Ahh, good old metal-there really is nothing like it,
including the recent rap/metal hybrids that've taken a good thing way too
far. Systematic's debut is a slab of hard-pounding, gut-wrenching rock,
with a lead singer (Tim Narducci) who can actually sing and crunchy
riffage you can bang your head to. For someone who spent most of her
teenage years curled up with MTV's Headbanger's Ball every Saturday night
(what can I say? I had no social life), this kind of thing . . . well,
it's soma for the soul. Someone once did a study that showed that there
were people who found the grinding, pounding, earsplitting din of heavy
metal relaxing. These people are called headbangers, and if you are or
ever have been one, then Somewhere in Between is for you. This album, by
the way, was produced by Metallica's Lars Ulrich, which just goes to show
that drummers have musical sensibilities too. While there's the occasional
very audible influence ("Bedsores" sure sounds like someone in the band is
a serious Alice in Chains fan), for the most part Systematic is all about
good old-fashioned guitar-driven metal. So refreshing. Forget Snickers,
this satisfies.
-- Originally appeared on Gothic.net, August 2001