there must be something said about the cacophony of angst, depression, and rebellion known as hard rock/metal today: some parts of it are actually quite good. though many tend to dismiss the entire genre as pop music for those who hate pop music, bands exist who have successfully transcended the mundane and disturbingly repetitious sound to provide some satisfying and substantial stuff. groups such as Tool and Helmet have proven that, yes, they can make music out to be an art and Chevelle should be added onto this slim, elite list.

Wonder What's Next, the band's sophomore, major label effort, is surprisingly deep. a strange but noteworthy point is the fact that the lyrics don't often refer via first-person. most bands in the genre use the first-person as a sort of emotional centrifuge where they tack on melody, meaning, harmony and everything else involved in the music-making process. the result: most bands aren't only the same superficially, they are also the same substantially. fortunately, Chevelle avoids the customary mechanics of songwriting to create more insoluble music (this is a good thing because it means their music has a lot of though). intense grinders such as "family system," "grab thy hand," and the title track are properly off-set by mid-tempo songs such as "an evening with el diablo," "closure," and the wonderful acoustic closer, "one lonely visitor." bands like Chevelle are hard to find in a genre that has become so drone-like in construction that it rivals the automaton gloss of pop.

Artist: Chevelle
Album: Wonder What's Next
Label: Epic
Rating: 8.5/10