Saliva Survival Of The Sickest CD

Saliva: Josey Scott (vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion); Chris D. , Wayne Swinny (guitar, background vocals); Dave Novotny (bass instrument); Paul Crosby (drums).
Saliva's major-label genesis was as a swaggering rap-rock commodity, clicking and booming their way into the gaming consoles and frontal lobes of teenage wrestling fans nationwide. They quickly and wisely backed away from that goofy flash-in-the-pan sound, but the eventual Back into Your System had muddled post-grunge issues of its own. Saliva haven't yet found their footing with Survival of the Sickest, their third effort for Island Def Jam. But it's closer to the album they've probably always wanted to make, and that's a victory for a band working within the industry's hopelessly constrictive stylistic boundaries. Survival eagerly amplifies the after-market Southern rock of 3 Doors Down and latter-day Kid Rock while toasting heavy music heroes Monster Magnet and contributing a few power ballads along the way. At first, Saliva frontman Josey Scott wears the jilted angry guy tag. "You music business whores are all about just getting paid," he spits in "Rock & Roll Revolution," and the song's sledgehammer rhythms are refreshingly at odds with Saliva's rap-rock-coddled past. Still, Scott isn't completely discounting history's spoils, as he happily revels in twin guitars and two-girls-for-every-guy rock star debauchery on "One Night Only" and the title track. Scott and Saliva also aren't angry enough at the system to avoid glowering, melodramatic plods like "No Regrets, Vol. 2" ("Kill myself for loving you") or "Open Eyes," material comparable to post-grunge also-rans like Chevelle or even the bombast of -- say it ain't so! -- Creed. These bows to bland accessibility are disappointing, since their flip side is an angrily patriotic tirade like "Two Steps Back" -- it arrives complete with a stinging riff and a dig at the Dixie Chicks -- or massively compressed, hard-head rockers like "Carry On" and "F*** All Y'All." The gentler "Razor's Edge" proves also where Saliva could be; it's a faithful Skynyrd update highlighted by a guest shot from 3 Doors vocalist Brad Arnold. It's in these moments that Saliva make a play for loud rock validity informed with Southern pride. That said, it's too bad the rest of Survival of the Sickest panders to unimaginative industry and genre posturing. ~ Johnny Loftus
Saliva's third effort for Island Def Jam has completely excised the rap-rock overtones of their original model, adopting instead an amplified hard rock sound informed by the band's Southern roots. There's still some pandering to major-label stylistic cataracts -- "No Regrets, Vol. 2" and "Open Eyes" are forgettable plods comparable to post-grunge also-rans like Chevelle. But Saliva make up for it with a clutch of massively compressed hard-head rockers that revel in rock star debauchery even while railing against the plasticity of the industry. "You music business whores are all about just getting paid," frontman Josey Scott spits in opener "Rock & Roll Revolution," and the song's sledgehammer rhythms are refreshingly at odds with Saliva's rap-rock-coddled past. But Scott can't completely dismiss success -- he happily revels in the twin guitars and two-girls-for-every-guy spoils of "One Night Only" and the title track. Other highlights include the patriotic rant "Two Steps Back" and "Razor's Edge," a faithful Lynyrd Skynyrd update featuring 3 Doors Down vocalist Brad Arnold. ~ Johnny Loftus
On SURVIVAL OF THE SICKEST, Saliva largely forgoes the rap-metal and post-grunge sounds that characterized the group's previous albums in favor of an old-school, Southern rock-informed brand of blazing power metal. The riffs are simpler, the melodies catchier, and the lyrical sentiments more up-front than ever before, making for a particularly bracing listen. On "Rock & Roll Revolution" and the title track, Saliva sounds like a combination of early Metallica and Lynyrd Skynyrd, but witEntertainment Weekly (p.165) - "[H]is aching redemption songs and seething revenge tirades give the album a sharp contemporary edge." - Grade: A-