Superstarved
Gravity Kills' third album finds the Missouri-based group striking a perfect balance between rock, metal, and industrial, all the while staying within pop-leaning song structures. Strident rhythms, unrelenting intensity, and processed vocals à laMinistryandNine Inch Nailsare the order of the day, though straight-ahead songs like "Love Sex and Money" display surprisingly few technical bells and whistles despite production by Martin Atkins (Pigface, Ministry). "Fifteen Minutes" (of shame, rather than fame) is catchy and lyrically astute. Jeff Scheel's passionate vocals and keen lyrics elevate even average songs--and there are a few scattered aboutSuperstarved. The standouts include the rousing "One Thing," a fairly true-to-the-original cover ofDepeche Mode's "Personal Jesus," the tortured title track, and the edgy "Wide Awake." These musicians may not be groundbreakers, butSuperstarvedis an assured outing by a talented quartet.--Katherine Turman