Don’t judge a book by a cover is something taught to children all throughout their childhoods. Another axiom taught to people is the “sophomore jinx,” which usually is a hill most people are unable to get over. Disturbed seem out to destroy both of those axioms with their new album Believe. With their second album, Disturbed shows their growth as well as their desire to make people challenge the rules, just as they have by shattering the two aforementioned axioms.

With song titles such as “Prayer,” “Rise,” “Bound,” and “Darkness,” Disturbed seems to try to address the symptoms of society. With the first couple of songs, Disturbed’s lyrics seem to stick out at the listener. On “Prayer,” David Draiman sings “Let me enlighten you,” and on the next song “Liberate,” he sings “Liberate your mind.” Draiman seems to want to assist in the alleviating of the symptoms of society. Both songs are great songs, even without the lyrics, as Disturbed’s knack for songwriting.

“Awaken,” continues to address society’s symptoms, as Draiman sings “Awaken yourself,” again trying to wake the listener up to reality. While the songs riffs may not be as catchy as the first two songs, the lyrics make up for it, creating a balance between the two. The balance leads to an enjoyable experience for the listener, as the listener can still enjoy the song.

The album’s title track, “Believe,” is a notch down from the other songs on the album; however the lyrics remain just as good. Draiman pretends to be g-d as he sings about what lies do to you. The next song “Remember” seems to try and remedy the song before as Draiman seems to confront the personal demons of himself as well as society. Draiman seems to want to do what the title track says and that is “and try to believe,” and face the demons. The songs “Believe,” and “Remember,” go together, for they seem like a musical autobiography to Draiman’s religious upbringing and his current state.

The next song “Intoxicating,” seems to mock drug use. As Draiman sings “the world will get you high,” which seems to try and make drug use seem even more irrational than it already is. The song is not as catchy as the other songs on the album but as this album proves, the songs are double-sided, music and lyrics and this song shows that the music need not to be good for the song to be good.

The beginning of “Rise,” gives the impression of Sabbath-esque, riff. Disturbed’s focus on lyrics seems to stay the same, however the music seems to have risen up, as the song title says, to the lyrics, something which Disturbed seems to have had trouble doing earlier on during the album.

“Mistress,” is a song which uses personification to show what can happen when trust is given in the wrong places. As Draiman sings “Look at what you’ve done to me, you’ve become my enemy,” implying that too much faith was put in something that didn’t do what it was supposed to. The song is one which carries a huge burden as it is on the border of the last third of the album and it entices the listener to continue listening.

The next two songs “Breathe,” and “Bound,” seem to supplement each other. “Breathe,” talks about releasing “your life,” while “Bound,” seems to want to keep the release and stop the thing from “changing me.” The songs are, however, different as “Breathe,” is on the lighter side while “Bound,” is a more sinister sounding song. They do what they are supposed to do which is to show that no matter how hard someone tries to change you, you must maintain your life from its “release,” from where it was being kept by others.

The next “Devour,” seems to be a continuation from the previous two songs. As Draiman sings “I will devour you,” the empowerment in his voice seems to be from success he has enjoyed from overcoming the demons present in the previous two songs. The music has an upside as well, as Disturbed balances the song between the two, and doesn’t and doesn’t try to hard to make something happen and lets the music and lyrics do what they are supposed to.

The last song “Darkness,” is the one song that seems out of place on the album because of the piano and cello, used in it, however, the lyrics say just the opposite. Draiman seems to have found the power to “Believe,” however, he realizes that he needs help to do it. “Darkness,” is a ballad for anyone going through hard times and can’t seem to get through the hard times. Draiman is telling the listener to get help and so that they will be able to “breathe again, on my own.”

The album is one which shifts focus from the demons of society to that of the individual. Disturbed’s creativity with songwriting and Draiman’s excellent lyrical work, give the sophomore jinx, and don’t judge a book by its cover axioms a swift kick. The smack in the face delivery of the lyrics as well as the music accompanying the wake up call give the album its legs. Disturbed’s “Believe,” has the potential to destroy any preconceptions that anyone may have. The world was warned with “The Sickness,” and will now “Believe,” that once you are “free,” anything is possible.

Links:
Official Disturbed Website

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