Album Review: Various Artists - Saw 3D: Music Inspired By The Motion Picture

Ever wondered what kind of music would be inspired by a gruesome, torture-based horror film in 3D? Death Metal perhaps? Converge-esque noise? Well, according to the producers of this soundtrack, that music is middle-of-the-road AOR. Think of all the bands that were popular at the end of the nineties, then remember all the tripe that was an off-shoot of that and you’ll be in the right sort of range for this compilation. There is therefore no question that this will be a massive hit in mainstream America.

It’s hard to understand why anybody would want a compilation of bands like this. Saving Abel start the compilation off with their insipid contribution, ‘Never’. It’s an awful way to start an album, but at least serves well to give an impression of the general sound of the album, boring. There is little to chose between Saving Abel, Hinder, My Darkest Days and the majority of this album. Save for the three tracks that close it, most of the songs that stray from the general sound, aren’t a lot better.

Dead By Sunrise attempt to disguise their AOR-leanings with a dash of punk fails miserably, and Nitzer Ebb’s ‘Promises’ forays into industrial metal without much success. The only exception are I-Exist, whose track ‘Fire-fly’ is actually quite good. They sound like Sing The Sorrow-era AFI and are definitely worth checking out.

The sad fact about this album is that it takes until the last three tracks (of a sixteen track album!) to show any consistency on the good music front. Lordi’s cheesy metal should be discounted in most circumstances, but it makes such a good contrast from the jock rock that you can’t help but savour every chord. The thrashy 'Ram the Crush' from Wagdug Futuristic Entity, again would be inconsequential on it’s own, but provides much needed respite, and it’s left to Japanese rockers Dir En Grey provide an excellent and majestical close to the album. Unfortunately, it’s too little too late.

There is very little redemptive quality to this compilation, and therefore little need to buy it, and thus begs the question; how does a film that’s meant to be ‘edgy and current’ inspire music that is so safe and dated?

1/5

'Saw 3D: Music Inspired By The Motion Picture' by Various Artists is released on October 26th through Red Int/Red Ink.

Dan Issitt