TWIN METHOD

It seems like every summer, Crash Music rolls the dice on one relatively big project, one that stands out from their usual fare of licensed albums from Europe. None of their hopefuls from the past few years have really set the world on fire – anyone still talking about MY FATE or BRICK BATH? — but both of those bands were decent, and it's a safe bet they were hindered as much by lack of promotion budget as anything else.

TWIN METHOD is the new kid up to bat, and they're touring with DROWNING POOL this summer, so hopefully the promo machine will give them a bit more of a break. This young U.K. sextet (two singers and a "vocalist/programmer") recorded with ex-MACHINE HEAD axeman Logan Mader, capturing a sound that's pretty damn accessible — there are some smooth, heavily programmed moments that will recall LINKIN PARK, mixed with a more abrasive dose of everything from PITCHSHIFTER to SOIL and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE. Sure, there's a definite "day late and a dollar short" feeling here, but these kids write some damn catchy songs, it can't be denied.

With all those vocalists, there's a bit more emphasis on harmonies, as on the radio-ready "Twelve". There's still a fair bit of harsh singing, but overall TWIN METHOD are about accessible grooves — even on the SLIPKNOT-inflected "The Abrasive", there's an urgent, almost poppy verse which just happens to have a deathly bellow over it. There's a little drum-n-bass production trickery in "Lost Signal" that only serves to reinforce the that's-so-1999 vibe, but the song has an asskicker of a chorus, which makes it easy to forgive a lot.

TWIN METHOD is the sort of band you can't help but root for, and it's hard to resist the urge to bump up their rating a little bit. The fact remains that "The Volume of Self" is a flawed record — it has very little individual personality, and it's a little too pat and slick, targeted to a mainstream radio market that'll never touch them on such a small label outside its payola system. But it's not every day that such a bunch of young kids can come right out of the box with such a professional, well-put-together album, displaying some frightening talent and scads of potential. Worth checking out for those of you into more accessible fare, and definitely a band to watch — there's no telling how far TWIN METHOD could go, given the chance to develop further.