Evolution (album)
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| Disturbed studio album | |||||
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Publication |
19th October 2018 |
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| Label (s) | Reprise Records | ||||
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Title (number) |
10 |
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running time |
43 min 14 s |
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Kevin Churko |
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Studio (s) |
Hideout Recordings, Las Vegas |
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Evolution is the seventh studio album of American Metal - band Disturbed . It was released on October 19, 2018 via Reprise Records .
Emergence
Songwriting
In February 2017, the guitarist Dan Donegan announced that he had already gathered initial ideas for a new studio album and hoped to be able to go to the studio in early 2018. A few days later, singer David Draiman announced an EP with acoustic music before the band will record their new studio album. Such an EP has been in discussion within the band for years, but the time and opportunity for it has always been lacking. According to Draiman, this EP should also contain new songs. Ultimately, however, only the seventh studio album Evolution was announced by the band .
The new album includes many different styles, according to the band. When writing songs, the musicians acted without boundaries and limitations. The band was inspired by numerous classic rock albums that drummer Mike Wengren put on the tour bus during the tour of the previous album Immortalized . David Draiman cited Led Zeppelin , The Eagles , Fleetwood Mac , Elder Genesis , Kansas, and Triumph as examples. The foundations for many songs were laid by Mike Wengren and Dan Donegan in his home studio. Donegan went back to older ideas. The music for the first single Are You Ready was written in 2004. For his lyrics, David Draiman got ideas from Dan Donegan and Mike Wengren for topics to write about. According to Draiman, it feels very comfortable for the band to have all the freedom for the lyrics and not have to limit themselves anymore.
Due to the great success of their cover version The Sound of Silence , originally by Simon & Garfunkel , the band felt no pressure to succeed , according to David Draiman. Rather, the success of their version gave the musicians "the self-confidence not to limit themselves", but simply "to go in every direction in which their creativity leads". The band wanted to work with acoustic elements before. Draiman referred to the ballad Darkness from the second studio album Believe , for which the band had to take a lot of criticism at the time.
“But I said really stupid things back then - I wonder now if I was high when I justified myself for doing a ballad. I was probably young and stupid and exaggerated. [...] It was therefore incredibly liberating to experience what we are capable of. Now we could meet our demand to do something in this direction. "
Recordings
The recordings began at the end of January 2018. As with the previous album, the recordings took place in The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas . The album was produced and mixed by Kevin Churko . During the recording, the band released several videos showing that both acoustic and electric guitars are used. Bassist John Moyer was also involved in the recordings for Evolution. He was not present during the recordings for the previous album Immortalized due to obligations with other bands and projects and was represented by guitarist Dan Donegan. Moyer last played on the 2010 album Asylum . According to singer David Draiman, Moyer only needed two days instead of the estimated week to record his parts.
On May 14, 2018, John Moyer announced via Instagram that the recordings were completed. In contrast to the previous album, the album does not contain a cover version . Although the band recorded a cover version, the band felt that their own material would be stronger and a cover version would not fit the album. Disturbed, however, hold back the recorded cover version for later release. Another reason not to use the cover version on the album, according to singer David Draiman, was that the musicians wanted to avoid listeners comparing the new cover version to The Sound of Silence . Evolution was mastered by Ted Jensen.
publication
At the end of July 2018, the band started an online vote, where the fans could choose whether they want a hard song or a ballad as their first single . Over 80,000 fans cast their votes, with 83% voting for a tough song and releasing a corresponding first single, Are You Ready . Shortly after the release of the first single, singer David Draiman caused a stir when he compared Evolution to Metallica's black album .
“We have always used the black album as a goal - the album on which every single song can be a hit. An album that kicks in doors, that opens up new possibilities for us, that helps you achieve real immortality as an artist. "
The Deluxe Edition of the album contains four bonus tracks: a live recording of the song The Sound of Silence with Myles Kennedy as guest singer, the song This Venom , the song Are You Ready in the Sam de Jong remix and Uninvited Guest . For the songs Are You Ready , A Reason to Fight and No More were music videos rotated. The first was directed by Robert “Roboshobo” Schober, the other two by Matt Mahurin.
background
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The album title Evolution refers to both the band and the music they wrote for this album, as well as the world evolving in chaos and madness. Additionally, the album would attack the way those in power handle it. According to David Draiman, however, the album would not address any particular political side. Further topics are death and loss, especially artists and people from the band environment. According to Draiman, music is a powerful catharsis to deal with.
No More is an anti-war song and is directed against governments that justify wars by lying , as well as against powers that earn money with death and destruction and continue to stir up conflict. A Reason to Fight deals with the subject of addiction . According to singer David Draiman, everyone knows someone else, someone close to them, who struggles with addictions. Guitarist Dan Donegan adds that he has often seen this on the faces of those affected, that they are ashamed because they feel that they have disappointed other people.
