Enduring hard rock vets
Filter
return after a seven-year absence, during which time quite a lot happened in the world and in the band's orbit. With global turmoil and a pandemic in hand, the
Richard Patrick
-fronted outfit set out to initially create a follow-up to their classic 1995 debut,
Short Bus
, but those so-called "ReBus" sessions eventually morphed into a different beast in the form of the intense eighth set,
The Algorithm
. Nailing nostalgic fan service without sacrificing sonic growth or a relevant message (much like 2016's
Crazy Eyes
), the LP nestles into the sweet spot between their familiar, post-industrial, aggro-alternative attack and a timely lyrical focus that is quite clear to those paying attention. Opener "The Drowning" is a time machine to the '90s in the most flattering way possible: dark, churning, and angsty. But that classic
sound is soon twisted by the downtuned guitars and chaotic electro-squabbles of "Up Against the Wall" and the closing segment of this early triptych, "For the Beaten," a skull-rattling, industrial dubstep assault that features one of
's catchiest choruses. As
Patrick
cries to the heavens, "World on fire/Down to the wire/We have the right reasons/Fighting for the beaten," his desperation and anger about the state of the United States in a post-2016 landscape is palpable. That frustration seethes through the entirety of
, and
doesn't mince words about his intended targets, laid out on the sing-along rock epic "Summer Child" with the line, "I've seen divisions have been made/Sold to us with fake grace by an impotent king." That politically charged sentiment has been a part of the
package for decades, but it's refreshing to hear
's brand of vitriol delivered with a signature howl that can still level a city block (even with the understandable wear and tear of age). Other highlights include the straightforward rocker "Obliteration," the throbbing pogo-stomper "Face Down," and the towering cinematics of "Be Careful What You Wish For," which features a driving industrial beat that churns atop haunted atmospherics.
closes on a surprisingly soft note, with the midtempo, acoustic guitar-backed "Burn Out the Sun" providing some bittersweet musing and "Command Z" utilizing computer commands to help
escape this messed-up reality. Overall, it's one of
's best, another late-era gem that marries the comforting and familiar with the new and exciting. ~ Neil Z. Yeung