FLAT BLACK

It's always heartbreaking when a band member leaves a favorite band. Such is the case when Jason Hook, lead and founding guitarist of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, left the band in 2019. Hook wasn't just a token guitarist. He was a key part of the band's style. Hook's guitar solos were a major part of the band, and everything the band released really had his stamp on it.

Change is constant in the music world, however, and Hook is back with "Dark Side of the Brain", his new band FLAT BLACK's debut album. Lead single, "SIDEWAYS", sends a clear message: Hook is continuing with his well-established brand of guitar-centric hard rock and metal. The track is an absolute rager, with thunderous, headbanger-worthy rhythms and thick guitars alongside a strong, melodic and catchy chorus.

In general, "Dark Side of the Brain" doesn't veer too far from the core FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH sound, but it certainly has its own identity and stands on its own. The album's lead track, "IT'S OK TO BE ANGRY", certainly conveys an angsty vibe, with powerful screaming from vocalist Wes Horton coupled with his more melodic vocals. In addition to FIVE FINGER, this song, and much of the album, recalls bands such as SEVENDUST and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, delivering a mix of melodic and harder-edged metal music.

Throughout the album, one aspect that stands out is the sheer variety of tempos and styles. The tracks don't all sound the same, and while each song has that guitar-heavy sound, there's an appropriate mix of mid-tempo rockers, melodic metal and, as evidenced in "NOTHING TO SOME", even a dash of death metal growls, provided by none other than SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor, who adds a hard edge to the track.

"UNWANTED" is a mid-tempo metal anthem with choppy guitars and a soaring chorus, as Horton declares that he doesn't need his foe. "HALO" really shows off Hook's guitar playing, as he indulges in a head-spinning guitar introduction that hits the listener like a brick. The album also features a short atmospheric, instrumental interlude in "YOUTH N EYES".

Hook stands on his own with "Dark Side of the Brain". The album might garner comparisons, but those who listen closely will hear that Hook is moving ahead with something fresh and new to say.