Boiler Room

Can’t Breathe

(Tommy Boy Music)

Imagine Incubus’ little brother. The really annoying little brother who locks himself in his bedroom and plays Tool and Deftones songs on his electric guitar all day long.

Tommy Boy recording artist Boiler Room is that guy.

Every song on Boiler Room’s “Can’t Breathe” has some remnants of the aforementioned bands. The album as a whole isn’t too bad, but it is part of a trend in music that needs to just stop. There is only so much a heavy rock band can do with a gentle voice and the all-too-familiar formula of soft and innocent verse and obnoxious choruses.

“Superficial” is a tasty treat that begins with vocalist Chris Lino humming lyrics much like vocalist Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle) is so envied for. The low-end guitar reverbs have a Tool-like feel to them, then the chorus kicks in and ruins the entire song.

The chorus of “Insomnia” delves from Filter, which is frankly quite disappointing. These band members showcase a lot of talent on this record; they’re just a little too late to be recognized as a beautiful and unique snowflake.

“Crash” starts with some interesting digital effects, while “Fuse” has an eerie intro, but all is forgotten when Rob Caggiano puts a foot to his distortion pedal and the band tries to rock.

Lino does come up with some words that complement the band’s emotional sound, such as in “Superficial”: “I’ve been shown all good things in life/Not all that have a reach in sight/Reality is distorted, ambition can be aborted/Expectation false and contorted.”

Five years ago this band would have been received as the Korn of its day. Boiler Room presents itself as a solid outfit with moving melodies, fierce grooves and a promising future; but the band needs to try something new with its sound instead of insisting on being the next chapter in a dying fad of this type of heavy music.