Albums

Hollywood Undead - Swan Songs

Craig Broad 31/05/2009

Rating: 0/5

Hollywood Undead, much like Slipknot (before their unmasking) seem to pride themselves on covering their faces with anything they can get their hands on. They originally created a buzz way back in 2005 via the what was so new and refreshing then, Myspace music phenomenon, which led to them becoming one of Myspace's top unsigned artists with over 8 million plays and 440,000 friends. 'Swan Songs' is their debut album released via A&M/Octone records and is their chance to prove two things, that they are worthy of all of this online attention and that they can turn online attention into physical sales rather than just see Hollywood Undead slowly fade into history much like many of us see Myspace doing currently.

The first thing of note with Hollywood Undead is that their sound has been done many times before, meshing straight-forward guitar riffs that could easily be found on any Papa Roach or Linkin Park album along with a rapping sound that has quite frankly been heard from anyone who is American. Add to this a lyrical content that tends to fit more with the rap world than the rock world and you find yourself listening to what have to be some of the crudest, most obvious lyrics ever written.

What 'Swan Songs' does contain however, is a sense of fun that is often missing from music. Not a cringe worthy gimmicky Electric Six sense of fun but more so, a getting ready to go out or merely driving in the car sense of fun which can for this reviewer at least, explain a certain level of their popularity for the younger online music fan.

While there is no doubt that Hollywood Undead have created some form of hype, within 'Swan Songs' they will be expected to back it up and sadly, they just can't. Hollywood Undead may be fun and they may be mysterious but they are destined to slowly fizzle out if 'Swan Songs' is anything to go by, filled with forgettable tracks and a huge lack of substance, I for one will be joining a line that petitions for Hollywood Undead to reverse the trend and become dead.

http://www.myspace.com/hollywoodundead