“We wanted to write a song with a positive message for the people in this situation. They should remain hopeful and not give up their fight even if it is difficult. It's a daily struggle, but there can always be a light at the end of the tunnel. "
In Another Time is an analysis of social media . Singer David Draiman retired from Twitter in 2015 because he was fed up with trolls and shitstorms . According to Draiman, it became "a childish competition to see who is the most disgusting asshole online". In addition, people would walk around like zombies with phones in front of their faces and "would no longer be able to perceive their surroundings". In the song Hold on to Memories , singer David Draiman ponders how one should honor the deceased. Watch You Burn criticizes the entertainment industry . Already Gone is an opinion of desperation over death.
reception
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Reviews
According to Tom Küppers from the German magazine Metal Hammer “Disturbed deliver exactly what the target group expects with their seventh album”. From "precisely pumping grooves , the unmistakable vocals of Draiman and meter-thick guitars, the quartet carves out band-typical, modern rock hits over and over again". The bottom line is “a boldly produced album with various song outliers”. Küppers rated Evolution with five out of seven points. For Peter Kubaschk from the online magazine Powermetal.de , the album title “already indicates a development”, but it is “as predictable as it is boring and interchangeable”. He rated the four ballads as "extremely repetitive" and also the more aggressive side "couldn't completely convince this time either". Evolution would be “a big step in the wrong direction”, for which Kubaschk awarded 5.5 out of ten points. Spencer Kaufman of the online magazine Consequence of Sound wrote that "the hard songs should please long-time fans" while the quieter songs "should have been released on a separate acoustic EP". Kaufman described the album as "a story of two albums, each with its own identity".
Chart placements
Like its predecessor, Evolution rose to number two in the German charts, number four in Switzerland and Canada, number five in Austria and number seven in the United Kingdom. The album was ranked fourth in the US, ending the streak of five consecutive number one albums for Disturbed. After one week, 71,000 album-equivalent units were sold, 65,000 of which were traditional album sales.
Are You Ready , A Reason to Fight and No More each reached number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. With seven number one songs in a row, the band was able to expand their own record. Disturbed has a total of ten titles at number one on these charts.
Awards
The US online magazine Loudwire led evolution in ninth place of the 30 best hard rock albums of the year 2018. In the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2019 Are You Ready for the category rock song of the Year nominated, but the award went to Greta Van Fleet for the safari song .
Individual evidence
- ↑ DISTURBED Hopes To Enter Studio By Early 2018 To Record Follow-Up To 'Immortalized'. Blabbermouth.net , accessed August 8, 2018 .
- ↑ a b c DAVID DRAIMAN Says DISTURBED Will Record Acoustic EP Before Beginning Work On Next Studio Album. Blabbermouth.net, accessed August 8, 2018 .
- ↑ a b c DISTURBED To Release 'Evolution' Album In October; 'Are You Ready' Video Now Available. Blabbermouth.net, accessed August 19, 2018 .
- ↑ a b c d e Jörg Staude: The Liberation Strike . In: Rock Hard , November 2018, page 22
- ↑ Joe DiVita: DISTURBED's David Draiman: Why Ballads Fit Evolution Album Perfectly. Loudwire , accessed October 21, 2018 .
- ↑ DISTURBED Guitarist Says Music For 'Are You Ready' Single Was Originally Written In 2004. Blabbermouth.net, accessed September 1, 2018 .
- ↑ a b DISTURBED Vocalist DAVID DRAIMAN: 'We Feel Very Comfortable Going In Any Direction We Choose'. Blabbermouth.net, accessed October 7, 2018 .
- ↑ a b c d Sebastian Kessler: After the silence . In: Metal Hammer , November 2018, page 40
- ↑ DISTURBED Guitarist Says Some Of 'Evolution' Album 'Will Completely Surprise People'. Blabbermouth.net, accessed August 19, 2018 .
- ↑ Disturbed fans vote "heavy" over "ballad" for first single from new album. ABC News Radio , accessed October 7, 2018 .
- ↑ Joe DiVita: David Draiman: Disturbed's New Album Is Their 'Black Album'. Loudwire , accessed October 14, 2018 .
- ↑ a b Watch Video For New DISTURBED Single 'A Reason To Fight'. Blabbermouth.net, accessed August 23, 2018 .
- ↑ DISTURBED Releases 'No More' Video, Announces 'Live From Alexandra Palace, London' EP. Blabbermouth.net, accessed June 27, 2019 .
- ^ Eleanor Goodman: Disturbed. Metal Hammer (UK), accessed October 15, 2018 .
- ↑ Chart sources: DE AT CH UK US
- ↑ Tom Küppers: Disturbed - Evolution . In: Metal Hammer, November 2018, page 90
- ^ Peter Kubaschk: Disturbed - Evolution (Album Review). Powermetal.de , accessed on October 21, 2018 .
- ^ Spencer Kaufman: Disturbed's Evolution Is a Tale of Two Albums. Consequence of Sound, accessed October 26, 2018 .
- ↑ DISTURBED's 'Evolution' Ends No. 1 Streak, Opens At No. 4 On BILLBOARD chart. Blabbermouth.net, accessed October 29, 2018 .
- ↑ Chad Childers: DISTURBED LAND SEVENTH STRAIGHT MAINSTREAM ROCK CHART TOPPER. Loudwire, accessed September 5, 2019 .
- ↑ Loudwire Staff: The 30 Best Hard Rock Albums of 2018. Loudwire, accessed November 27, 2018 .
- ↑ Denise Warner: Here Are All the Winners From the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2019. Billboard, accessed March 15, 2019 .