Cruel Melody [PA] by Black Light Burns (CD, Jun-2007, I AM: Wolfpack)

This is a great debut album for Black Light Burns. Wes Borland did great on this. Even though i wasn't happy he left Limp Bizkit I love the sound he has on this album. I would definitely recommend this cd to any Limp Bizkit fan, Wes Borland fan, or Black Light Burns fan. It truly is a great cd, Wes made sure of that and put a lot of good work into it. I'm glad he's still around.

I like this album quite a bit....much more heart than limps limp stuff. Wes does not play guitar on the cd, but takes care of the vocals...very surprising.. but he does a great job!

I loved this album. I first heard Wes Borland and Danny Lohner together when they were playing as The Damning Well for a track from the Underworld soundtrack. Then I heard they put Black Light Burns together and I thought the album was amazing.
It's very dark, gothic, and industrial. I'm glad Wes Borland decided to start his own band because he really shows so much creativity in his own music.

By GREG MAKI

Now here’s something I wasn’t expecting. One of the better albums I’ve heard so far in 2007 is the brainchild of a former member of Limp Bizkit. That’s right, someone who was once part of what is probably my least favorite hard rock band of all time has created a captivating piece of music.

The former Bizkit member in question is guitarist Wes Borland, who somehow was able to earn the respect of some of the most ardent Fred Durst haters. I recall many people telling me he was the only good part of Limp Bizkit, but I could never bring myself to listen closely enough to form an opinion. His latest project, Black Light Burns, has nothing remotely in common with the band that made him famous. The outfit’s debut album, Cruel Melody, the first release from I Am: Wolfpack, the label founded by famed producer Ross Robinson (Korn, Limp Bizkit, Sepultura, Slipknot, Fear Factory), is a dynamic collection of songs filled with atmospheric electronics and rhythms, and more than a few angry guitars.

Among those assisting Borland in the studio are Trent Reznor’s former Nine Inch Nails cohort Danny Lohner, who produces and plays guitar, bass and keyboards, and drummer Josh Freese, the current touring drummer for Nine Inch Nails who has also done time with Guns N’ Roses and A Perfect Circle. One would assume Lohner’s influence is in the electronics, while Freese’s aggressive drumming helps much of the album retain a “live” feel. Borland, though, is the heart of the sound, handling vocals, guitar, bass and keyboards. (He’s the only player from the recording who also appears in the live band.) He proves to be a capable singer, lacking great range but able to evoke a wide range of moods through subtle changes to his intensity and volume.

Each of the 13 songs is distinct and memorable. The albums kicks off with “Mesopotamia,” with its catchy refrain of “Mesopotamia/Mesopotamia/You fuckin’ give me the creeps/You fuckin’ give me the creeps” evoking Rated R-era Queens of the Stone Age. On “Animal,” Borland’s soft vocals bring Trent Reznor to mind before the song hits its majestic chorus. The electronic, dance-flavored beat of “Lie,” the first single and video, builds up to its huge chorus. The title track adds an acoustic guitar to the mix, and the almost lackadaisical feel reminds me of the Gorillaz song “Clint Eastwood.”

Borland and company venture into moody, atmospheric terrain for the disc’s final three tracks, “New Hunger,” “I Am Where It Takes Me” and the eight-minute-plus instrumental “Iodine Sky.” This trio of songs serves as an exclamation point for the diversity of the recording. I am eager to see how all of this material is recreated in a live setting. Borland’s black light burns bright, and there’s nothing cruel about his latest offering.

First things first-- this album is 96486987 times better than anything Limp Bizkit has ever released. It's very Nine Inch Nails-ish with the dark, gothy, industrial sounding electronics, but not enough so to make it irritating to listen to. Borland really shows his skills as a talented songwriter/musician throughout, especially with my personal favorites, "Coward", "Animal", and the bluesy "Cruel Melody". Another thing I love about this album is that each song is so different from the next; it's not difficult to remember which song is which.

The only song that I don't care for is the instrumental, "Iodine Sky" at the end; it's almost painful to listen to.

Overall, it's definitely worth buying.