COAL CHAMBER

While Coal Chamber's self-titled debut album doesn't sound all that original (White Zombie and Korn are obvious touchstones), they are certainly one of the better bands in the so-called alternative metal genre. Their sound is noisy and powerful, they seem to approach the music with strong emotional commitment, and B. Dez Fafara's vocals are appealingly left-of-center. It's not always consistent -- the riffs aren't always memorable (often due to the use of only two notes), "Amir of the Desert" is an annoying throwaway, and "Sway" earns debit points for recycling the "the roof, the roof, the roof is on fire" chant yet again. For the most part, though, Coal Chamber marks this band as one to watch, and fans of the genre will almost certainly enjoy the record. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide