

From one album to the next, Static-X makes the title track the best of the lot: "Cannibal," the energy is the same, yet there's something different, with Shadow Zone and Star A War Static-X had "melodized" their "noise," "Cannibal" is a punch in the face to those who expected another melodic album. I would describe the album as very "harsh". I sense the skill and ease even in "No Submission," what I mean to say is that it feels like a return to 1999 with that 'Wisconsin Death Trip' that marked the band's debut, but we are in 2007, on one hand, it's positive because they have proven to be unpredictable, but this does not mean that the album is better than the previous ones, yes, it is very enjoyable, but it doesn't reach the level of 'Wisconsin Death Trip' and much less that of 'Shadow Zone'. But still, we also have sweet moments here, "Behemoth" and "Chemical Logic". Needless to say, they are masters of nu/industrial: "Destroyer," "Forty Ways," "Chroma-matic"; yet, I feel superficiality in the composition of this album, there's no longer the justified anger of 'Wisconsin Death Trip' or the passion of 'Shadow Zone'... We can't wait to become mature, but maybe things were better when we were unripe.

Fortunately, I said mature, not rotten, evident artistic maturation, "Cuts You Up," "Reptile" and a continuous futuristic vision: "Electric Pulse". "Goat" and "Team Hate" confirm for me that in this album, there are no gems at the level of "I'm With Stupid," "Permanence," "Black And White," "Control It," "The Only," "Invincible", or yet, "I'm The One" and "Star A War", not even the title track is at the level of any one of these gems.

Nevertheless, it remains a well-made album, worth four stars.