Artist: Cauterize
Album: Disguises
Label: High4Records
Purchase: Kill the 8
Release Date: June 12, 2007

Overall: 7.0
Music: 7.5
Lyrics: 7.0
Production: 7.0

This pop rock band just released it’s 3rd album, Disguises, on June 12th, 2007 to some very anxious fans. The album opens with “Love in The Attic” which begins with a steely drum/guitar solo. I rolled my eyes at the expectation of another average rock song, but was happily surprised when the vocals chimed in. Lead vocalist Jesse Smith’s smooth yet powerful voice was actually a perfect match for the song, giving it everything that it lacked. Had he added anymore emotion to his voice, the song would have been too overpowered with vocals and intstrumentals. The 2nd song “Closer”, however, strayed away from the preconceived “pop” genre, flashing a fuller rock sound, but straining his voice in the middle.

By the proceeding song “Don’t Stop Now”, Cauterize slowly gets back to their pop beginning and even has momentary acoustic vocals paired with melodic backings. Strangely, I enjoyed the next 2 songs, “Minor Key Symphony” and “Dare to Scream”, because they begin traveling towards a soft rock and consistent sound. Upon review of the album, it seemed to me that the band refused to stick with one genre in their songs and instead introduced a vast variety among the tracks.

This little skipping game continues throughout the rest of the CD, with an adequate amount of heavier songs splashed with the refreshing handful of mellow tunes. “Paper Wings” and “Porcelain” stand out on the album as being the most acoustic and slow of all the tracks, and render me quite favorable towards the difference in sound.

Someone had told me the Cauterize had been riding on the edge of pre-famosity for quite a while, yet they never managed to reach the upper level for some reason. After listening to the songs numerously, I realized why.

This band does not really have a distinguishable overall sound.

The fan pool is seemingly split when some adore the slow melodies and others love the heavier rock. As many times as I listened to the entire album, I did not feel anything emotionally, which I think is due to unoriginality in some of their songs. Don’t get me wrong you hardxcore Cauterize fans, some songs were extremely heartfelt, but for the most part I felt like I was listening to same old fluff. The few stand out tracks provided an interest hook for listeners, but the rest of the album overall seemed to reach no true depth. If they choose a concrete genre and apply it to all of their songs I am sure we would see them rise up through the ranks quicker. While they already have an unquestionably grand fan base, their potential should surely earn them more.

Track Listing:
1. Love In The Attic
2. Closer
3. Don’t Stop Now
4. Minor Key Symphony
5. Dare You To Scream
6. The Devil In Lace
7. Porcelain
8. Wake To The Sun
9. Slivers
10. Tremble
11. Miracles Or Medicine
12. Paper Wings