ARTIST: Shinedown
ALBUM: Threat to Survival
LABEL: Atlantic
RELEASE DATE: September 18, 2015
Staying Strong
Written by Silas Valentino
The irony within the title of Shinedown’s fifth release, Threat to Survival, is that the Jacksonville, Florida rock band’s existence is somehow in question. They’re one of the few bands left to produce the accessible radio rock once blasted alongside Puddle of Mud, Seether and Hinder. Fourteen years in and millions of sales later, Shinedown and their dedicated fanbase remain.
You might recall back in 2009 when their single “Second Chance” broke the band and propelled them onto bigger stages and into wider acclaim. With its mighty chorus – strong enough to pounce any Nickelback number – and singer Brent Smith’s coordinated wail, “Second Chance” is Shinedown’s calling card hit. But through the tenacity and clout of Threat to Survival, Shinedown seem more focused on crafting well-rounded rock records than raising their benchmark. This is a matured band (Smith has exchanged his long hair for a more distinguished cut) and a majority of the 41 minutes in Threat to Survival is spent convincing us of this growth.
No time is wasted to get us started. The first foot forward, “Asking For It,” provides a satisfying and crunchy guitar riff that meets up with Smith’s signature vocals before launching into an arena-ready chorus. This is Threat to Survival’s strongest moment and the synthesizer notes that crescendo during the chorus peak sound like something out of a space arcade game that’s landed on Earth to be repurposed as shiny Shinedown musical fodder. Smith describes with disdain his rumor-spreading counterpart: “You need to tie your tongue/Cause when you spit on everyone/You were arguing and now you’re asking for it.” And the listener can’t waste time picking sides on this he-said/she-said dispute because of the pulsating thrust of melody that’s reverberating out of the guitar amplifiers. “Asking For It” is a hit we didn’t even know we wanted.
The lead off single was the Queen “We Will Rock You”-inspired rhythm of “Cut The Chord.” Following the single’s release last June, Smith posted on the band’s Facebook profile an explanation to the song’s fury: “This is the statement to the world that you will not give up, you will not give in and you refuse to fail! Now is your time… to ‘Cut The Chord!’” The wolfish track begins with Smith detailing some of his finer qualities (how he’s vicious, savage and far from passive aggressive) before the pre-chorus begins to detail the song’s suicidal tendencies. “Switchblade on the edge of your wrist/Can I get a witness?” he poses during the song’s peak. (Note that the word “witness” gets repeated in a manner that would make the Eighties hair metal gods stretch a grin for its multi second, soprano soaring.) The notion of cutting the chord provides a dual meaning: Does Shinedown suggest you cut the chord to (literally) end your life of oppression or does it imply to cut out the aspects of your life that hold you back? Shinedown do not seem interested in answering for you; rather, provide you the question to mull over.
The album’s final offering is the bittersweet “Misfits.” No, there isn’t a Danzig reference hidden within the song’s title; Smith is reflecting on his past where he and his pals disregarded trends for a life-in-the-fast-lane style. It’s a somber finale full of rearview analysis and could close out their concerts with a lighter’s flame held high.
The remainder of Threat to Survival is a fairly blasé affair that won’t discourage any fans nor win over some new ones. Of the eleven tracks, all but one fall between that 3 ½ – 4 minute money mark which suggests Shinedown have perfected their hard rock songwriting to a T. Threat to Survival is consistent but the target they keep hitting isn’t a tough shot.