Roadrunner United Walkthrough

Roadrunner United was an album that came out a few years ago to celebrate Roadrunner's 20th Anniversary. Roadrunner was one of the early labels that specialized in metal music along with Metal Blade. Early on, the label got in when death metal was just beginning to make major waves. Early on, the label had such death metal artists as Obituary, Death, Deicide, Cynic, Malevolent Creation, and Suffocation. Later on, the artist began dropping these artists in favor of nu metal bands and metalcore bands. Thus began the finger-pointing at Roadrunner for being a trendwhore label. Yes they stick to the more hard rock genres, but they will quickly drop artists who are not popular at the time in favor of acts who are.

This album was an interesting way to celebrate the label's 20th Anniversary. The label found four well-known musicians to front teams and write all but one of the songs. The captains were chosen for their popularity and songwriting abilities. The four captains were Robb Flynn of Machine Head and Vio-Lence, Dino Cazares of Fear Factory, Joey Jordison of Slipknot, and Matt Heafy of Trivium.

I will start with a track by track look at the album and then finish with some final thoughts on the album.

1. The Dagger (Genre: Metalcore/Groove Metal)

Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage): Vocals

Robert Flynn (Machine Head, Vio-Lence): Rhythm Guitar, Vocals

Jordan Whelan (Still Remains): Rhythm Guitar

Christian Olde-Wolbers (Fear Factory): Bass

Andols Herrick (Chimaira): Drums

Jeff Waters (Annihilator): Guitar Solo

Leading things off with a bang, this song features the familiar good cop/bad cop vocal stylings of Howard Jones of Killswitch Engage. The riffing is much more powerful than anything Killswitch has done though. The breakdown features more familiar crooning from the popular singer. Much of the rest of the song is fairly standard groove/metalcore. The guitar solo is impressive, as Jeff Waters usually is. He is not called the Canadian Eddie Van Halen for nothing. He gradually picks up more and more speed before fading out. The trade off vocals at the end between Jones and Robb Flynn lend a little extra jolt of energy as the song is coming to a close. If this lineup recorded an entire album, I might be interested.

2. The Enemy (Genre: Groove Metal)
Mark Hunter (Chimaira): Vocals
Dino Cazares (Fear Factory, Divine Heresy): Rhythm Guitar
Andreas Kisser (Sepultura): Solo/Acoustic Guitar
Paul Gray (Slipknot): Bass
Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour): Drums

This song was the first time I heard anything about Chimaira. It starts off with a little acoustic guitar courtesy of Sepultura's Andreas Kisser. It then dives into a groove/thrash riff with Hunter's desperate gasping screams kicking in. Hunter has always been a good vocalist, it's been the rest of the band that has been the problem. That is not an issue here as Dino keeps things heavy throughout without losing interest. The breakdown with the pounding drums, throbbing bass, and the Kisser solo is probably the highlight of this song. It ends the same way it starts, with acoustic guitars from Kisser. If this lineup recorded an album, I would consider it.

3. Annihilation by the Hands of God (Genre: Death Metal)
Glen Benton (Deicide, Vital Remains): Vocals
Matt DeVries (Chimaira): Rhythm Guitar
Rob Barrett (Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation): Rhythm Guitar
James Murphy (ex-Disincarnate, ex-Death, ex-Obituary, ex-Cancer, ex-Testament): Guitar Solo
Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Testament, Sadus, Autopsy, Control Denied): Fretless Bass
Joey Jordison (Slipknot): Drums

There are lots of death metal veterans on this one. Only DeVries and Jordison look out of place. Glen Benton brings his psychotic layered death vocals to the party over the top of an impressive death groove courtesy of Rob Barrett and Steve DiGiorgio. James Murphy, who has been in several highly influential death metal bands lends a smoking guitar solo to the proceedings. Easily one of the more impressive songs on the album, I would definitely pick up an album by this lineup.

