Customer Reviews
Disturbed is awesome 
2008-03-16
I love this album. I listen to it every morning. It's a great way to wake up. =D
Mediocre 
2008-02-02
Can be catchy but, as with most nu-metal, it doesn't inspire many repeat listens, because it all sounds the same and, once the "catchiness" wears off, it's fairly mediocre.
Simply The Best 2007-12-19
Usually when you buy an album there are the mainstream songs that you love and then everything else. Not so on this album!!! Every song on this album is great - you could ask 10 random people their favorite song on the album and I would venture to say you would get 5-6 different reponses (if not more). Pick this album up now - you won't put it down.
First was the best 2007-12-09
This was their best CD ever!! So raw and true. Nothing beats it!
Debut that defined a genre... 2007-10-12
The musical sub-genre of `Nu-Metal' has received its fair share of flak for being a horrific excuse for music. Disturbed though never really suffered from the aftermath for the soul reason that, in terms of `Nu-Metal', this band is far superior to the rest. This is thanks in large part to the brilliance that is David Draiman, a vocalist who knows his strengths and exploits them in amazing ways. What makes Draiman so brilliant is that he for starters has an amazing voice (which can be heard clearer on the impressive sophomore disc `Believe') but he also has a unique take on the yells, growls and screams that permeate through `Nu-Metal' music. His approach is new and fresh and unforgettable.
Upon hearing the single `Stupify' you will immediately realize that this is a band unlike any other band to precede or proceed. It's within that originality that Disturbed claims their throne as reigning Kings of `Nu-Metal'.
While I much prefer their sophomore album `Believe' I must admit that as far as debut albums go this is truly one of the best around. From the opening track `Voices' to the closing `Meaning of Life' `The Sickness' is a brutal adventure in music. Beating the listener down with ferocious musical arrangements, sadistic lyrics and infectious vocal mechanics, `The Sickness' will stay in your head.
`Voices' opens the album with one of your generic `Nu-Metal' rap-rock type songs but they quickly redeem themselves with `Games', an electronic savvy rock track about betrayal and revenge. Lyrically `The Sickness' is a violent and sometimes disturbing album but it's executed so well that all is quickly forgiven. `Games' also is the first track to give us a taste of what Draiman's pipes can really do. He has a very smooth and almost comforting voice, not something you'd expect to come from a man who produces demonic screams and grunts like those found in `Down With the Sickness'. Songs like the beautifully tragic `Numb', and to a lesser extent `Violence Fetish', capitalize on Draiman's voice, but the true extent of his power will not be seen until `Believe'.
The popular tracks like `Stupify' and `Down With the Sickness' still continue to be fan favorites for they really helped this band establish who they really are. As Draiman bellows one grunt after another on `Stupify' the listener can't help but become enthralled. `Down With the Sickness' just very well may be the greatest angst anthem ever released with its brutal musical delivery and rage inducing vocals. But there are a few tracks here that outshine even these mosh-pit gems. Personal favorite `Fear' incorporates some eerie electronic background sounds and an infectious and brutal chorus line that excels beautifully. `Conflict' may be the heaviest track here and it's probably one of the best songs to work out frustration to (in fact I've spent many a night beating my punching bag senseless to this entire album). The closing track `Meaning of Life' is also deliciously brutal. It's probably the most explicit and disturbing track on the album for lyrically it's quite the horror show but it works amazingly.
`Want' is probably my favorite track on the album. It's just effortlessly captivating, from lyrics to musical dynamics to overall delivery. Stark contrast is `Dropping Plates', which is probably my least favorite track on the album. From open to close it's a rather bore and not memorable in the least.
What album is complete without a cover song? Well Disturbed lend us a revamped version of the Tears for Fears classic `Shout'. I've seen them perform this live and I must say that it's one of their best live tracks. They invoke so much power and passion into this song. They really elevate the material and recreate it from the ground up, and it works very well.
Like I've already mentioned, this album pales in comparison to their more mature and balanced sophomore album `Believe', but as far as `Nu-Metal' albums are concerned it truly rises to the front of the pack. Any fan of the genre has already undoubtedly embraced this album for the brilliance that it is. Disturbed has since this release grown in intensity and popularity but it will always be `The Sickness' that defines this band as the amalgam of brutality, melodicy and originality that we know them to be.
...I'm sorry...but I just don't understand the hook... 
2008-06-20
...now I looked back through the negative reviews before finally reviewing this to see if they agreed with my way of thought...well...in all fairness most of them were very harsh reviews that seemed rather mallevolent towards the band...while the polar opposite (most of the positve reviews) were stating that this was quite possibly the best Nu-Metal out there and how it should have been...ok...I'm going to try and explain why I disliked this in an attempt not to be ridiculously critical...
...as far as Nu-Metal goes I'm not an expert....but I must say in contrast to this I prefered Korn's Debut and most of Deftones earlier work...so I would stick to that because I felt more power and creativity went into it (THIS IS AN OPINION)...now being English this band aren't as well known over here...but I thought I'd give it a go anyway because I like keeping my genre barriers open...I have to say I was disappointed...and here's why...
