Rotten Mind is the second album from the Swedish punk act of the same name and it’s a fairly decent release – although there are elements of their sound that let them down a little.
Rotten Mind is an energetic piece of work, and the fast pace definitely works in Rotten Mind’s advantage. From the almost frenetic vibe of She’s Gone, to the more melodic closing track I Need To Know which finishes the album with a bang, the energy that the band has clearly put into their performance translates very well into the music and I can already tell this band will be tremendous in a live environment.
Unfortunately, it’s the vocals – or more specifically, it’s the vocal mix – that lets Rotten Mind down. The levels aren’t quite right, and the vocals are quite overpowering, which subsequently takes away from the instrumentation and it can be difficult to take the whole album in when all you can really seem to focus on is the vocals. Additionally, there’s some moments where it just sounds like the vocals are being yelled with no real thought or emotion, which also doesn’t really help their cause.
As a whole, Rotten Mind is a good listen, and although it doesn’t quite move into ‘great’ territory, it’s still worth your while to check out.
6/10
