Coal Chamber Albums (4)
'Giving the Devil His Due'
Release Date 1/1/2003
Tracks 20
Label Roadrunner
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
In retrospect, White Zombie was one of the most influential metal bands of the '90s -- their breakthrough album, La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1, relied more on camp theatrics than catchy melodies or guitar riffs, and the follow-up, Astro-Creep 2000, featured an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink production that camouflaged the simplicity of the music. Like many of the more popular alternative metal bands of the late '90s, Coal Chamber owe something to White Zombie's musical approach, often relying on noise, texture, and sheer aggression to put their music across. In following up their debut, Coal Chamber follows the White Zombie blueprint to a tee on its second album, Chamber Music, expanding the production palette to include electronic/industrial sounds, a bit of updated goth (i.e., more by way of Marilyn Manson than Bauhaus), and even a few orchestrations. In pure sonic terms, all of this means that Chamber Music is a better listen than its predecessor, and since it packs just as much of a wallop, it can be seen as a step forward. Plus, in the wake of Orgy's successful cover of New Order's "Blue Monday," there's yet another inexplicable alt-metal cover of an '80s pop song, this time Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey" (performed with special guest Ozzy Osbourne). ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While Coal Chamber's self-titled debut album doesn't sound all that original (White Zombie and Korn are obvious touchstones), they are certainly one of the better bands in the so-called alternative metal genre. Their sound is noisy and powerful, they seem to approach the music with strong emotional commitment, and B. Dez Fafara's vocals are appealingly left-of-center. It's not always consistent -- the riffs aren't always memorable (often due to the use of only two notes), "Amir of the Desert" is an annoying throwaway, and "Sway" earns debit points for recycling the "the roof, the roof, the roof is on fire" chant yet again. For the most part, though, Coal Chamber marks this band as one to watch, and fans of the genre will almost certainly enjoy the record. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
