I'm here today to tell you to ignore vocalist Mark Hunter's dreadlocks, the wallet chains, the permanent keyboard/electronics dude , and the fact that they've signed their lives away to Roadrunner, because Chimaira aren't n"u-metal; they're metal and boy-howdy, some of it's pretty good! Ex-Misery Index and Dying Fetus man Kevin Talley is behind the kit now, which ups their cred. If that doesn't do it for you, Rob Arnold's scalding leads should. Still not convinced? Add nasally vocals to leadoff track "Nothing Remains" and try to picture it not being on the last Exodus album. "Save Ourselves" and "Inside the Horror" sound how Sepultura should these days. And don't worry about keyboard/electronics man Chris Spicuzza-he's all about adding industrial-ish noise textures and screechin' 'n' scrapin' to the barrage.

The downside is that Chimaira have thrown songwriting economy out the window-as the tunes average between five and seven minutes, without five to seven minutes of material consistently filling those spaces. Things get repetitive before the midpoint and, if you make it to seven-plus minute closer "Lazarus," downright boring.