4. In the Fire (Genre: Speed Metal/Traditional Metal)
King Diamond (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate): Vocals
Matt Heafy (Trivium): Lead/Rhythm/Acoustic Guitars
Corey Beaulieu (Trivium): Lead/Rhythm guitars
Mike D'Antonio (Killswitch Engage): Bass
Dave Chavarri (Ill Niño): Drums

Ah King Diamond. King is one of the most influential and distinct vocalists in the genre. The Trivium axe-slingers display their skills on this song. Trivium has always had the musicians capable of putting out excellent music, they have just been a little lacking in the songwriting department. Still, they are very young. King's voice sounds excellent, more powerful than it has sounded in years. Dave Chavarri proves that he is not a nu metal drummer naturally, having spent time in M.O.D., Laaz Rockit, and Pro-Pain among others. This is another impressive track and a lineup that I would check out. It doesn't have the same spooky atmosphere as King Diamond's normal backing band does, but it is good nonetheless.

5. The End (Genre: Hard Rock/Nu Metal)
Matt Heafy (Trivium): Vocals/Guitar Solo
Dino Cazares (Fear Factory): Rhythm Guitar
Logan Mader (ex-Machine Head & ex-Soulfly): Melodic Guitar Harmonics
Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly): Keyboards/Programming
Nadja Peulen (Coal Chamber): Bass
Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour): Drums

This is the single, the big hit from the record. It is a fairly typical power ballad for the time period. It is very catchy and Heafy sounds pretty good. There's not much musically interesting going on as Heafy is the big star here. It's interesting that he never attempted a ballad with Trivium, something that would surely put the band over the top popularity-wise with the Hot Topic kiddies. It's a good song, not a metal song and not something I would consider buying an entire album for.

6. Tired 'N Lonely (Genre: Hardcore/Grunge)
Keith Caputo (Life Of Agony): Vocals/Keyboard
Matt Baumbach (ex-Vision Of Disorder): Rhythm Guitar
Tommy Niemeyer (Gruntruck): Rhythm Guitar
Acey Slade (Murderdolls): Rhythm Guitar
James Root (Slipknot/Stone Sour): Guitar Solo/Harmony Guitar
Nadja Peulen (Coal Chamber): Bass
Joey Jordison (Slipknot/Murderdolls): Drums

The first five tracks have ranged from above average to awesome. This song takes it down a few pegs. Mostly that's because it is aimed at being a post hardcore/grunge type track. There's nothing metal about this song. Caputo's voice is only good in certain circumstances, and this is not one of those. It's annoying and he sounds tired. I would not consider an album by this lineup.

7. Independent (Voice of the Voiceless) (Genre: Groove Metal)
Max Cavalera (Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, ex-Sepultura & ex-Nailbomb): Vocals
Robert Flynn (Machine Head): Guitar/3-part Guitar Harmonies/Keyboards
Jordan Whelan (Still Remains): Rhythm Guitar
Jeff Waters (Annihilator): Guitar Solo
Christian Olde Wolbers (Fear Factory): Bass
Andols Herrick (Chimaira): Drums

The album gets back into things with this groove metal stomp. Max is his usual angry self on this one. The song sounds like something Cavalera Conspiracy would have put out if Robb Flynn was on guitar. It really does sound like a mix of Machine Head and Soulfly. Not a bad song at all. Still it doesn't offer anything that Max hasn't done elsewhere. I am a fan of Max Cavalera though so I would probably consider an entire album of this. Annihilator's Jeff Waters adds another amazing solo to this.

8. Dawn of a Golden Age (Genre: Melodic Black Metal/Gothic Metal)
Dani Filth (Cradle Of Filth): Vocals
Matt Heafy (Trivium): Lead/Rhythm Guitar
Justin Hagberg (3 Inches of Blood): Rhythm Guitar
Sean Malone (Cynic): Bass
Mike Smith (Suffocation): Drums

Here we have an attempted black metal song. It's not a bad attempt, but neither of these guitarists really know how to play black metal. The tremolo riffing is somewhat on point, but that's about it. The drums pummel away unmercifully. Mike Smith practically invented the blast beat. Dani Filth is not as ear-piercingly shrieky in this song as he is in Cradle of Filth. This does sound like a song that would fit in well with latter-era Cradle, which isn't really black metal either. The keyboards give the song a melancholic feel towards the end. Decent song, I would think about buying an album by this lineup, particularly if they replaced the rhythm guitarist.

