Filter - The Trouble With Angels

Looks like the ol' boys still got it!I have to say, I haven't really followed Filter too closely over the years; aside from the track Hey Man, Nice Shot, I really couldn't tell you any song titles from their catalog.  It's not that they don't rock, because they do, but I think I always just viewed them as a NIN knock off.  Once NIN broke big, there were alot of copy cat bands that came out, and so the market just got too saturated for me. 

Well Richard Patrick and Co. have just released their 5th studio record called The Trouble With Angels.  I have to say that I was impressed after putting this CD, because it turned out being quite a bit more solid than I had originally thought.  This band is more than a NIN clone, by offering a nice mix of hard modern rock and industria.  I actually found some cool grooves on the CD like on the track No Love.  There is this cool heavy groove groove that gets the foot tapping and the head nodding.  Another track that I found interesting, is No Re-Entry where Patrick sings with so much conviction, that he comes off sounding like Jaz Coleman (Killing Joke).

I would say the first half of the record is okay, but with a few standouts.  It is the latter part of the record that I think some of the stronger tracks lie.  Tracks like the killer Catching A Falling Knife will keep you hitting the back button on your CD player repeatedly.  It has the vibe of Hey Man, but takes it to a new level.  This track make the whole CD worth the price of admission.  It rocks.  All in all a solid CD.

Bottom Line: Filter proves that they're still a viable force in the modern rock arena with solid songs and catchy melodies.  After a slow start this CD takes off and doesn't let up until it's over.

Standout Tracks: Catching a Falling Knife, No Entry, Drug Boy and Clouds

- Ragman realized this pony has more than one trick