Chevelle - Wonder What's Next
(Epic, 2002)

Bands can be labeled into four distinct groups. The first is a band that has come along and has completely reinvented the wheel, such as a band like Tool. Next, you have bands that don't reinvent the wheel, but they build on earlier work and add their own flavoring. Thirdly, you have bands that don't reinvent anything and stick to a confirmed and already developed style, but it's still done skillfully. The last is a band that attempts to mimic their idols and fails miserably due to naivety or lack of talent. I would say Chevelle probably falls directly into the third category.

Wonder What's Next resembles a devolved and commercialized version of Tool. The band members play Tool-esque guitar patterns and display a modicum of experimentalism, but they still retain some of the trademarks of the prototype rock band of the new millenium: an Incubus-style vocalist, pitch-perfect harmonies (almost to the point of nausea), and a tortured, downtuned, nu-metal guitar blast. Here's the deal, I like this record, but it does little for me in the end because of the shameless Tool imitations. I do hesitate to call them imitations, because the fact is these musicians have the technical ability. The songwriting can be quite dull at times, especially on the lead singles (The Red isn't going to win any originality awards), and the production can be harsh. Yet, in the end, if what you always wanted was a stripped down Tool with shorter songs, a semi-weak Metallica crunch here and there, and mostly soaring, chorused vocal work, here you go. Don't get me wrong, this is decent stuff, but it isn't anything new. I'll say they have potential and leave it at that.

Rating: 2/5