SHINEDOWN, ‘AMARYLLIS’ – ALBUM REVIEW

In a world where bands are deserting the sound that brought them notoriety, artists that stay true to who they are have become scarce. Shinedown is one of those bands that have stayed true to their roots over the years. From their debut album Leave a Whisper to their latest release Amaryllis, Shinedown has continued to deliver quality rock for our listening enjoyment.

Source: Shinedown.com

Being nearly 4 years since Jacksonville-based Shinedown released The Sound of Madness, one was bound to be curious what their fourth studio album would sound like. Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Paramore, My Chemical Romance),Amaryllis is classic Shinedown from the opening guitar and drum riffs of "Adrenaline" to the beautiful acoustic guitar arpeggios of "Through the Ghost." This album flows extremely well, while serving up a collection of agressive, emotion-driven, and catchy tracks. Hard rock anthems reminiscent of "Fly from the Inside" and "Sound of Madness" are still here in the songs "Adrenaline," the lead-single "Bully," and "My Name (Wearing Me Out)."

Tunes such as the title track "Amaryllis," "Unity," and "Miracle" continue the same formula as Shinedown's previous rock-ballad songs such as "Second Chance" and "If You Only Knew." There is even a collection of less mainstream rock tracks on the new album, particularly the eerie "I'm Not Alright" and "Nowhere Kids." However, the award for standout track on this album should be given to the song "For My Sake." Shinedown has brought back the deep and hauntingly honest sound of "Burning Bright" along with the motivation-driven lyrical stylings of "In Memory" to the entire track of "For My Sake." The rock-driven intro, the soul-searching verses, the powerful rock choruses, and the truly incredible outro all make "For My Sake" one of the best Shinedown songs to date. Don't get me wrong, "For My Sake" feels brand new while still containing elements of the same sound that the band has made popular for years. The song ends with what just might be one of the most honest and powerful statements ever sung by lead singer Brent Smith,"I'm never lookin' back, for my sake."

Amidst the punishing rock anthems there is a welcomed softer side to Shinedown as seen in the piano and guitar solo driven "I'll Follow You" and the acoustic brilliance that is "Through The Ghost." These tracks add a level of depth and body to the album while being far from fillers. Lyrics such as, "So many silent sorrows you'll never hear from again / And now that you lost tomorrow, is yesterday still a friend? / All the bridges that we built will burn / Not a single lesson was learned / Everything that mattered is just / A city of dust / Covering both of us" illustrate the haunting honesty of "Through the Ghost" and show off the sheer songwriting talent of Shinedown.

Although I wish that the album was longer, Amaryllis is honestly a great rock record. It is the record that Shinedown has worked towards all these years, serving as their The Joshua Tree, so to speak. Having already achieved mainstream success, the band continues to deliver quality rock tunes that truely cement them in the rock music "stratosphere."

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Purchase Amaryllis on Amazon or iTunes.