Powering through the tragedy of drummer AJ Pero’s death, Adrenaline Mob felt enough time has passed to develop and release this third full-length We the People. The quartet features Symphony X singer Russell Allen and guitarist Mike Orlando – adding a new rhythm section with bassist David Zablidowsky (there’s a mouthful to say) and drummer Jordan Cannata. At this point though, the 13 songs aren’t really going to vary many predisposed thoughts and opinions on the group – still an amalgamation of modern hard rock and groove metal that may have occasional AOR aspects, but just speaks to lowest common denominator qualities that aren’t very innovative or interesting.
Russell has pipes and can rear back for higher octane action when called for on the title cut – while the Orlando shred action gets into Zakk Wylde territory, only to have a silly back and forth juvenile gang backgrounds for the verses tear things down. Choosing to broaden an arrangement to almost six minutes for “The Killer’s Inside”, the bluesy meets modern riffing has tact, yet seems awfully redundant when not stretching for the benefit of the ideas at hand. The main structures and melodies scream any staple of current rock radio darlings (take your pick: Nickelback, Shinedown, Five Figure Death Punch, etc.), Low-tuned groove/bounce efforts like “Til the Head Explodes”, the blatant Rage Against The Machine-style breakdown within “What You’re Made Of”, or the silly ‘wave them around like you just don’t care’ line for “Raise ‘Em Up” are three reference points for a style that keeps things simple, but offering little in originality down to the execution.
Even when the rhythm section flexes their musicianship skill sets for “Ignorance & Greed”, the tough guy/ Sebastian Bach melodies and bro-core transition flatten the impact, rendering fine china to plastic. Props to picking the quintessential Billy Idol rocker “Rebel Yell” for the closing cover – because in the end, Adrenaline Mob serves up the usual aural stew best reserved for indiscriminate, safe audiences who accept what major media outlets think is ‘cool’ in the heavy music scene today.