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| Anthems for the Damned | 
 enlarge | Artist: Filter
Label: Pulse Recording
Category: Music
List Price: $16.98
Buy New: $9.99
You Save: $6.99 (41%)
New (48) Used (12) Collectible (2) from $8.97
Avg. Customer Rating:  39 reviews
Sales Rank: 2589
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 90108
UPC: 805859010824
EAN: 0805859010824
ASIN: B00167TT9O
Release Date: May 13, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Not in shrink wrap but brand new, unplayed and in mint condition.
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| Tracks:
| • | Soldier of Misfortune | | • | What's Next | | • | The Wake | | • | Cold (Anthem For the Damned) | | • | Hatred is Contagious | | • | Lie After Lie | | • | Kill the Day | | • | The Take | | • | I Keep Flowers Around | | • | In Dreams | | • | Only You | | • | Can Stop This |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 34 more reviews...
 Not the FILTER you knew May 13, 2008
13 out of 20 found this review helpful
As lead singer Richard Patrick recently turned 40, he must look back at how different his life and his band are now. Gone is the anger of his youth, and his introverted outlook on life, along with all of his Filter bandmates. Geno (guitar), Frank (bass), and Steve (drums) from the last two releases have not returned. And long gone is his original collaberator Brian from the debut "Short Bus."
Musically:
Attempting to fill in the gaps, Patrick has brought in Wes Borland to write/perform a track, and John 5 does the same for a couple more. Aside from these songs however, there is a noticeable lack of the guitar presence that Filter fans have become accustomed too. Too often the riffs seem boring, radio friendly acoustic is common also.
Session star Josh Freese fills in on drums, and more often than not sounds lost with his task. Generic drum beats cover most of the album, and this is by far the most basic and limited work that I have ever heard from Freese.
Lyrically:
Aside from the musical changes, the songwriting is the major letdown here. Patrick seems dedicated to anger, even if he has none. An upcoming father, recently sober after a post "Amalgamut" stay in rehab, and middle aged for the first time, there is just not much to be angry about.
Thankfully there is an unpopular war in Iraq. Although Patrick is a few years late, much of the album centers on Bush Administration criticism, deception, and "lies." A word that you will hear frequently throughout this album. The anger and rage feel forced here, as Filter was always best at straying from political commentary.
Finally "Can Stop This" picks up from "The 4th" on the last album. A way-too-long instrumental filler piece that makes this album appear longer than it actually is.
Conclusion:
Overall this is one of two things:
A sign that Richard Patrick and Filter have lost their inspiration. It may mean that "Anthems for the Damned" is better off in the hands of new listeners not expecting such powerful former singles as "Welcome to the Fold," "Hey Man Nice Shot," and "Where do we go From Here." This may be a welcome change for someone more tailored to the current modern rock field.
Or, hopefully it will be looked back on as just a lost album among future great ones. Maybe Patrick can regroup after this tour with his new bandmates, new energy, and new inspiration. Maybe they will head back to the studio and re-claim Filter's legacy, it would be a shame to end on such a weak chapter.
 Is "Anyone Listening?" May 13, 2008
13 out of 16 found this review helpful
You will rate this current offering by Richard Patrick depending on what you are looking for in the band Filter. If you're looking for the nu-metal of their first three cd's then I guess you will be very, very disappointed. But if you're looking for a more mature Richard Patrick like in his side project, 'Army of Anyone', then you will not be disappointed. This is an outstanding release from Patrick and an overall great rock album. Any band that I've ever listened to I never want the band to produce similar sounding cd's time after time because then, what's the point. Although I might consider this an 'Army of Anyone' Part II Patrick gives it enough of the 'Filter' sound here to hopefully satisfy the listener, but probably not. And I totally disagree with one reviewer who states that they only played two songs from this cd on their current tour. Many bands do just that deciding to play more of the older material to satisfy the fans at the concert which is nothing new. I don't give a whole lot of credence to the fact that they played only two songs from this cd. While many are going to trash this cd because they still want Filter from the past I will disagree here because this is a great listen as was his 'Army of Anyone' project. If you love Richard Patrick's voice then this is a keeper, but you will have to judge for yourself. Don't go into this cd with any preconceived notions about what it "should" sound like and listen to it for what it is. For me it's between 4 & 5 stars, but leaning more towards the 5 star rating for a great rock album. The closing track though would be the one drawback of the album as stated in previous reviews and one would question why it's there so that might be the song that keeps this from the five star rating. 11 out of 12 though is okay.
