Available From: Atlantic Records
Our rating: **** (out of 5)
Our View: Virgos scare the hell out of you to buy their album.
By Jesse Lauritz
Daily Cougar Staff
When you take your first look at Virgos Merlot, something grabs your attention right away.
The members' eyes speak to you like something that came straight from hell. They look like five walking lizards, sent to earth by Marilyn Manson to conquer the world.
Reality, however, is a different case. So, Virgos Merlot is not your usual happy, poppy, N'Sync band, but that doesn't mean the group doesn't rock.
The Alabama group made its debut with Signs of a Vacant Soul, an album that shows you the darker side of life and is driven by industrial melodies.
Although Virgos Merlot is not a constantly hard-core sound, the band establishes on its debut album that three guitars are better than one. If you had to describe this crew, I guess it would be Third Eye Blind with more attitude, and with an emphasis on attitude. These guys are bad asses.
Virgos uses a three-guitar attack that is more enthralling than the assortment of crap in the music industry lately.
The band members are big Led Zeppelin fans. Like Zeppelin, Virgos Merlot is willing to mix and match styles and sounds to create something awesome.
"Gain," the band's first single, is honestly great. The lyrics are hot and the guitars never quit. Just when you think it's over, the music hits you again.
Other good tracks include "Coming Apart," "Beautiful Lie" and the album opener, "The Cycle."
The band's best song is probably "Kiss My Disease." In it, Merlot hits hard with great lyrics and tons of electric guitar. This could very well be the band's breakout hit.
Signs of a Vacant Soul is an album very much worth the money. If you are looking for another cheesy pop album, then these five guys are not what you are looking for.
this was taken from:
http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol64/119/shobiz/shobiz4.html