9. The Rich Man (Genre: Nu Metal)
Corey Taylor (Slipknot/Stone Sour): Vocals
Robert Flynn (Machine Head): Rhythm Guitar/Keyboard
Jordan Whelan (Still Remains): Rhythm Guitar
Christian Olde Wolbers (Fear Factory): Bass
Andols Herrick (Chimaira): Drums

This was probably the most disappointing song on the album. It sounds like an afterthought or an early draft to The End. Corey Taylor has a decent voice, but on this song he doesn't even try. It's a nu metal song, without a doubt. There are no riffs to speak of, just power chords strummed during the screaming chorus. I really thought Taylor would have sounded pretty good backed by a real metal band for once (fuck you Slipknot). Unfortunately, this was not what I had in mind. The samples are really annoying too in this context.

10. No Way Out (Genre: Hardcore)
Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw, Head Automatica): Vocals
Matt Baumbach (ex-Vision Of Disorder): Lead/Rhythm Guitars
Junkie XL (Junkie XL): Programming Synths
Joey Jordison (Slipknot): Drums/Bass

From the most disappointing song on the album to the worst song on the album. Seriously, this one is just plain fucking awful. I usually skip it when I actually listen to this album, which admittedly isn't much lately. Glassjaw was a band that kind of pre-dated the current emo scene and had some influence on it. His voice is FUCKING TERRIBLE and annoying as hell. I can't even comment on the music because it's so hard to get around the awfulness of the vocals to actually hear what's going on. It's sort of upbeat and happy sounding but I don't know. No fucking way would I pick up an album by this lineup.

11. Baptized in the Redemption (Genre: Groove Metal)
Dez Fafara (Devildriver, ex-Coal Chamber): Vocals
Dino Cazares (Fear Factory): Rhythm Guitar
Andreas Kisser (Sepultura): Solo/Wah Wah Guitar Effects
Paul Gray (Slipknot): Bass
Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour): Drums

This one is decent. I have always been a fan of Dez Fafara's voice, particularly his rough vocals, his clean vocals suck. I always felt he would fare better with a metal band than with Coal Chamber. When Coal Chamber broke up and he formed Devildriver, it was what I was hoping for. This song is kind of in between Coal Chamber and Devildriver. It's got more of a slow groove metal feel to it halfway between the nu metal of Coal Chamber and the melodeath influenced groove metal of Devildriver. Not a bad song, but Devildriver is better. I probably would not pick up an album by this lineup just because of the existence of Devildriver.

12. Roads (Genre: ?)
Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth): Vocals
Josh Silver (Type O Negative): Keyboards/Backing Vocals

This is the most unusual song on the album as it was not written by any of the four team captains. Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth has an amazing voice and he only uses his clean vocals on this track, over the top of string synths. A good song, and a melancholic break from the rest of the hard hitting metal/rock songs on the album. I would not like an entire album of this, but this is a decent little song.

13. Blood & Flames (Genre: Metalcore?)
Jesse David Leach (ex-Killswitch Engage, Seemless): Vocals
Matt Heafy (Trivium): Lead/Rhythm/Acoustic Guitars/Vocals
Josh Rand (Stone Sour): Rhythm Guitar
Mike D'Antonio (Killswitch Engage): Bass
Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative): Drums

Jesse David Leach is the original lead singer of Killswitch Engage and left that band because it was too hard on his vocal chords, right before they hit it big. A shame. He's actually a more emotional sounding singer than Jones. His gruff vocals also have a more intimidating sneer than Jones's vocals. I'm not sure what genre this song would fit under, it seems to have elements of a lot of different genres. The groove during the verses is interesting and catchy but they always break down into the chorus.

