Cruel Melody by Black Light Burns

Wes Borland went threw many musical stages before creating his first solo project with Black Light Burns, "Cruel Melody". He was once the guitarist of the band "Limp Bizkit", but quit due to very big musical differences. Then he attempted to make music with, "From First To Last", but that didn't seem to work either.

The band's genre is a mix of ambient and progressive industrial. Black Light Burns consists of Wes Borland, Josh Freese and Danny Lohner. The other two Wes had in his band had also once been members of Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle, which was exactly what he wanted to have. He needed two others who he could collaborate his music with people who already have experience.

The only song on the album that gets kind of old is the first song on it, "Mesopotamia." But after that song is over and you get into the song, "Animal", you'll start to feel what the style is turning into. Their only hit song, "Lie" gave the album some success and a music video. It's also very catchy and you'll get caught singing it in the shower, so be careful.


"Coward" has a really intense guitar riff, but lacks the power of the other two before it. Although, the next song, "Cruel Melody" is the best song on the album lyrically, and is a small hint of what comes at the end of the album. "The Mark" and "Stop A Bullet" is a song where you can fully here every band member doing something unique with the instruments they play. "One Of Yours" is the last heavy song on the album and seems almost like an end to the first part of the record itself. What I mean is, the other three songs to me, are almost like it's own album.

"New Hunger", a down-tempo song with heavy climaxes is easily the strongest song on the album. It has a very calming, but sensual feel to it. The next song, "I Am Where It Takes Me", is a very simple song lyrically, but keeps that soft sound to it. Johnette Napolitano sings with Wes Borland and gives it a beautiful feeling. And that's how the album ends. With the final track, "Iodine Sky", an eight minute ambient song, it shows where the band can go in terms of stretching their music taste. 

This album is a must get for it's ability to move from genre's and keep an impressive taste for the listener. Keep an eye out on this band because they have a new album coming out in 2011.