Spineshank - Self-destructive Pattern (CD)

All Music Guide

After launching their career with a debut album inspired largely by Fear Factory's patented brand electrodeathmetal, and then transitioning towards the era's prevalent numetal trends with their second, Los Angeles' Spineshank succumbed even further to commercial pressures with their third opus, 2003's SelfDestructive pattern. Essentially a hard rock album accentuated with sporadic metallic attitude, spiked with pseudotechno inflections, and sprinkled with rapmetal distractions, SelfDestructive Pattern didn't do much justice to the band's aggro roots, but it did contain a handful of singles boasting serious crossover potential…in an Alien Ant Farm or Papa Roach kind of way. "Violent Mood Swings," "Smothered," "Tear Me Down" and the almost Linkin Parkesque "Forgotten," in particular, seemed ideally suited for both rock radio airplay, and allowing them to barely squeak onto Ozzfest's second stage, if they were so inclined. But despite showcasing a budding versatility from vocalist Johnny ...Santos, neither these nor cosmetically correct (if terribly derivative) numetal candidates like "Slavery," the title track, and "Stillborn" (containing a final few nods to Fear Factory) seemed likely to distinguish Spineshank from the growing mass of selfparodying (yet, for the most part, less conflicted) bands of their ilk. And a verdict would never be reached, in any case, since the internal strife that had contributed to Self Destructive Pattern's convoluted creation wound up culminating in Santos' departure mere months after its release thus somewhat fulfilling the prophecy of its title, if nothing else. - Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide Read more Less