...it is ridiculously generic...maybe it's the plan for them to follow a basic formula when they make their music...but the only difference I can tell between the tracks is the volume and the key signature...maybe at times the time signature if they feel like it...I've even seen Disturbed fans say in some comments on people's pages "If you've heard one Disturbed song you've heard them all" so I know for a fact that it's not just me that thinks this...
...ok...instrumentals...I'll go for the simpler instruments first off:
Drumming: At times there may be something impressive that happens...but most of the time just simple cross rhythms and nothing overly hyper to make me think "What on earth is that drummer doing?" But of course you could argue in mainstream media they would need a simple rhythm...I'd just like more surprises...after hearing The Berzerker's drummer I really can't get to grips with this...
Bass: From what I can hear it will do two of the following things:
1. Follow the guitar melody/riff note by note.
2. Play the root note of each chord in a repetitive usually quavered formation...again in most mainstream bands bass are very simple (unless you want to count Muse as mainstream then maybe I shall think differently) and I respect that he is a bassist in his own right and he plays what he plays...but a flair of originality never goes a miss in this world...
Guitar: You hear one song from them and you will able to enjoy the fluent overly distorted yet accurate power chords with palm muting in the verses...but after hearing the formula ten times...you will want something else to happen...now as far as the solos go...this guitarist is very formulaic with them...he will start by following the melody and once he has done that for a while he will weave around the melody with triplets and pentatonic scales until finally ending with a chromatic or even regular major scale...I'm somewhat disappointed with the guitar...since so many people had blindly glorified the guitar (along with the vocals which I shall get on to very soon) I was expecting somthing that would make them stand out from the Nu-Metal bunch...and yes if you played a guitar sample of a Disturbed song I'd probably be able to tell that it was a Disturbed song...but knowing a band for having a generic sound...I apologise but I can't appreciate it unless I feel energy from it...which normally lies within the vocals...
Vocals: In most mainstream bands the vocals are the signature of the band...and most other instruments are merely considered as background noise...so even though I felt the instrumentals were simplistic it made me even more hopeful that the vocalist (who was highly praised by random people) would have enough energy and lyrics to carry this band out of the hole of mediocrity...I feel sadly mistakened...in my opinion he has probably one of the worst voices (THIS IS AN OPINION) I've heard in Nu-Metal...he uses random growling sounds which just sound like a cat coughing up furballs...his singing which although he can sing in key...it's nothing new...his voice seems to be like he's trying to sound posh and proper like a prophet of the people...and yes...maybe he is for some...and if he is...I respect you and I'm glad you can find satisfaction out of this...but no...his lyrics don't interest me and his voice is shallow and Nu-Metally bland...
...what advice would I give to you? If you are aware of the underground metal scene in the slightest...there is a slight chance that after hearing this you will be so annoyed with it that you start ranting about how mainstream and pointlessly idiotic it is (like so many of the negative reviews before me)...that would be wrong but I have no right to stop you...if your experiences with music are mainly rooted in Nu-Metal and the other mainstream trends...then yes...you should enjoy this and I'm glad you're able to listen to music like this with such an open mind as I've almost become so arrogant that I can no longer enjoy anything with a basic verse chorus structure...and sometimes it bothers me...
...buy if you like your nu-metal simple and to the generic point...I'm afraid though I'm going to have to leave this band be now...
This is what Nu-Metal should have been 2008-05-30
I am like alot of music lovers out there who saw the Nu-Metal scene come and kill off the greatness the early to mid-90's brought to mainstream music. I have always kind of had a fondness for Disturbed. Simply put, in a sea of crap on mainstream rock radio, they have always stood out as above the pack. The thing is, I never actually listened to a whole album, just radio singles. I really wish it hadn't taken me this long to check out the Sickness. If the onslaught of Nu-Metal was more like this, then I don't think the genre would have gotten such a bad rap.
This album is full of tracks that are catchy and rock hard. Regardless how you feel about Disturbed, they are a talented group of musicians and it shines bright on The Sickness. This is not simply power chords repeated every verse. These guys take control of their instruments. Also, the vocal abilities of lead singer David Draiman are amazing. He can scream, sing and scat on the fly with a fierceness that puts Korns' Jon Davis to shame.
I think anybody who likes hard rock or metal should at least give this CD a once-through. It took me by surprise because I never expected it to be so good.
Fabulous 2008-04-23
I can't believe it took me so long to find this band. Each track is a masterpiece, although I don't think I'd have included Tears for Fears' "Shout". They are probably the tightest HM group around.
Top Rated~! 2008-04-16
Amazing combination of drums, vocals and guitars like one big machine......think Pantera but more precision. If you enjoy these guys check out Skinlab from Oakland...new live CD SkinnedAlive is incredible. The band has advance tracks up on their site.
rock amania 2008-04-04
this album was sick no wonder it went triple platnum first hearing stupify and fear in the best animaton dbz the songs was in dbz lord slug 2001 and damn the songs was hot so i got the album and it was jawbreaking the beats of voices was amazing this album is fun to listen to very technologic like vocies but this album is tottally worth it awsome songs.
