Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 60
 Not the "crossover" everyone makes it out to be November 3, 2008
E. Burrowes (Surrey, England)
Firstly, maybe I should explain where I'm coming from in writing this review. I'm a true junglist and an avid Pendulum fan, I have been since I first heard "Spiral" all those years ago. I watched them make 2 years of great records before they finally dropped "Hold Your Colour" in our laps. Needless to say it was sensational. I love every single track on that album and it remains today one of my all-time favourites. So when I caught word of a new Pendulum LP in the making, I immediately had high hopes for another DnB stormer.
By the time I reached "The Tempest" I was almost in tears. It was, to me, like finding out a band I loved had split up. Pendulum are dead. This album is just an awful attempt, by a band I don't even know anymore, at blending 2 or 3 different genres together into ten tracks of failure. I'm listening to "9000 Miles" and trying to describe the dismal hybrid-wannabe drivel resonating from my speakers right now is.. well, it's indescribable. Writing this is reminding me of the loss of one of my favourite artists all over again, it hurts! :(
Backing up my criticism a little; the vocals are WAY too FX-heavy. Generally this is used to overcompensate for talentless vocalists - yes, I am suggesting something here. Also, this album is regularly used by wannabe DnB fans who are trying to "me too" their way into a music scene they perceive to be cool. This ISN'T DnB. Not by a long stretch. This is a mediocre rock/electronica mix with a breakbeat rhythm. That's also one of the reasons I felt the need to write a critical review. The amount of people putting this rubbish under the DnB umbrella is really starting to annoy me.
Why have I given it two stars when I hate it so much? Simply because I believe that all music has intrinsic value. I don't think any song can simply be labelled "bad" because someone, somewhere will like it and to them it isn't "bad" at all. The fact of the matter is that the pop/chart-loving crowd will lap this up. And if you accept it for what it is, it becomes an average-fare pop album. It's just that I'm having a hard time accepting this for what it is because I expected so much more from the guys that brought me the best album of 2005. People who have only ever heard of Pendulum through "In Silico" or just love mainstream trash may make something of this album, it just doesn't float my boat, thank you very much.
The Cheesiest Dance/Rock Album... Ever! October 13, 2008
Man Without a Soul (London)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The same Big Beat drumming over the course of all 10 tracks...check.
Vocals taken from the Cher 'I Believe' hall of shame...check.
Lyrics that make 'Firestarter' sound like a deep statement...check.
Sound effects from the Scooter pro tools set...check.
...and we are ready to roll! Prepare to unleash hell!!
The thing is - occasionally we all like to inflict a little pain on ourselves and I can't believe I'm saying this... 'In Silico' can be quite a fun listen sometimes.
Just sometimes mind...
 The Worlds Finest September 10, 2008
W. Morris (Bucks, UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Im not a massive fan of drum n bass and dont think i ever will be but 'In Silico' has certainly drawn me in and made me think twice. I constantly listened to Radio 1 talking about how great Pendulum were so i thought i had to listen for myself and see if they were all they were cracked up to be!!
They certainly didnt disappoint!
I only brought this album at the weekend and it has been playing on my car radio ever since. 'Propane Nightmares' is probably the stand out track on the album and the most recognisable to any non-pendulum fan but 'The Other Side', '9,000 Miles' & 'Granite' are other faviroutes.
A must buy for anyone!
in silico August 26, 2008
addictive (ish) (england)
0 out of 5 found this review helpful
My first impressions were good, as pendulum introduced me into d`n b. But after much listening and reading outher reviews I have come to notice that this album is just there to get them into the charts, regardless of true brum and bass.
Pendulum have fused together a load of power chourds and a live drummer to what could potentally been a d`n b track.
So in all; this is just really bassy rock music, (and I hate rock).
 An album that will be quickly forgotten August 18, 2008
T. Wood
I must say that I agree entirely with the review by Mr H Pearce, entitled "A change of direction", and cited as the "most helpful critical review" - he has hit the nail on the head.
I too was a big fan of Hold Your Colour as a superb cross-over album, with just the right amount of grittiness to make substantial rock and DnB references, without making both completely homogonised and bland. Alas, in Silico homogonises pretty hard, and the result is an album that sounds as though it were expressly composed for the lastest Hollywood blockbuster soundtrack.
As per Mr Pearce's insightful review, it will doubtless have a few feet tapping when it comes on that bit later in some of the bars, but this album will be forgotten long before Hold Your Colour. No stand out classics here, in an effort to appeal to absolutley everyone. Bit of a shame.
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