 What's Next? May 14, 2008
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
After getting the supergroup thing out of his system with Army Of Anyone, Richard Patrick finally decided it was time to reactivate Filter -- with or without a band to back him up. Heading to the studio with producer Josh Abraham, Patrick collborated with such session talent as John 5, Josh Freese and Wes Borland and finished this thing almost as fast as Trent Reznor releases albums these days. The first Filter album after sobering up nearly six years ago (unlike that other guy who fronts a band with the DeLeo brothers), "Anthems For The Damned" has a big job to do. With a six year gap between albums, expectations will no doubt be higher than usual. Unfortunately, despite all the best efforts, this newest incarnation of Filter is, for lack of a better word, damned.
Maybe you could chalk it up to the fact that Army Of Anyone just wrapped up a year ago. Afterall, half the material here sounds like it belongs on a second Army Of Anyone CD, which wouldn't be such a bad thing, but we're expecting FILTER here. Since "Title Of Record," we've gotten used to ballads being a part of Filter's sound. It worked before, giving them a massive hit with "Take A Picture." It worked on most of "The Amalgamut" as well. Unfortunately, Richard feels the urge to pad half the album with the same kind of material. It doesn't matter that "I Keep Flowers Around" is basically just a rearranged, slightly modified version of "Where Do We From Here" or that "Lie After Lie," despite the signature creeping bass-line, is just a watered down Radiohead wanna-be.
The album does, however, have some legs to stand on. The first four tracks, in particular, stand out. "Soldiers Of Misfortune" and "Cold (Anthem For The Damned)" are ballads well-done, while "What's Next" and "The Wake" are heavy, raw and dynamic old-school Filter. After such a strong start the album pretty much slips into mediocrity like an old man into a bath. There is salvation later on, in "The Take" and "In Dreams," but for the most part, the ship has sunk. Had Patrick incoporated these ideas into a new Army Of Anyone album, or better yet, finished this album before jumping into that band, we might be left with a truer Filter sound. Overall, not a terrible record, but not remarkable either. And certainly not worth sticking out for the six year wait.
Don't be told what to think. May 23, 2008
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
It's puzzling to me that this CD could get anything less than 4 stars. This isn't some re-invention of Filter that we all must convince ourselves must be good because Patrick is back. This is an excellent continuation and evolved step forward for a very talented name in rock music.
Listening to this CD brings back fond memories of the dozens of listening sessions I've had with the previous Filter CD's.
Excellent CD. Without question this is a must have for any Filter fan.
 Close to great! May 13, 2008
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I type this review mostly to counter the other "one-star" review here - although I do agree with several points by that reviewer. The former members of the band, particularly co-songwriter Geno Lenardo, are definitely missed here. If I wanted to hear Wes Borland or John 5, both of whom I love and think are great guitarists, I'd listen to my Marilyn Manson and Limp B. albums. They don't quite fit here. But overall, this is still pretty much classic Filter to me, and a step up from the nu-metallish Amalgamut album. However, like that album, where the last two cuts, totalling almost 15 minutes, just drift off into a meandering and pointless mishmash of sound effects, this album, too, ends with a real whimper: a 6-minute non-song, where instead, there should have been one final, killer album-closer. But, if FILTER is what you're after, you'll find it here. There just happens to be only 43 minutes of it!
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