Altsounds - Shinedown - Second Chance

Given that most of the metal output from the sunshine state sounds like a bag of satanic nails being dropped down a windtunnel, Shinedown represent something of a paradox. Virtually unknown in Britain, the Jacksonville quartet sure look like they'd eat your mum's tootsies with a nice Chianti, but the racket they make sounds more like Armageddon. That's the movie soundtrack by the way, not the stuff the Jehovah's Witnesses keep banging on about.

I reviewed Shinedown's last album "The Sound Of Madness" recently, in the process discovering that it's made up of one part enthusiastic nu-hard rock (excepting the blistering, FNO referencing 'Devour') with the equal share being cornball ballads seemingly made for Jerry Bruckheimer to blow things up to in slow motion.

'Second Chance' is the archetype of the latter, vocalist Brent Smith working some kind of hokey redemption schtick, leaving at dawn, tell mom and pops I love 'em, etc. Now, all this is about as "Dangerous" and "Edgy" as toothpicks, and I'm sure everyone at Altsounds is expecting me to load up and give all this made-for-Wal-Mart pastiche a good kick beneath the bible belt. But hold on to your hi-tops: just because something's critically acclaimed doesn't necessarily mean it's any good (The Horrors, anyone?) and if the alternative to these guys is Nickleback, then I'm going Disneyworld every time.

'Second Chance' works for two reasons: one, because Smith refers to seeing Halley's Comet in the lyrics - obviously a deliberate slip as surely he knows it won't be visible again until mid-2061 - but more importantly Second Chance is great to sing when you're pissed out of your fucking mind at three in the morning. Ask my neighbours.