14. Constitution Down (Genre: Death/Thrash Metal)
Kyle Thomas (Exhorder, Alabama Thunderpussy): Vocals
Matt DeVries (Chimaira): Rhythm Guitar
Rob Barrett (Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation): Rhythm Guitar/Trade-Off Solo
James Murphy (ex-Disincarnate, ex-Death, ex-Obituary, ex-Cancer, ex-Testament): Intro solo
Andy La Rocque (King Diamond): Trade-Off Solo
Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Testament, Vintersorg, Sadus, Autopsy, Control Denied): Fretless Bass
Joey Jordison (Slipknot): Drums

This was actually the first time I had heard Kyle Thomas, known best for his work with the original groove metal band, Exhorder (sorry Pantera). This song is interesting because musically it sounds like a faster-paced, lighter death metal song, certainly so considering the musicians. However, Thomas is not a death metal singer, he sounds more at home with thrash and groove metal. His voice sounds a little out of place, he is attempting to make it fit the music, but it just doesn't. That's not to say that this is a bad song, far from it, it would be great if there was a different singer, maybe someone like John Tardy of Obituary, someone Roadrunner probably had access to.

15. I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero) (Genre: Punk)
Michale Graves (ex-Misfits): Vocals
Matt Heafy (Trivium): Lead/Rhythm Guitar
Justin Hagberg (3 Inches of Blood): Rhythm Guitar
Mike D'Antonio (Killswitch Engage): Bass
Dave Chavarri (Ill Niño): Drums

This song is pure punk. Well, I'm probably wrong about that as I know next to nothing about pure punk. But anyway, at least it sounds like The Misfits which are a well-known punk band. It does have a metallic edge to it which is why I'm probably wrong. But man is it catchy and melodic. The chorus is infectious. A very good, fun song. I own a Misfits album and like to dig it out once in awhile. That's probably enough for me though.

16. Army of the Sun (Genre: Metalcore/Groove Metal)
Tim Williams (Bloodsimple, ex-Vision Of Disorder): Vocals
Robert Flynn (Machine Head): Rhythm Guitar
Jordan Whelan (Still Remains): Rhythm Guitar
Christian Olde Wolbers (Fear Factory): Bass
Andols Herrick (Chimaira): Drums

Despite my unfamiliarity of the music of Vision of Disorder (all I know is that they are probably an early metalcore act with more hardcore elements than metal), I liked this song. This song has kind of a restrained aggressiveness to it. Williams's vocals fit it very well. The breakdown could have been skipped and the song would sound better though. Still not a bad song at all. I would think about an album featuring this lineup, but only with more samples.

17. No Mas Control (Genre: Nu Metal)
Cristian Machado (Ill Niño): Vocals
Dino Cazares (Fear Factory): Rhythm Guitar
Souren "Mike" Sarkisyan (Spineshank): Harmony Guitar
Andreas Kisser (Sepultura): Harmony Guitar
Marcelo Dias (ex-Soulfly): Bass
Dave McClain (Machine Head, ex-Sacred Reich): Drums

This song attempts to infuse a little Latin music flavor. Or just some Spanish lyrics, whatever. It is another nu metal track as there is little to no melody to it except for the choruses. I don't care much for this song, there just isn't much there. I have never cared for Ill Niño and this song did not change that for me.

18. Enemy of the State (Genre: Gothic Metal)
Peter Steele (Type O Negative, ex-Carnivore): Vocals/Keyboards
Steve Holt (36 Crazyfists): Rhythm/Acoustic/Slide Guitars
Josh Silver (Type O Negative): Keyboards/Samples
Dave Pybus (Cradle of Filth): Bass
Joey Jordison (Slipknot): Drums

This was another disappointing song. I love Peter Steele's deep, sad vocals. Unfortunately he doesn't use them to full effect in this song, choosing instead to speak the verses. The choruses are decent and the music definitely has a depressive feel, but the vocals are just lacking. Steve Holt of 36 Crazyfists actually does a decent job with the guitar parts despite the rather notable obstacle of the fact that he generally sucks. It's an okay song, but another missed opportunity.

Final Thoughts:

The major problem with the album is the lack of diversity. Robb Flynn and Dino Cazares seem incapable of branching out very far from groove metal. The most diverse songwriters were Joey Jordison and Matt Heafy who displayed familiarities with multiple genres of metal. The majority of the songs would not look out of place on Roadrunner albums from that time period. This was essentially a cash grab, but a reasonably interesting one. It did not totally disappoint me then, or even now, but it's not an album that I dig out and listen to very often.