The band Shinedown has released its fifth studio album this past August. The band, originally from Jacksonville, Fla. and formed in 2001, is trying to bring popularity back to the rock genre of music on its newest album called “A Threat to Survival.” 

The band is famous for other albums such as “Amaryllis” (2012) and its most popular record, “The Sound of Madness” (2008) with hit songs such as “Second Chance” and “If You Only Knew.” 

Shinedown was very happy to create its newest album and excited to go back on tour. Moreover, fans were thrilled to hear the news that the band was working on a new record.

Many fans thought that the new album is a part B, or continuation of their previous album “Amaryllis” (2012). The song “Bully,” from the same album, and their new song, “Cut the Cord” from their new record, sound similar in their opening riffs, implying that it is a continuation. 

However, the band claimed that it is not a continuation, but rather a new record consisting of newly experimented song riffs and patterns, which may have been inspired from previously recorded songs. 

The name of the new album, “Threat to Survival,” indicates that rock ‘n’ roll is losing its popularity, due to other genres of music such as rap and pop music, and is trying to stay alive. 

Other rock bands have taken the same action to help gain rock and roll’s popularity back, such as Buckcherry releasing an album called “Rock N’ Roll,” Green Day releasing three new albums in a span of seven months, the new super rock group, Saint Asonia, releasing its debut album, and Pearl Jam working on a new record. 

The listener of Shinedown’s new record can hear lead singer Brent Smith’s, very powerful, rock sounding vocals throughout each song on the album. 

Smith’s vocals are especially powerful in the first single released from the album called “Cut the Cord.” 

After seeing the band perform that song live, I saw the live talent of the entire band. The new album was fronted by the top songs, consisting of “Cut the Cord,” “State of My Head” and “Black Cadillac.” 

The album debuted at number six on the Billboard charts, which was a big disappointment for the band because it thought the album would at least be in the top five. 

The album received four out of five stars on iTunes and appeared not to be a commercial success as the rest of their albums usually are. 

Many fans, including myself, felt the band did not deliver their hard rock sound as it had done in their previous albums, instead trying to use too many synthesizers over the electric guitar sound in an attempt to relate to the “pop” sound that music has today. 

If the band had made more songs like the single “Cut the Cord,” the album would have been a lot better. 

The band appeared to trick fans by releasing that first single to entice them to an album that was not as good as expected. As one person commented, “They lack the riffs and the soul that they had in the first album. 

Now they just take generic material with Brent Smith’s vocals, slap the Shinedown name on it and it sells.” 

Although Shinedown’s songs on the album did not sound like material from its old rock roots, it is experimenting with different sound types and tried to help boost the popularity of the rock genre. 

This is an accomplishment when rock bands are being out performed by pop and rap artists.